The following chart illustrates the address components in the locale, and the associated checkbox in the rating interface.
The table below outlines the required (and optional) components for general result types.
Result Type | Components | ||||||
Street # | Unit # | Street | Postcode | City/Municipality/Postcode Area (Locality) | Province (State/Region) | Country | |
Full Address | Yes | Yes (if applicable) | Yes | Yes ** | Yes | Not Expected | Optional* |
Street | Not Expected | Yes | Yes ** | Yes | |||
Neighborhood | Not Expected | Yes | |||||
Village | Not Expected | Yes | |||||
Locality | Not Expected | Yes | |||||
Province | Not Expected | Yes | |||||
Postcode | Not Expected | Yes | Yes | Not Expected | |||
Country | Not Expected | Yes | |||||
POI | Yes (per official address) | Yes | Yes ** | Yes | Not Expected | Optional* (Not expected in AC) | |
POI with no expected address | As per Global Guidelines | Optional (Not expected in AC) | Yes | ||||
POI – Transit | Not Expected | Yes | |||||
Natural Feature | Not Expected (rated as incorrect Other Issue if included) | Optional (Not expected in AC) | Optional (As long as feature falls within the area) | Optional* (As long as feature falls within the area) | |||
Island | Not Expected (rated as incorrect Other Issue if included) | Optional (Not expected in AC) | Yes | Optional* | |||
Legend:
Yes | Must be present and correct |
** | This component is not expected to appear in Autocomplete results |
Optional | Can be missing, but must be correct when returned |
* | Considered Yes/Essential if the result is foreign to the test locale (fi_FI) |
Result Type | Search | Autocomplete | Legend |
POI Address | Tasetie 8 01510 Vantaa | Tasetie 8 Vantaa | Street Number Street Name Sub-locality Locality Postal Code Province Country |
Full Address | Tasetie 8 01510 Vantaa | Tasetie 8 Vantaa | |
Transit POI | Vantaa | Vantaa | |
Street | Lehtismäentie 20300 Turku | Lehtismäentie Turku | |
Neighborhood | Ruoholahti Helsinki | Ruoholahti Helsinki | |
Village | Kortesjärvi Kauhava | ||
Island | Ruokoniemensaari Taipalsaari | ||
Locality | Helsinki | ||
Postal Area | Helsinki | Helsinki | |
Province | Uusimaa | ||
Natural Feature | Sallatunturi | ||
Country | Suomi | ||
Note: table in this section summarize address expectations for an average result for each type. Special formats that are prevalent in the market will be explored in the next section.
The address components use postal code areas(Toimipaikka) as the locality, this is perfectly Correct and there is no need for demotion since the postal code area replaces the municipality in the address components.
If the postal code locality is wrong, rate it as Address Incorrect – Locality.
Otherwise, rate the address as Address Correct when the postal code area is used.
Postcode area as the locality in an address result – Rating Example | |
Address Type Result | How to rate the result: |
Mickelsbölentie Mickelsbölentie 06830 Kulloonkylä | Address Correct While the municipality is Porvoo, the use of postcode area Kulloonkylä in the address components is Correct as confirmed with the Postal Service. |
3.2. Street Numbers with Extension Letters or Unit Numbers
Queries can be misspelled, so research should be done before deciding if the user intent is for an extension letter or a unit letter.
Extension Letters are used for subdivided addresses of properties that have been split into two or more plots (also known as street extensions letters). These properties will always have separate rooftops and, more often than not, clear boundary lines between the properties in official maps. Street numbers will include an extension letter to indicate this, which is officially written in conjunction with street number and in small letters.
Unit Numbers are used to signify the apartment/unit number and are not shown on official maps. Queries sometime feature either the Finnish word “asunto” (abbrev. “as”) or the Swedish word “bostad” (abbrev. “bst”) before the unit number. While unit letters often are a combination of a staircase letter and a number, the unit letter can also just be a letter itself. Officially, the letter in the unit number is written in all caps and separated from the street number with a space.
Addresses with a Street Number Extension Letter
Minttutie 9a
Minttutie 9A
Addresses With a Unit Number
Kaivokatu 1 D 95
Lähteenkatu 2 as 5
Valtakatu 35 asunto 5
Männistönraitti 5 A
If the street number has been divided into subdivisions, this will be written in official map sources as a street number in a similar way as a regular street number on the map layer.
If an Address Result is returned without the extension letter, rate the address as Address Does Not Exist.
For POI/Business result, a street number missing the extension letter is rated as Address Incorrect – Street number.
