Location Data Knowledge Base

Am I wrong expecting CAPE or Census values for Households and Housing Units to match exactly?

Read this alert if using the CAPE Population Summary report from Q1 2016 or Q2 2016!

The Q4 2020 Business and Location Insights data packages are now available for your analysis.

The US and CA Data and Spatial Bundles contains many datasets, including the Melissa Data CASS engine.  While the US and CA Data Bundles are updated every quarter, CASS is updated every 2 months.  Luckily, the install file size for CASS is just over 1gb, so we are able to provide this update as a download.  Once downloaded, a few simple steps will get you on your way to using the most updated version of CASS. On occasion though, users have reported a few issues with being unable to utilize CASS.  Because of this, we have decided to provide full download and install instructions, with a final portion of frequent questions and issues.   To install the latest CASS: Download the latest version of CASS.  This is sent via email from Alteryx Products on a bi-monthly basis and will be in the format of the following: http://downloads.alteryx.com/CASS_US_CAN_20YY_MM.exe YY is the current year and MM is the current month release of CASS.  Double-click on the .exe file.  This starts the 7-Zip Self-Extractor.  Choose a location where you would like to extract the install files. IMPORTANT: This does not actually install the files, it only extracts the install files. Once the install files have been extracted, located and double-click the file DataInstall.exe.  This will be in the directory you just extracted to in the previous step. When the install dialogue pops up, check the box to accept the license agreement and click Next. The next screen allows you to select datasets to install.  Depending on which install you've chosen, you will see the option to install US, Canada, or both versions of CASS.  Check all boxes, then click Next.  This screen displays all current datasets installed on your machine.  Checking any box here will uninstall the dataset.  By default, the previous version of CASS will be checked for uninstall.  Make sure all prior versions of CASS are checked, then click Next. IMPORTANT: You must uninstall all previous versions of CASS during this process.  If you have any expired versions of CASS on your local machine, no other versions of CASS will work properly. Browse to the directory you wish to install CASS to, then click Finish. Once the above steps have been completed, you will be able to use CASS on your local machine. FAQ/Common Errors: Error: CASS (2): CASS is not installed properly or it has expired. Please contact your reseller or Client Services at 1-866-516-2400 1-866-516-2400 FREE to receive an updated CASS database. This is often because a prior version of CASS is still installed.  Re-run DataInstall.exe and make sure all prior versions of CASS are checked in the Uninstall screen. CASS was installed on a network drive and permissions are not allowing you to see it.  Try re-running DataInstall.exe and install CASS on a local drive. Error: CASS (1): The Melissa Data CASS engine appears to not be installed (can't find dll). This is often the result of mismatched registry entries or install folders.  Please contact support@alteryx.com for resolution. In most cases, the solutions for error 1 above will resolve your issue, but if not please don't hesitate to reach out to support@alteryx.com for handling. Thanks, and until next time! Chad Follow me on Twitter! @AlteryxChad 

This note is to alert users of 2010 Census SF1 Data in the Core and Spatial Data Bundles (including Q4 2015) of the reversed values in a report template. The report SF1 2010 Report - US Census 2010 Overview Comparison reflects reversed values for % Hispanic and % Not Hispanic. The corrected report will be included in Q1 2016.  This report can also be updated in a desktop install now by overwriting the existing report template with the corrected report template.   Action required: Replace the incorrect report template file Close open instances of Alteryx or Allocate Download, unzip and extract US Census 2010 Overview Comparison.rptx from the Community Article to the local Alteryx location. A typical install location is C:\Program Files (x86)\Alteryx\DataProducts\Portfolio\ALTERYX_US_Census_2010_SF1_15D\Reports Overwrite the existing template dated from 2011 with the updated templated dated 4/18/2016 Launch Alteryx or Allocate and generate output for the report SF1 2010 Report - US Census 2010 Overview Comparison  If you have other concerns or need assistance with these instructions, please contact our Customer Support team at support@alteryx.com.   How do you know if the report is corrected? Generate the report SF1 2010 Report - US Census 2010 Overview Comparison for the United States and review the fields % Hispanic and % Not-Hispanic. Depending upon the version of data installed the values may differ slightly but the proportions will be similar to the image below.     If you have other concerns or need assistance with these instructions, please contact our Customer Support team at support@alteryx.com.  

The 2021 scheduled release dates for the standard Data packages.

The Q2 2020 Business and Location Insights data packages are now available for your analysis. The packages include analytics-ready data from a variety of vendors as well as data-specific analysis tools which will empower users to get the most from the packaged data. Here’s what you have to look forward to in this release!

The Q3 2020 Business and Location Insights data packages are now available for your analysis. The packages include analytics-ready data from a variety of vendors as well as data-specific analysis tools which will empower users to get the most from the packaged data. Here’s what you have to look forward to in this release!

The Q1 2021 Business and Location Insights data packages are now available to plug into your analytic processes.

You know what really stinks? Working with addresses that aren’t standardized or verified. Whether human-input, or one of the many address formatting standards in the U.S., being stuck with an address you can’t either (1) identify or (2) ensure it exists can be a real pain in the… well…\n  \n CASS is here to help!

There are thousands of unique coded values in ConsumerView: 4,070 to be exact! It can be overwhelming to have to look them up. Fear not! The ConsumerView Output Decoder brings back the functionality of the ConsumerView Renaming Macro, but is now included with our data releases as of Q4 2019.

Previous Methodology Guzzler (Q1 2015) Removed from data installers starting Q2 2021

When installing the US Business Insights data package on an external drive that is connected by USB, an extract error from the Alteryx Data Manager may occur.

When registering the point datasets in Allocate, it is possible to get them mixed up between the Experian FULL US and Experian US datasets. When this happens the datasets are put into an error state and the Allocate tool will not open properly.

