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Allocate/Experian Missing Geo Data

mstern
7 - Meteor

A lot of times I find myself using Allocate to retrieve the spatial object info for geo boundaries like Zips, States, etc... 

 

It also seems like the data from Experian is often incomplete, especially in when dealing with zip codes. In most cases the missing zip is a PO Box, but occasionally it's not. I also don't have a good way to checking for missed zips and won't realize I'm missing one until I bring it into Tableau. 

 

 

Here is an example:

 

Zips are missing from Experian listZips are missing from Experian listTableau ScreenshotTableau ScreenshotLookup Zip data, not a PO BoxLookup Zip data, not a PO Box

 

Anyone else run into this? Is there a better way to pull in zip code boundary data?

 

7 REPLIES 7
EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

Hi @mstern

 

In Allocate, only polygon based ZIPs are enabled by default. Point ZIPs are also included as part of the US Spatial data and can be enabled through the Allocate GUI.  There are about 31K ZIP polygons in the latest (Q2) data, and an additional 10K ZIP points.  

 

Here is a link to an Alteryx Knowledge Base post that explains how to enable point ZIPs.

 

I hope this is helpful!

 

Cheers, 

 

Eric

 

 

 

mstern
7 - Meteor

Thanks for responding @EricM!. Unfortunately I'm getting an "access denied" message when I click your link. Are there non public knowledge base articles? I also tried to search for the article based on the URL name with no luck. 

 

Anyway, hopefully that article will address the PO Box issues, but I'm not sure why my example above had 3 missing polygons. Do you see anything on your end why zips 08858, 07977, 07939 wouldn't be included in the zip poly list?

 

Thanks! 

EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

 

It turns out that all three of those ZIPs are in the latest ZIP Codes w/ Points file, I have included a screenshot below. Point ZIPs typically represent office buildings or office parks, military bases, etc. and don't have a defined polygon boundary. 

 

The Data Products Knowledge Base does require permission since it is for data subscribers. I will check on who to contact for access and follow up with you soon.  

 

ZIPPoints.PNG

 

-Eric

EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

@mstern, if you reach out to community@alteryx.com, they can grant you access to the Data Products Knowledge Base.  

mstern
7 - Meteor

Thanks @EricM. I reached out to the email below. I also did some testing last night and think I see how to import the additional Allocate Workspaces, but I couldn't locate the zip point file. I am a licensee of the Core Data Bundle, but didn't see anything that looks like this dataset on the 2017 Q2 data updates. I also looked on your website and community board thinking there might be a link to download them, but had no luck. Can you point me in the right direction? 

 

Thanks!

EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

Sure thing!

 

Here is a word doc that describes how to enable the Point Zips (attached).    

EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

Sure thing!

 

Here is a word doc that describes how to enable the Point Zips (attached).    

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