User:Nzahn1/House Numbers in WME

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This page covers editing house numbers in Waze Map Editor.

Overview

Waze keeps its own internal database of addresses, or what is called house numbers or HNs. These addresses are used only when a specific address is searched from the Waze Map Editor or Waze client app. House numbers are independent from any other address or mapping provider.

House numbers are points on the map and can be adjusted at a fine level of detail to ensure Wazers are properly directed to the correct location for that address. It is therefore important to pay attention to all details regarding house numbers to ensure proper routing.

Things to remember (caveats/warnings)

• The house numbers interface cannot be activated when there are unsaved edits.
• House numbers are editable only at the 100m/200ft zoom level and lower.
• House numbers cannot be added to segments without a name.
• A segment cannot have its name removed if there are house numbers attached to it.
• House numbers can contain numbers and letters, but cannot start with a letter.
• The Waze app does NOT automatically update position data for already-obtained destinations! Even after an address has been adjusted using WME and/or Google Maps, the app will retain the stale position data indefinitely and navigation will continue to fail. To eliminate stale position data, ask the reporter to remove any existing instances of the destination in their recents and favorites lists and then search for the destination again from scratch.
• If an address is on an unnamed road (private, parking lot, etc.) and the marker is a long way from the actual house location, delete the Waze house number and add a residential point Place which contains only the address.
• If the correct approach entrance to an address is from a street or segment other than the street the address is named after, then a Waze house number for that address should not be used. Instead, add a residential point Place which contains only the address.
  • See the FAQ for more information.
• If the addresses are on service, frontage, or outer roads, see the House Numbers on Service Roads article for a guide on adjusting the house numbers to route to service road properly.

House numbers vs residential point places

House numbers are attributes linked to road segments, whereas residential point Places (RPPs) are independent from road segments, and vary in the following ways:

• House number addresses automatically update when the segment name changes; RPPs do not.
• House numbers utilize the various street or city names listed as alternate names listed in the segments's address box; RPPs only can have one street/city combination per Place.
• House numbers are indexed on their own schedule; RPP location and details go live immediately, but search results are indexed separately.
• House numbers only route to road segments with names; RPPs will route to any road segment named or not.
• House numbers can contain letters; RPPs cannot contain letters.
• House numbers are Interpolated; RPPs are not interpolated.

Address search hierarchy

Waze uses a variety of sources for addresses in the app's search results. When an address occurs across numerous sources, Waze uses the source closest to the top of this list:

1. Waze RPP or house number
2. Interpolated Waze house number
3. Third-party results (actual and interpolated)

Note: addresses on an Area Place or a Point Place are cosmetic only and not used in address searches; only addresses for residential Point Place are searchable.

Interpolation

On road segments where Waze house numbers exist, Waze will approximate the position of 'missing' House Numbers. In the example image shown to the right, the end unit townhomes have the Waze house numbers marked, Waze will therefore approximate the location of the unmarked house numbers, roughly shown in blue.

In addition to numbers on the side of the street where house numbers are set in the WME, alternating numbers on the opposite side of the street are also interpolated by Waze. For example, if house numbers 4, 6, and 8 are marked in the WME, Waze will also interpolate house numbers 5 and 7.

Finally, Waze will estimate some house numbers beyond where house numbers are marked in the WME. For example, if house numbers 4, 6, and 8 are marked on a named road, Waze will also interpolate (at least) numbers 2 and 10.

New roads must have house numbers added

Waze will not be doing any future imports or merges of external data for house numbers. It is therefore very important that any new roads you add must have house numbers added in order for Waze to provide accurate routing to those addresses.

Activating the interface

To edit, update or delete house numbers on a street, select any segment of the road then click the Edit house numbers button or tap the H keyboard shortcut.

The House Numbers interface cannot be activated when there are unsaved edits or multiple segments selected.

Using the interface

View of house numbers and default distance highlighting.

Waze will often select an additional segment or two connected to the segment you selected when they are the same city and name (same Street ID). You can pan the map along that selection to edit house numbers on more than just the single segment you selected.

The lighted area around the road is the default distance that house numbers are allowed from the street. If a house number must be located beyond that distance, you will need to Force the house number into place (discussed below).

If you are zoomed out farther than 100m/200ft, you cannot edit house numbers, and there will be a message at the top center of the window which reads, "Zoom in to edit."

Toolbar

When the house numbers interface is activated, a new toolbar appears with the standard complement of action buttons specific to working with house numbers.

Descriptions of the house numbers toolbar buttons:

	Click to add a new house number.
	Click to save current changes to house numbers.
	Click to undo the last house number action or modification.
	Click to redo the last house number action or modification.
	Click to exit the house numbers interface.