After upgrading to 2020.2 DUNS numbers do not return any matches. The DUNS number should be 9 digits, so the Workflow may need to be modified to prepend a 0.

For 2020, these are the scheduled release dates for the standard Data packages.

As of the Q4 2018 data release, Experian's CAPE offering accessed through Alteryx's Demographics Analysis toolset will move to an annual update schedule instead of semi-annual. The change was made by the vendor, whose research determined there isn't enough variance to warrant updating the Annual Update to the Thin Update (“A” to “B” in Alteryx terms).   This affects the following data sets:   CAPE Demographics, “Current Year Estimates” and “Five Year Projections” (CYE & FYP) CAPE Seasonal Population CAPE Daytime Population CAPE Consumer Expenditure, CYE & FYP CAPE Retail Demand & Retail Supply (Scaled) American Community Survey, Mosaic Workplace and Mosaic Residential are already on an annual update schedule and will remain on that release cycle. However, the annual Mosaic updates will be delivered with the rest of the CAPE updates beginning with the Q2 2019 release.   This change does not affect the quarterly Alteryx Data delivery frequency to our customers, as geographies and other data sets follow their own release cycles. We will continue to deliver Alteryx Data quarterly as the other data sets included within the offering follow their own update release cycles.

The Q3 2018 US Data package includes analytics-ready data from TomTom, Experian, Dun & Bradstreet and the US Census as well as data-specific analysis tools to get the most from the packaged data. The documentation package attached includes –   Release notes, variable list and change log Experian CAPE demographic data methodology document, Mosaic segment descriptions Experian ConsumerView Analytical file – user guide and penetration report Simmons overview D&B Analytical file - data description, SIC lookup code, penetration report Kalibrate Technologies traffic count overview and metadata Spatial products include documentation on drive time methodology and Alteryx map layers   What's new in this release?   Sample workflows included with the data installs are now grouped within a top-level "Data Install Samples" category Annual updates for Places, Other Name Places, CBSAs, and CCDs/MCDs   Please download and extract the attached 'Q32018_US_Data.zip' for the complete documentation.

Shipping and Gallery schedule for data delivered to licensees of Alteryx Designer with Data, Alteryx Designer with Spatial and CASS.  

Shipping and Gallery schedule for data delivered to licensees of Alteryx Designer with Data, Alteryx Designer with Spatial and CASS. 

Question Why do values in the ConsumerView HH & Individual fields contradict the Household Composition Code?  Sometimes other field values in a CV household record don't support the description of the Household Composition value.  For example, there might be two adult females in a household record but the Household Composition is A (HH w/1 adult female).  Or another record has 2 adults with a Composition code of B (HH w/1 adult male).  Answer   The first thing to note is the ConsumerView file delivers 6 of up to 8 persons in a Living Unit.  Not every person is delivered which may impact the Household Composition Code.  Another consideration is the description does not define the exact makeup of the household.  For example, a Household Composition code of "A" (HH w/1 adult female) does not mean this household is exclusively made up of a single adult female.   Household Composition - This field is calculated based on gender and children present in the Living Unit.  On the Household Composition, Experian looks at everyone in the Living Unit provided to them and determines how many adults are present in each Living Unit, gender of those individuals and if children are present in that living unit, coding them according to the codes chart. * A = HH w/1 adult female (no adult male, no child) * B = HH w/1 adult male (no adlt F, no child) * C = HH w/1 adult female and 1 adult male (no child) * D = HH w/1 adult female, 1 adult male and children present * E = HH w/1 adult female and children present (no adult male) * F = HH w/1 adult male and children present (no adult female) * I = HH w/2 or more adult males and children present (This does not mean there is not an adult female present in the household) * J = HH w/2 or more adult females and children present (This does not mean there is not an adult male present in the household) * G = HH w/2 or more adult males (An adult female can also be present in household, no child)) * H = HH w/2 or more adult females (An adult male can also be present in household, no child) * U = Unable to code   Records coded with C and D are typically scenarios where there's a male and female with/without children.  I - H could be one of these situations below: 1.) Scenarios where an elderly parent living with their adult children. 2.) Roommates (both male and female, young and old) 3.) Scenarios where a married couple allows an in-law (the brother or sister of a spouse) to reside with them 4.) Scenarios where a relative (uncle, cousin, etc.) may live with their relatives 5.) College age children (ages 19+) living with parents.   When might the Household Composition value not match the houehold attributes?  In one scenario, 2 Adults in a household with a Code of "A," more than likely there are two female adults in the household. This could be a roommate situation, it could be a mother and older daughter. Only one female may be a PDM in a household. Because of this, the record would receive the Household Composition code of “A” meaning a household with one adult female even though there are two adult females present.    In the "Question" example of two adult females in a household record but the Household Composition is A (HH w/1 adult female), this household looks as if it is more likely two sisters residing together as the ages are close together. One is listed as the PDM, the other is listed as the other adult. The system assigned the living unit an A denoting the female PDM.   The second "Question" example of 2 adults with a Code of "B" may be a household with a parent living with adult child situation. The adult child is coded as the PDM and the other person is only an initial and coded as the other adult. The system assigned the living unit a B denoting the male PDM.   In situations where fields in specific records are questionable and need further validation, provide those records to data_products@alteryx.com explaining the issue.  Also include the vintage of the ConsumerView Household or Individual file.     Experian's ConsumerView file is built directly from hundreds of public and proprietary sources.  They employ rigorous data testing including applying proprietary models and algorithms to ensure only the most deliverable addresses and accurate data elements are on the ConsumerView database.  Attached to this article is an excellent User Guide for the ConsumerView dataset. This User Guide is also included in the US Data Bundle documentation.