Address Type Result Examples | ||
Address Type Result | Existing Address | How to rate the result: |
Jupiterintie 8 Jupiterintie 8 00750 Helsinki | Jupiterintie 8b or 8a 00750 Helsinki | Address Incorrect – Address does not exist In governmental map, the street numbers are shown on the map as 8a and 8b instead of 8 which shows that this plot is subdivided. This can be verified further using an online municipality map which only recognizes 8b and 8a. Since there is no business claiming this address, rate this as ADNE. |
POI/Business Type Result Rating Example | ||
POI Type Result | Correct Result | How to rate the result: |
Helin Käsityöt Minttutie 9A 01300 Vantaa | Helin Käsityöt Minttutie 9A 01300 Vantaa | Address Correct The street number with an extension letter can be written as either 9A or 9a in the result address, as long as it is written correctly compounded with the street number. |
Helin Käsityöt Minttutie 9 01300 Vantaa | Helin Käsityöt Minttutie 9a or 9A 01300 Vantaa | Address Incorrect – Street Number The street number with an extension letter is treated as a regular street number. |
A sub-locality type result, as village, district, neighbourhood or island, has to have two components excluding country in the address details. The second component can either be the name of the postal code area or the municipality of the sub-locality. If the second component is missing, please rate it as Address Incorrect – Country Specific.
This rule is an exception and only applies to sub-locality results in Maps Search and Autocomplete, this does not apply to other result types, such as full street address type result or POI/Business type result.
Use Sub-Locality Checkbox when present to report issues regarding Sub-Localities (first component). If not present, or issues are with the second component, continue using “Country specific issue”.
Sub-locality Results Rating Examples (Search/AC)
Address Type Result (Sub-locality) | Correct Result | How to rate the result: |
Kortesjärvi Kortesjärvi Suomi | Kortesjärvi Kortesjärvi Kauhava Suomi | Address Incorrect – Country Specific Issue Official governmental sources confirm Kortesjärvi belongs to the municipality of Kauhava which is missing from the address components. The address rating is Incorrect – CSI. |
Ruokolahdensaari Ruokolahdensaari Kyläniemi Suomi | Ruokolahdensaari Ruokolahdensaari Kyläniemi Suomi | Address Correct Kyläniemi is the name of Correct postal code area of Taipalsaari. There is no need to mark the address as incorrect since correct postal code area replaces the municipality. |
Oulunsalo Oulunsalo Oulunsalo Suomi | Oulunsalo Oulunsalo Oulunsalo Suomi | Address Correct Oulunsalo is the name of Correct postal code area of Oulu. Address is rated Correct since the postal code area replaces the municipality even if Oulunsalo is repeated twice in the address details. |
Island Result which is a Municipality (Search/AC) | ||
Address Type Result | Correct Result | How to rate the result: |
Luoto Luoto Suomi | Luoto Luoto Suomi | Address Correct Exception: If the island is a municipality, for example island of Luoto, there is no need for a second locality. |
According to the global guidelines section 9.6.1. Bus, Tram, and Streetcar Stops, Perfect pins should be placed on the spot where a user would wait while Approximate pins can be placed within 50m of the waiting spot if within the Half ‘n’ Half rule.
Remember, favour the map view that gives a more generous rating for the pin if the pin location is different in vector and satellite view.
Rating Examples (Search/AC) | ||
POI | Screenshot | How to rate the Result: |
Perfect (Vector Map)
A satellite view shows that this pin actually falls in the street for this bus stop. However, the rating should favour the map view that gives a more generous rating.
Kiskontie
Bussipysäkki
In this case, the vector map is used to rate the pin and the rating is Perfect.
Corner plots are situated at the intersection of two streets and can hold more than one address. Corner plots originally have addresses from both street, but only one is officially used, usually the one the plot is accessed from. Some buildings have access from both sides so then they can claim both addresses (as seen in cities). In urban areas, the best way to verify the existence of two addresses for the corner address is by verifying that the street number is shown on the side of the building facing that street.
The global guidelines instruct, formatting errors should not be considered if you can determine what the user intent is. Queries with unit numbers or extension letters are often misspelled and research is required to confirm the user intent.
Queries with Badly Formatted Unit Number (AV) | ||
Address Verification Query | Existing Address | How to understand the query: |
Merkuriuksentie 13J 39 00750 Helsinki | Merkuriuksentie 13 J 39 00750 Helsinki | Research shows that there are no subdivisions in Merkuriuksentie 13, so the J 39 is a unit letter. Research also shows that this location is an apartment complex with multiple buildings so the J 39 is needed to make the query valid. |
Pollentie 14 A 13500 Hämeenlinna | Pollentie 14a 13500 Hämeenlinna | Research shows that there is a subdivision letter Pollentie 14a, so the most likely user intent is 14a as an extension letter, not 14 A as a unit letter. |
In the Finnish market, rate the Query is Invalid if (See examples in p. 10):
Refer to the Global Guidelines for clarification on how to identify Invalid but Reasonable addresses in Address Verification.
