Reference Guide

Reference Guide#

Introduction #

Global Business Coder provides in-depth firmographic information for over 25 million U.S. enterprises. This data encompasses standardized company names, job titles, contact details (including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses), SIC/NAICS codes, workforce sizes, stock ticker symbols, revenue figures, and more.

This API offers a wealth of valuable insights into businesses, serving a wide range of purposes such as market analysis, lead generation, and customer profiling.

Base URL #

https://businesscoder.melissadata.net

Licensing #

The License Key is a software key required to use the web service. You will receive your license key from your Melissa representative. If you don’t have a license key, contact the Melissa sales team by Requesting a Demo or by calling 800-MELISSA ext. 3 (800-635-4772 ext. 3). Without a license key this service will not function.

To set the license key, use the id/LicenseKey property in your requests.

Endpoints #

/WEB/BusinessCoder/doBusinessCoder #

Use this endpoint to validate IP numbers

Try It Now #

GET JSON
POST JSON

curl -X GET "https://businesscoder.melissadata.net/WEB/BusinessCoder/doBusinessCoderUS?\
&cols=\
&id={{customerId}}\
&opt=\
&t=Test\
&a1=22382%20Avenida%20Empresa\
&a2=\
&city=Rancho%20Santa%20Margarita\
&comp=\
&ctry=\
&ff=\
&mak=\
&mek=\
&phone=\
&postal=92688\
&rec=\
&state=California\
&stock=\
&suite=\
&web=" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Accept: application/json"

curl -X POST "https://businesscoder.melissadata.net/WEB/BusinessCoder/doBusinessCoderUS" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Accept: application/json" \
-d '{
       "cols": "",
       "id": "{{customerId}}",
       "opt": "",
       "Records":
       [{
          "a1": "22382 Avenida Empresa",
          "a2": "",
          "city": "Rancho Santa Margarita",
          "comp": "",
          "ctry": "",
          "freeform": "",
          "mak": "",
          "mek": "",
          "phone": "",
          "postal": "92688",
          "rec": "",
          "state": "California",
          "stock": "",
          "suite": "",
          "web": ""
       }],
       "t": "Test"
    }'

Request Parameters #

GET JSON
POST JSON

Code

Description

Request Level Parameters

cols

This string value specifies which column(s) to be output as a comma delimited string.

id

The License Key issued by Melissa.

opt

Set Options
CentricHint
MaxContacts
ReturnDominantBusiness
SICNAICSConfidence

t

This is a string value that serves as a unique identifier for this set of records. It is returned as sent.

Record Level Parameters

a1

The first address line of the business.

a2

The second address line (suite) of the business.

city

City, Municipality, Locality. The most common population center data element.

comp

The name of the business.

ctry

The country.

ff

This is a string value which can contain one of the possible minimum input requirements.

mak

Melissa Address Key (MAK). A propietary unique key identifier for an address. This is derived from Address Checking.

mek

Melissa Enterprise Key (MEK). The unique identifier given by Business Coder.

phone

The phone number of the business.

postal

ZIP, Postal Code. The complete postal code for a particular delivery point.

rec

This is a string value containing a unique identifier for the current record. Use this to match the record submitted with the record returned. It will return what is inputted.

state

State, Province, Administrative Area. The most common geographic data element.

stock

A unique abbreviation/symbol assigned by the stock exchange for listed companies.

suite

Suite, Sub Premises. The alphanumeric code identifying an individual location.

web

The web address/domain for a company.

Code

Description

Request Level Parameters

cols

This string value specifies which column(s) to be output as a comma delimited string.

id

The License Key issued by Melissa.

opt

Set Options
CentricHint
MaxContacts
ReturnDominantBusiness
SICNAICSConfidence

t

This is a string value that serves as a unique identifier for this set of records. It is returned as sent.

