Set Document Name Matching Policy

Quick Setup

Start with Balanced mode. Most hotels complete setup in under 3 minutes.

This guide helps you control how strictly AVA compares reservation names with passport or ID names.

Where to Find It

Settings → Security → General Settings → Document Name Matching

The policy has two tabs: Reservation Lookup and Document Upload. Select the tab for the check-in step you want to configure. AVA shows only the active policy panel.

Where Each Policy Applies

Tab	Applies to
Reservation Lookup	Passport lookup and its document attachment during booking retrieval
Document Upload	Individual passport uploads and their name checks during check-in

The selected mode and threshold apply to every matching check in that tab. They also apply when the guest retries after booking-name verification.

Quick Reference

Setting	What It Controls	Typical Outcome
Strict	Highest match strictness	More guests go to front desk review
Balanced	Default match strictness	Good security with smoother self check-in
Lenient	Lower match strictness	More abbreviated names pass automatically
Custom	Manual thresholds and rules	Outcome depends on your configured values

Patronymic names

Strict mode accepts omitted patronymic markers like bin, binti, binte, bte, S/O, and D/O. It still blocks unsafe partial matches.

Native-script matching

When both names are available in the same script, AVA compares that native-script text first. That improves matching for Thai and CJK reservations without changing your selected mode.

Names in different scripts

When names use different scripts, AVA also checks deterministic transliterations for token coverage. This prevents one short transliterated token from approving an incomplete lenient match. Exact native-script matches remain accepted.

Strong surname protection

If a document includes a surname, AVA requires the booking surname to meet the selected policy threshold. Shared given names do not approve a booking with a different surname. When the passport surname is absent and the booking adds another name, AVA routes the case to booking-name verification.

Two-Token Document Names

When a document has two tokens, AVA requires meaningful support for both tokens.

This guard applies to Balanced, Lenient, and Custom modes. It prevents one token from carrying the whole match by itself.

AVA still accepts compact or swapped-token matches when both document tokens are represented.

Surname-Only Matches

When both name parts are available, a shared surname cannot approve the match by itself. This protects guests who share a compound surname, such as DELA PAZ.

Valid abbreviations, aliases, name reversals, and native-script evidence can still pass when both document tokens are supported. The existing ACI staff override remains available when staff verify the guest in person.

Name Pair	Result	Why
"Alex DELA PAZ" vs "Jordan DELA PAZ"	❌ Review	Only the shared surname supports the match
"Zilin Zhu" vs "Zhuzilin Zhuzilin"	❌ Review	One document token is not meaningfully supported
"A B" vs "B A"	✓ Pass	Both tokens are present, even if order changes
"M Taka" vs "Mitsui Takafumi"	✓ Pass	Both document tokens still appear in the match

Set the Matching Mode

1. Go to Settings → Security → General Settings

2. In Document Name Matching, select Reservation Lookup or Document Upload

3. Choose a mode

4. Review the scenario preview cards

5. Click Save General Settings

   ✓ The selected mode appears on the active tab before you save. ✓ Your selected policy applies to new check-in attempts.

Preview behavior

The preview cards now use the standard curated scenarios. Strict, Balanced, and Lenient show the same example list. The outcomes follow CCI's token-level scoring and two-token safety guard.

Tune Custom Mode

Use Custom mode when your team has a defined review SOP.

1. Select Reservation Lookup or Document Upload
2. Choose Custom
3. Set Base similarity threshold (80-95)
4. Choose whether to allow:
   • Initial + surname prefix matching
   • Alias name matching
5. Set abbreviation controls:
   • Minimum surname prefix length (3-6)
   • Minimum surname coverage (0.30-0.80)
   • Require two tokens
   • Require single-character initial
6. Click Save General Settings

Automatic Safety Rules

AVA normalizes document matching values when you save:

• Invalid mode values reset to Balanced
• Custom threshold must stay between 80-95
• Minimum surname prefix length must stay between 3-6
• Minimum surname coverage must stay between 0.30-0.80
• "true" and "false" text values are converted to real toggles

✓ If you enter out-of-range values, AVA saves corrected values.

Patronymic Names

Name Pair	Strict	Balanced	Lenient
"AHMAD BIN IBRAHIM" vs "AHMAD IBRAHIM"	✓ Pass	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
"AHMAD IBRAHIM" vs "AHMAD BIN IBRAHIM"	✓ Pass	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
"AHMAD BIN IBRAHIM" vs "AHMAD BIN ABDULLAH"	❌ Review	❌ Review	❌ Review

Malay Passport Name Shortening

Quick Check

Malay passport names can use everyday short forms. Balanced and Lenient modes support the safest common forms.

Malay names may include bin, binti, binte, or bte before the father's name. The booking may omit that relation word, including its common short forms B and Bt.

AVA recognizes common prefix variants, including:

• Mohd, Muhd, Md, and Mohamad as forms of Muhammad
• Abd and Ab as forms of Abdul
• Noor and Nor as forms of Nur
• Hj as a form of Haji

Approved guest prefixes also include Ahmad, Nurul, and Siti. Abdul and Haji are approved when they prefix the father's name. Hereditary titles such as Wan, Nik, Tengku, Raja, Syed, Megat, and Che are never omitted.

AVA can omit at most one approved prefix from the guest's given names. It can also omit one approved prefix from the father's name. The remaining guest name must still match strongly.

