A Skip Trace Report is a six-page PDF that summarizes the skip tracing results for one processed file. Open it before working your list to see your hit rate, contact coverage, and the other contact options in your results.
Reports are included with newly processed files that have at least one matched record. Each report is based on that file's All Available Data CSV, so you can read the summary in the PDF and find the individual contact details in the spreadsheet.
View an example Skip Trace Report to see how it looks and what it includes. Coverage varies by file.
Where do I find my report?
Download and open your results ZIP from your order's Box folder.
Open the folder for the file's search method, such as Owner Search.
Look for the PDF alongside the CSV files. For files processed with Property Search or Parcel Search, open the Skip Traced folder inside the search folder.
The PDF is named:
Skip Trace Report - Order [number] - File [number].pdf
The report's cover also shows the original filename, order number, and search method to help you identify which results it summarizes.
Does one report cover my whole order?
Each report covers one file. If your order includes multiple files, each file with at least one matched record gets its own report in its results ZIP.
Because files in the same order can use different search methods, look in the search folder for the file you're checking.
What does the report show?
After the cover, the report has five sections:
At a glance: Your hit rate and the percentage of matched records with phone numbers, emails, mailing addresses, and a listed relative or associate.
Phone numbers: How many matched records have a subject phone, with mobile, landline, and VoIP breakdowns across Subject Phone 1 through Phone 5. You'll also see phone coverage for relatives, associates, and possible household contacts.
Contact paths: Other contact options when subject phone numbers or emails are missing. If every matched subject has both, this page summarizes the additional contact information available for relatives and associates.
Relatives and associates: Counts of phone numbers, emails, and mailing addresses for subjects, relatives, and associates. Other figures show the relationships and possible household contacts available, plus the average number of relatives and associates listed per matched record.
Records: Counts for subjects age 65 or older and records flagged as deceased, where that information is available, with context to help you read those figures.
Some metrics and explanations change to reflect the data in your file, so read each figure with its label and supporting text.
How should I read the numbers?
Matched records and hit rate
A matched record is an input row that returned a hit. The subject is the main person listed in that result. One person can appear on more than one matched row, and matched-record totals include duplicate hits.
Hit rate uses all input records in the file. Other percentages generally use matched records unless the report names a smaller group, such as records without a subject phone.
Subject mobile coverage
Records with a subject mobile counts matched records with at least one mobile number anywhere in Subject Phone 1 through Phone 5. It excludes mobile numbers listed only under relatives or associates, so a record without a subject mobile may still have a mobile number elsewhere in the file.
Contact-detail totals and averages
The Relatives and associates table adds up contact details across matched rows. Each row can list the subject, up to five relatives, and up to five associates, with multiple contact details for each person, so these totals can exceed the number of matched records.
For example, two matched rows that each list five relatives with different mailing addresses can contribute ten relative mailing addresses, even though only two input records matched.
Each value counts once within its group on a row, but can count again in another group or row. When calculating the average number of contact details per matched record, shared values count only once per row across all three groups. The average number of relatives and associates includes matched records with none listed. The numbered notes explain these counting rules.
Possible household contacts
A possible household contact is a relative or associate whose mailing address matches the subject's under the report's address-matching rules. Matching can ignore apartment or unit details and does not confirm that they currently live together.
Having a household contact listed doesn't necessarily mean a phone number or email is available for that person, so the report treats these as separate measures. Contact details give you options to try, but they don't confirm ownership or guarantee that you'll make contact.
Why isn't there a report in my ZIP?
If your file has no matched records, its skip tracing results contain the Missed Hits file without a Skip Trace Report. Older results ZIPs haven't been updated to include reports.
If a newly processed file has matched records but you can't find its PDF, check the search folder and, for Property Search or Parcel Search, the Skip Traced folder. If it's still missing, contact SkipMatrix support with your order number and filename.
For guidance on using the individual phone fields and other contact details, read How do I work my SkipMatrix file?.