Query with a Missing Extension Letter (AV)
Query | Existing Addresses | How to rate the Query Validity: |
Pollentie 14 13500 Hämeenlinna | Pollentie 14a 13500 Hämeenlinna OR Pollentie 14b 13500 Hämeenlinna | Query is Invalid. This query is invalid since research using official sources show that the street number 14 has been divided into subdivisions 14a and 14b. Since there is no business claiming street number 14, the query is Invalid as Pollentie 14 does not exist without an extension letter. This address is Invalid – Reasonable as there is fewer than 5 buildings which can be seen. |
Queries for An Apartment Complex with Multiple Buildings (AV) | |
Query | How to rate the Query Validity: |
Merkuriuksentie 13 00750 Helsinki | Query is Invalid. The query address is an apartment complex with multiple buildings and a unique location cannot be confirmed. The query is Invalid – Reasonable as the area is an apartment complex. |
Merkuriuksentie 13 J 39 00750 Helsinki | Query is Valid. While the street number 13 belongs to an apartment complex, use of unit number J 39 makes this a unique location. The query is valid, and the unit number J 39 is needed in the result address as this is an apartment complex with multiple residential buildings. |
Query For An Apartment Complex With One Building (AV) | |
Query | How to rate the Query Validity: |
Kielotie 7 01300 Vantaa | Query is Valid. The query address Kielotie 7 points to a single unique location. While it is an apartment building, the unit number is not needed to make the query valid as there is only one residential building. |
Kielotie 7 A 01300 Vantaa | Query is Valid. The query contains a unit number, whilst the query is valid without a unit number since the address is unique apartment building, it is also valid with the unit number as this unit number exists in the real world. |
Results with Unit Number (AV)
AV Query | AV Result | Existing Address | How to rate the result: |
Merkuriuksentie 13 J 39 00750 Helsinki
| Merkuriuksentie 13 00750 Helsinki | Merkuriuksentie 13 J 39 00750 Helsinki | Address Incorrect – Unit Number The query address is an apartment complex with multiple buildings so the unit number is needed to single out one unique location. |
Kielotie 7 A 01300 Vantaa | Kielotie 7 01300 Vantaa | Kielotie 7 01300 Vantaa | Address Correct Since the query address is an apartment building with only one residential building, the result still points to a single location without the unit number. |
Results with Unit Number Written as Extension Letter | |||
AV Query | AV Result | Existing Address | How to rate the result: |
Merkuriuksentie 13 J 39 00750 Helsinki | Merkuriuksentie 13J 39 00750 Helsinki | Merkuriuksentie 13 J 39 00750 Helsinki | Address Incorrect – Street number and Unit Number The correct unit number is J 39 or J39. The street number is incorrectly shown as 13J while the unit number is only shown as 39. |
Results with Extension Letters (AV) | |||
AV Query | AV Result | Existing Address | How to rate the result: |
Pollentie 14a 13500 Hämeenlinna | Pollentie 14A 13500 Hämeenlinna | Pollentie 14a 13500 Hämeenlinna | Address Correct Research confirms that the subdivision 14a exists, so we rate the address as Correct. |
Pollentie 14A 13500 Hämeenlinna | Pollentie 14 13500 Hämeenlinna | Pollentie 14A 13500 Hämeenlinna | Address Incorrect – Street Number In Address Verification, the result is compared to the query. Research using official sources shows that the street number has been divided, and only street number 14a and 14b exist. |
In Finland, the roads inside apartment complexes are often restricted access roads that do not allow the usage of a typical car. In these cases, the correct MNE is Cars Not Allowed if a route uses these.
MNE – Cars Not Allowed
Route Using Roads inside Apartment Complex (Routing)
How to rate the result:
The route uses a road inside an apartment complex. As most of these roads are restricted against the use of normal cars, research should be done. Street level images reveal a sign at 60.158067, 24.744244 which prohibits driving unless under special cases. This is rated as Cars Not Allowed instead of Access Restricted since the usage of normal cars is not allowed on this road.
As Finland is a bilingual market, it is expected to have addresses in Swedish language. If there is an address that is not found in the official post office and the result is in a Swedish-speaking area, please also check the Swedish version of the address before determining that the address does not exist. Sometimes the post office only recognizes either Finnish or Swedish version of the address.
If the address components are mixed such as Lindönkatu 10900 Hangö, accept this as a Correct address.
Example of an Address (AV) | |||
Address Components | Swedish | Finnish | |
Result Name | [Street Name] | Lindögatan | Lindönkatu |
Address Components | [Street Name] [Postcode] [Locality] | Lindögatan 10900 Hangö | Lindönkatu 10900 Hanko |
As Ahvenanmaa is an autonomous part of Finland, they have their own official government sources that should be used when determining correct postal codes and addresses. Also, the country can be Åland instead of Finland in the address components.
As the language used in Ahvenanmaa is Swedish, the address components are expected to be returned in Swedish instead of Finnish. However, if the correct address components are returned in Finnish, do not demote the result and accept it as correct.
Maps Search Example | Autocomplete Example | |
Result Name | Tengsödaviksvägen | Tengsödaviksvägen |
Address Components | Tengsödaviksvägen, 22430 Saltvik | Tengsödaviksvägen, Saltvik |