Strict and Custom modes do not use these omission exceptions. AVA applies the same matcher in reservation lookup, document upload, staging suggestions, and staged commit validation.

Accepted Malay Passport Examples

Passport name	Booking name	Strict	Balanced	Lenient
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI	Zahid Zakri	❌ Review	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI	Muhd Zahid Zakri	❌ Review	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI	Zahid Bin Zakri	❌ Review	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI	Muhammad Zahid Bin Mohd Zakri	✓ Pass	✓ Pass	✓ Pass

The booking may keep or omit the relation word. When it includes one, use the same relation word as the passport. Put the guest's name before it and the father's name after it.

Unsafe Malay Passport Shortcuts

AVA rejects a booking that identifies only a common prefix and the father's name. This prevents a father or brother from passing as the guest.

Name Pair	Strict	Balanced	Lenient
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI vs Muhammad Zakri	❌ Review	❌ Review	❌ Review
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI vs Ahmad Zakri	❌ Review	❌ Review	❌ Review
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI vs Siti Binti Ahmad	❌ Review	❌ Review	❌ Review
MUHAMMAD ZAHID BIN MOHD ZAKRI vs Zakri Bin Muhammad Zahid	❌ Review	❌ Review	❌ Review

Do not approve by prefix alone

Ask staff to verify the passport and update the reservation when a valid guest name still fails. Do not use a booking containing only the father's name and a common prefix.

Single-Line Malaysian IDs

Some Malaysian ID cards print the full name on one line. AVA may infer the first and last name split from that line.

In Balanced and Lenient modes, AVA can accept one approved leading token omitted from the booking. The remaining document tokens must match the booking exactly.

Document name	Booking name	Balanced and Lenient	Strict and Custom
MUHAMMAD HAFIZ ABDULLAH	HAFIZ ABDULLAH	✓ Pass	❌ Review
MOHD AHMAD BIN IBRAHIM	AHMAD BIN IBRAHIM	✓ Pass	❌ Review
SITI HAFIZ ABDULLAH	HAFIZ ABDULLAH	❌ Review	❌ Review
MUHAMMAD AMIR HAMZAH	AMIRA HAMZAH	❌ Review	❌ Review

This exception applies only to recognized non-passport documents with an inferred split. It does not apply to passports, unknown document types, or two omitted leading tokens.

Common Examples

Name Pair	Strict	Balanced	Lenient
"John Michael Doe" vs "John Michael Doe"	✓ Pass	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
"Jon Smyth" vs "John Smith"	❌ Review	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
"M Taka" vs "Mitsui Takafumi"	❌ Review	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
"K Taka" vs "Mitsui Takafumi"	❌ Review	❌ Review	❌ Review
"A Kumar" vs "Arun Kumar"	❌ Review	✓ Pass	✓ Pass
"HSIEH / YU-CHEN" vs "Hung Yu Chen"	❌ Review	❌ Review	❌ Review

Alias Names

An alias can pass only when all three conditions are true:

1. Alias name matching is enabled.
2. The ID supplies the alias.
3. The alias matches the booking under the selected mode.

Different primary surnames alone do not pass.

Booking	Primary name on ID	Alias supplied by ID	Balanced result
"Alice Tan"	"Alice Lim"	"Alice Tan"	✓ Pass when alias matching is enabled
"Alice Tan"	"Alice Lim"	None	❌ Review
"Alice Tan"	"Alice Wong"	"Alice Chen"	❌ Review
"Alice Tan"	"Alice Lim"	"Alice Tan"	❌ Review when alias matching is disabled

Before Enabling Lenient

Lenient mode can reduce front desk workload, but it also accepts more borderline name patterns.

Troubleshooting

Too many guests are sent to review

What you see: Many valid guests are redirected to staff review.

Fix:

1. Switch Strict to Balanced
2. In Custom, lower threshold slightly
3. Enable abbreviation matching if OTA names are often shortened

Too many abbreviated names are passing

What you see: You want tighter screening for short names.

Fix:

1. Switch Lenient to Balanced or Strict
2. Increase threshold in Custom
3. Increase surname prefix length or coverage

Changes do not appear to apply

What you see: The mode card does not change after you select Strict, Balanced, Lenient, or Custom.

Fix:

1. Confirm you selected the correct tab: Reservation Lookup or Document Upload.
2. Select the mode again.
3. Confirm the selected mode appears on the active tab.
4. Click Save General Settings.
5. Refresh the page and test with a new check-in flow.

The wrong name-matching policy is changing

What you see: Reservation lookup and document upload produce unexpected results.

Fix:

1. Return to Settings → Security → General Settings.
2. Open Document Name Matching.
3. Select Reservation Lookup or Document Upload.
4. Review and save that tab's policy.

✓ AVA applies the saved policy to the selected check-in step.

Custom values changed after saving

What you see: A saved custom value looks different from what you entered.

Fix:

1. Re-open Document Name Matching
2. Compare your values against allowed ranges
3. Use values inside the range and save again

Still Stuck?

Contact success@vouch-technologies.com if:

• ❌ Name matching results stay inconsistent after retries
• ❌ Settings save successfully but behavior does not change
• ❌ You need help tuning custom values for local compliance rules

Helpful details to include:

• Your selected mode
• Custom values (if used)
• 2-3 example reservation vs document name pairs

Related Guides

• Security Overview
• Document Checks
• Facial Verification