Record Level Parameters

a1

The first address line of the business.

a2

The second address line (suite) of the business.

city

City, Municipality, Locality. The most common population center data element.

comp

The name of the business.

ctry

The country.

freeform

This is a string value which can contain one of the possible minimum input requirements.

mak

Melissa Address Key (MAK). A propietary unique key identifier for an address. This is derived from Address Checking.

mek

Melissa Enterprise Key (MEK). The unique identifier given by Business Coder.

phone

The phone number of the business.

postal

ZIP, Postal Code. The complete postal code for a particular delivery point.

rec

This is a string value containing a unique identifier for the current record. Use this to match the record submitted with the record returned. It will return what is inputted.

state

State, Province, Administrative Area. The most common geographic data element.

stock

A unique abbreviation/symbol assigned by the stock exchange for listed companies.

suite

Suite, Sub Premises. The alphanumeric code identifying an individual location.

web

The web address/domain for a company.

Columns #

Entering the column name will return the column. Specifying a group name will return all columns in the group.

Delimit multiple columns with a ,.

Group Name

Included Fields

[DEFAULT] These columns are returned by default.

AddressLine1

City

CompanyName

CurrentCompanyName

MelissaEnterpriseKey

PostalCode

RecordID

Records

State

Suite

TotalContacts

TransmissionReference

TransmissionResults

[NO GROUP] These columns must be requested individually.

Contacts

EmployeesEstimate

LocationType

Phone

SalesEstimate

StockTicker

WebAddress

GrpAddressDetails

CountryCode

CountryName

DeliveryIndicator

MelissaAddressKey

MelissaAddressKeyBase

Plus4

GrpBusinessCodes

EIN

NAICSCode1

NAICSCode2

NAICSCode3

SICCode1

SICCode2

SICCode3

GrpBusinessDescription

NAICSDescription1

NAICSDescription2

NAICSDescription3

SICDescription1

SICDescription2

SICDescription3

GrpGeoCode

Latitude

Longitude

GrpCensus

CensusBlock

CensusTract

CountyFIPS

CountyName

PlaceCode

PlaceName

Options #

List options in the following format, with multiple options delimited with a ,.

OptionName:Parameter,OptionName:Parameter

CentricHint #

This option allows you to choose what the service will center the search around.

Parameter	Description
`company`	Use Company as the primary pivot.
`address`	Use Address as a primary pivot.
`phone`	Use Phone as a primary pivot.

MaxContacts #

This option changes the upper limit on the number of contacts returned.

Parameter	Description
`{{Integer}}`	Default set to 5. Sets the maximum number of contacts to be returned.

ReturnDominantBusiness #

This option handles the returning of the dominant business name and demographics for a particular site when the company information is missing or does not match.

Parameter	Description
`yes`	Default. Return the dominant business name when the company information is missing or does not match.
`no`	Do not return the dominant business name when the company information is missing or does not match.

SICNAICSConfidence #

This option handles how SIC Codes are returned, depending on our SIC Code confidence level.

Parameter	Description
`loose`	Default. Returns any associated SIC Codes.
`strict`	Only returns very confident or correct SIC Codes. Returns null if none pass the requirement.

Headers #

GET JSON
POST JSON

Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json

Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json

Response #

GET JSON
POST JSON

{
   "TransmissionResults": "",
   "TransmissionReference": "Test",
   "Version": "7.0.1.1071",
   "TotalRecords": "1",
   "Records":
   [{
      "AddressLine1": "22382 Avenida Empresa",
      "City": "Rancho Santa Margarita",
      "CompanyName": "Melissa Data",
      "CurrentCompanyName": "Melissa Data",
      "MelissaEnterpriseKey": "323318841",
      "PostalCode": "92688-2112",
      "RecordID": "1",
      "Results": "AS01,DA00,DA20,DA30,DA40,DA50,FS01,FS08",
      "State": "CA",
      "Suite": "",
      "TotalContacts": "8"
   }]
}

{
   "TransmissionResults": "",
   "TransmissionReference": "Test",
   "Version": "7.0.1.1071",
   "TotalRecords": "1",
   "Records":
   [{
      "AddressLine1": "22382 Avenida Empresa",
      "City": "Rancho Santa Margarita",
      "CompanyName": "Melissa Data",
      "CurrentCompanyName": "Melissa Data",
      "MelissaEnterpriseKey": "323318841",
      "PostalCode": "92688-2112",
      "RecordID": "1",
      "Results": "AS01,DA20,DA30,DA40,DA50,FS01,FS04,GS05",
      "State": "CA",
      "Suite": "",
      "TotalContacts": "8"
   }]
}

Service Level Response Fields #

Output Name	Description
Records	The returned array of records.
TotalRecords	Total number of records returned in the records array.
TransmissionReference	A pass-through of the input Transmission Reference.
TransmissionResults	Returns the generic web service level result/error codes. For more information, see Result Codes.
Version	The current service version number.

