Editing Postal code (section)

== Non-postal uses ==
{{Expand section|date=December 2009}}
While postal codes were introduced to expedite the delivery of mail, they can be used for:
* Finding the nearest branch of an organisation to a given address. A computer program uses the postal codes of the target address and the branches to list the closest branches in order of distance. This can be used by companies to inform potential customers where to go, by [[Public employment service|job centre]]s to find jobs for job-seekers, to alert people of [[town planning]] applications in their area, and for other applications.<ref name=planning>{{cite news |author=Charles Arthur |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/oct/07/newly-asked-question-royal-mail-postzon |title=Guardian newspaper article on postcodes |work=The Guardian|location=London |access-date=26 February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201043135/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/oct/07/newly-asked-question-royal-mail-postzon |archive-date=1 December 2017 }}</ref>
* Fine-grained postal codes can be used with [[satellite navigation]] systems to navigate to an address by street number and postcode.
* Geographical sales territories for representatives in the pharmaceutical industry are allocated based on a workload index that is based upon postcode.
* Population data can be isolated, grouped and/or organized by postal code for statistical analysis.

=== Availability ===
{{Update|section|date=April 2021|updated=2010}}
In some countries, the postal authorities charge for access to the code database. {{As of|2010|1}}, the United Kingdom Government is consulting on whether to [[Postcode Address File#Costs and public availability|waive licensing fees]] for some geographical data sets (to be determined) related to UK postcodes.