Wholesale Mailsort Software Testing
Test Data Download
The Access Mailsort and Access Walksort software testing process requires you to sort a list of approximately 29,592 UK addresses and submit for validation electronic versions of the Computer Planning Report, Line Listing and the sorted Test Address List generated by your software. There are two test address lists: one for Access Mailsort 1400, 700, 120, the other for Access Walksort.
File Formats
The Test Address Lists are "plain text" (ASCII) files supplied in either comma delimited or fixed field width formats.
In Comma Delimited Format all trailing spaces are removed from fields which are then enclosed in quotation marks and separated by commas.
In Fixed Field Width Format as each field is of fixed width it occupies the same position within records of the file. There are no special characters used to delimit fields.
For both of these formats, records are terminated by Carriage Return (ASCII: 13) and Line Feed (ASCII: 10) characters.
Test Address List Record Structure
| Field Name | Field Width* |
|---|---|
| Name | 40 |
| Address 1 | 40 |
| Address 2 | 40 |
| Address 3 | 40 |
| Address 4 | 40 |
| Address 5 | 40 |
| Address 6 | 40 |
| Postcode | 8 |
| Delivery Point Suffix** | 2 |
| Not Used | 1 |
* For comma delimited format, the Field Width represents the maximum field width.
** The Delivery Point Suffix (DPS) is used on the Mailsort 700 and Mailsort 120 CBC tests only.
Please note that there is no designated Post Town field.
Test Address List Download
Before you can download an Access Mailsort or Access Walksort Test Address List you must submit a Test Data Contract. Once your contract has been received, you will be sent a username and password by email. You will be prompted for this username and password when you click on one of the download links below. If you have submitted a Test Data Contract but have not recevied a username and password within 48 hours of submission, please contact the Royal Mail Wholesale Department.