A fuzzy alphanumeric search apparatus searches for a search character
string (e.g., MPN) in a source character string (CPN) database. The match
is fuzzy since it only matches some of the MPN characters (referred to as
tokens) against some of the CPN characters. Nearly all part numbers have
a base number (base token) that is typically found at the beginning of
the MPN. A base token and other tokens are generated, used to identify
CPNs having the greatest total of MPN character position matches, and are
outputted as a potential (fuzzy) CPN match list to the user. The user
then determines if in fact a true CPN match is found in the fuzzy CPN
list. The Fuzzy MPN match technique is significantly faster than manual
wildcard searches.