Aeries has a feature to lookup the ZIP+4 code from the USPS when entering or changing a student's address. This feature requires the district to register for a free USPS Developer Portal account at https://developers.usps.com/getting-started.


Note: Due to changes made by USPS, each customer who wishes to use the Zip Lookup tool must now register for a free USPS Developer Portal account and obtain a Consumer Key and Consumer Secret code. The previous method used by Aeries is no longer supported.


Security

Table

PermissionDescription
Student Data (STU)

Update 

View the Student Data page
Update Student Addresses
Can access the USPS lookup endpoint


Obtaining USPS API Credentials

To enable USPS Address Verification in Aeries, you must obtain API credentials from the USPS Developer Portal. This process involves:

  1. Create or log in to a USPS Business Account
    Use the USPS Customer Onboarding Portal (COP) to sign in or create a new USPS Business Account.

  2. Create an App
    After your account is set up, select My Apps in the COP Business Portal.

  3. Retrieve your Consumer Key and Consumer Secret
    Within COP, select your app and locate your Consumer Key and Consumer Secret in the Credentials section. These credentials are required to configure USPS Address Verification on the 3rd Party Connections page in Aeries.


Additional Information:

After creating your account, go to My Apps, then open the Developer Apps tab and add a new application. The app name can be named "Aeries". Once your application is created, you will be able to view and copy your Consumer Key and Consumer Secret from the Credentials section.


NOTE: All account creation and credential management are handled by USPS. If you need assistance with obtaining a Consumer Key and Consumer Secret, please contact USPS API Support directly.



Configuration

The option to enable USPS Address Verification is configured on the 3rd Party System Connections page at the District level.

  • Check the box next to Enable USPS Address Verification.
  • Enter the Consumer Key and Consumer Secret you received when registering for the USPS Developer Portal.
  • You can register for a USPS Consumer Key here: https://developers.usps.com/getting-started/


 

NOTE: If the USPS Address Verification option on the 3rd Party Connections page is not configured, the Zip Lookup tool will redirect users to the USPS Zip Code Lookup website, where the zip code can be looked up manually.



Look Up a ZIP Code

When adding a new student record or changing an existing student's address, and USPS Address Verification is enabled:

  1. Click the magnifying glass icon next to the ZIP code extension field.
  2. For existing students, ensure either Fixing Bad Data or Address Change is selected at the top of the window.
  3. If the address is found, click Apply Zip Code Extension to copy the ZIP+4 code to Aeries.



The following window will appear when the entered address and ZIP code are successfully validated and matched with USPS records.




Validation Messages

The following validation messages may appear during address verification using the USPS Lookup Tool:

  • Scenario: Invalid USPS Credentials

  • Scenario: Missing USPS Credentials

  • Scenario: Invalid or Missing Address



Errors are logged in the LOG table and can be queried as follows:

    LIST LOG IF OB = USPS