Markers

The two images to the right show what a house number looks like in the editor. Which one is used depends on the density of house numbers and how WME determines the marker should be flipped for best visibility and handling.

• The red "X" is the delete button.
• The blue dot on the other side is the drag handle.

The house number itself should be placed on the center of the rooftop of the house. For large buildings such as box stores which have a single address, and addresses within shopping malls, it is recommended to NOT add the house number to Waze. These stores are typically within parking lots and the stop point for house numbers is not a good location for navigation to end. For these locations, use a Place area or point.

Modifying

• To Edit a house number, click in the number and enter a new number.
• To Move a house number, click in the number or on the blue drag handle, and then click and drag using the blue drag handle.
• To Delete a house number, click in the number, and then click the red X.

Adding

To add a house number, click the Add button on the toolbar or tap h on the keyboard. Click on the location of the house or business address. Enter the house number.

Setting the Stop Point

The stop point (sometimes referred to as the segment marker) is the location on the segment to which the house number is attached, and this is where the Waze navigation destination will be set in the client app. This is represented by a white dot with a blue outline attached to the street (see the image on the left.

When moving a house number or adding one, you will see a dashed white line leading to a white dot on the road you selected. This white dot is the stop point for navigation to that house number. It can be moved anywhere on the named segment for that address. It cannot be moved to any other segment including driveways (at this time).

The stop point should be placed:

1. Where you would park if you wanted to park closest to the main entrance to the building or an entrance to the building parking lot.
2. Where the driveway intersects the road. For houses with driveway which intersects the same road more than once or two different roads, put the stop point where the mailbox is located.

Think of it this way: "If you can get the driver to this point and have the app display a directional marker flag and announce the correct side of the road the destination is on, the driver should be able to figure out which building it is."

If you have aerial images turned off, such that the background screen is white, you will not be able to see the dashed line. Because it's white.

The Waze development team is working on a way to specify a stop point on a street other than the named segment to which the address is attached. This is important for any house whose driveway may not be on named street, mall location, unnamed long private streets/drives with multiple addresses, or businesses which have an entrance from a parking lot off the named street. At this time, there is no way to guide the drivers within a parking lot.

Errors

There are two categories of errors related to house numbers:

• Errors you can force
• Errors you cannot force

Errors you can force

When the error message pops up:

1. Dismiss it by clicking on Continue editing
2. Hover the mouse over the red-bordered House Numbers to review what the errors are
3. Fix the house numbers which are in error, if they are indeed in error.

The following errors can be forced if you are a rank 2 or higher editor:

• Number too far from segment: House number is beyond the standard allowed distance from its segment.

• Number out of sequence: House number stop point doesn't align with existing house numbers on the segment.

• Number already exists: House number already exists somewhere on the same selected segments.

• Wrong side: House number doesn't align with other existing ones for odd/even numbering scheme.

When you are fully confident there are no errors with any of your House Numbers after you have reviewed the House Numbers highlighted as being in error, click the Save button and then click the Force button.

Errors you cannot force

You will need to fix the errors in order to save. The following errors cannot be forced:

• Unsupported number format : House number contains too many numbers, or has letters or other characters which do not align with the allowed format for the country.
  

House number tips

• Forcing of house numbers is currently limited to rank 2 editors and higher.
• The wrong side and out of sequence errors are often a problem in a cul-de-sac or court where stop points for houses tend to bunch up at the end of the street, and the exact position of the segment must align between the house number sequence or odd/even switch (in those countries which follow this method).
• Another common out of sequence error occurs on circular roads with multiple segments. A junction node should be placed at the point where the sequence starts as the interface can only "start" a sequence at a node. For example, if a sequence of house numbers on a circular road runs from 50 to 250, then a junction node must be located between the stop points of 50 and 250 in order to avoid the need to force.
• For an address which must be moved beyond the normal accepted distance, when you Add it, it must first be placed within the highlighted area, and once the number is entered, then you can drag it to the correct location and adjust the stop point as necessary.
• If you have more than one which requires forcing, only one click of Continue editing will force them all. Be sure you are confident that all are correctly located.

• 

  When a house number has been forced and saved, it will display differently than other house numbers, with the word "Forced" included in the marker as shown to the right.
• House numbers are uploaded for indexing through a separate process than tile updates. The HN index update process is run at the same time as the tile builds. Performing trigger edits nearby to force the tile to be included in an update is not necessary. House number edits will be reflected in app searches within one or two tile update cycles.

Any cases where HNs are not indexed and searchable after a couple of tile builds should be sent to staff for review via your champs.

Remember to save

Before you tap Esc on the keyboard or click Close, remember to Save your changes.

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