Setting match requirements for Database Verification (Non-US & International)

Overview

In a Database Verification, you can specify what it means for a user's information to "match" against a known database, using rules we call match requirements. For example, you can allow for typos in a first name. 

For background on match requirements, see this guide.

Match requirements for international Database Verifications—which cover regions outside the United States—have some differences from those that cover the United States.

Below, we'll explain:

• Match requirement settings—for international databases: Match requirements are per-field, and can be "full", "partial", or "none." Learn what each requirement means.
• Possible match results—for international databases: Match results can be "full", "partial", "missing", or "none." Learn what each result means.
• Example match results: Learn how to interpret example match results from an international Database Verification in the Persona Dashboard.

Match requirement settings—for international databases

Here's what to know about match requirements for international databases:

• Match requirements are defined per-field: You can configure a different match requirement for each piece of information about a user. For example, you can require their name to match more closely to a known database, than their address.
• Each field you can configure maps to a single Verification check: For example, if you want to verify a user's name, require the Name Comparison check and configure a match requirement for the check. You can see the full list of Verification checks in the Persona Dashboard.
• For each field, you can specify the required match level. A required match level can be one of the following:
  • Full: The information must match exactly.
  • Partial: The information must match, with room for slight differences. 
    • You might hear a partial match referred to as a "fuzzy match".
  • None: The information does not need to match. This setting be useful if you want to collect a field only for informational purposes, and don't need it to match against a known database.

Possible match results—for international databases

The possible match results for international Database Verifications are the same as for the United States.

A match result tells you whether a piece of information about a user (such as first name, last name, or birthdate) matched information in a known database, according to the match requirements.

A match result can be one of the following:

• Full: A full match, as defined by the match requirements.
• Partial: A partial match, as defined by the match requirements.
• None: No record matched, as defined by the match requirements.
• Missing: Persona was unable to find information about this field from a known database.

Example match results

Here's an example of what a completed international Database Verification looks like in the Persona Dashboard.

Verification check sections

The Verification checks are divided into two sections.

• Comparison Check Results: Verification checks that use a match requirement. Each of these checks has a match result.
• Checks: other Verification checks.

Match results

This example shows the following match results.

Result: Full

The Name Comparison check, Birthdate Comparison check, and Address Comparison check all had a Full match result.

A Full match result meets the required match level for each check, so these checks all passed.

Note that in this example, the Address Comparison check can pass even if a match is only Partial. The other two checks require a Full match.

Result: None

The Identification Number Comparison check had a None match result. However, the required match level was also None, so this check is essentially not required.

Overall result

Overall, the Database Verification passed, because all of the required Verification checks passed.

The required Verification checks in this example are:

• Name Comparison - Full match
• Birthdate Comparison - Full match
• Address Comparison - Partial match (at minimum)
• Alive Detection