There are many instances in which a universe of records will need to be split up among branch office locations, retail store outlets, sales representatives, or any other group identification. There are many ways to assign the records on the universe to a specific store or agent territory.

The simplest method is through a table of ZIP codes, with each ZIP code assigned to a territory. MSC can match each record on the universe by ZIP code to the table and transfer the territory code to the universe records. The table of ZIP codes could be county codes or state codes or MSAs or telephone area codes or any other geographical delineation.

Alternatively, using the address locations of the various branches or retail stores, MSC can assign each record in the universe to the closest (as the crow flies) branch or retail store. MSC will first geocode the universe (see section on Geocoding), and geocode the branch addresses. Then MSC will calculate the distance from each universe record to each branch record, and assign the universe record to the branch record that is closest. MSC can append up to the 10 closest branches to each record as well as the distance from each.