Record Level Response Fields #

[DEFAULT]#

In addition to the Service Level Response Fields, these fields are returned by default.

Output Name	Description
AddressLine1	The first address line of the business.
City	City, Municipality, Locality. The most common population center data element.
CompanyName	The name of the business.
CurrentCompanyName	The company name in our reference data. You can use this to easily compare your input company name against Melissa records for that address.
MelissaEnterpriseKey	The Unique Key assigned to a business for that location.
PostalCode	ZIP, Postal Code. The complete postal code for a particular delivery point.
RecordID	A string value containing a unique identifier for the current record. Use this to match the record submitted with the record returned. It will return what is inputted.
Results	Comma delimited status, error codes, and change codes for the request.
State	State, Province, Administrative Area. The most common geographic data element.
Suite	Suite, Sub Premises. The alphanumeric code identifying an individual location.
TotalContacts	Total number of records.

[NO GROUP]#

These columns must be requested individually.

Output Name

Description

Contacts

Returns JSON Array: NameFirst, NameLast, Gender, Title, and Email of one or more contacts.

"Contacts":
[{
   "NameFirst": "string",
   "NameLast": "string",
   "Gender": "string",
   "Title": "string",
   "ContactPhone": "string",
   "Email": "string"
}]

EmployeesEstimate

The estimated number of employees who work at this business location.

LocationType

A code denoting the business location type.

Code	Description
`1`	Headquarters
`2`	Branches
`3`	Subsidiary Headquarters
`4`	Single Location

Phone

A 10-digit phone number.

SalesEstimate

The sales volume and/or assets of the business.

StockTicker

The assigned stock exchange abbreviation/symbol for the business.

WebAddress

The web address/domain for the business.

GrpAddressDetails #

Output Name	Description
CountryCode	The 2 letter ISO 3166 country code value. For example: `US` for United States or `CA` for Canada.
CountryName	The standardized contents of the CountryName element.
DeliveryIndicator	Residential Business Delivery Indicator (RBDI). The delivery type status based on the address.
MelissaAddressKey	This is a globally unique and persistent key for the location, even if parts of the address change. When an address is fully validated this field returns a 10-digit proprietary key for the address.
MelissaAddressKeyBase	Every full address has its own Melissa Address Key (MAK). If that address is a suites or apartment, we will also return a Melissa Address Key Base (BaseMAK) that corresponds to the overall building. This provides a link between all the individual MAK addresses that belong to the same building.
Plus4	The 4-digit extension for the ZIP code.

GrpBusinessCodes #

Output Name	Description
EIN	Employer Identification Number (EIN). A unique 9-digit business identification number assigned by the IRS.
NAICSCode1	North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). A 2-6 digit code that classifies businesses by production. This is defined by NAICSDescription1 and related to SICCode1.
NAICSCode2	This is defined by NAICSDescription2 and related to SICCode2.
NAICSCode3	This is defined by NAICSDescription3 and related to SICCode3.
SICCode1	Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). A 2-4 digit code that classifies businesses by production or market. This is defined by SICDescription1 and related to NAICSCode1.
SICCode2	This is defined by SICDescription2 and related to NAICSCode2.
SICCode3	This is defined by SICDescription3 and related to NAICSCode3.

GrpBusinessDescription #

Output Name	Description
NAICSDescription1	North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). A description of NAICSCode1.
NAICSDescription2	A description of NAICSCode2.
NAICSDescription3	A description of NAICSCode3.
SICDescription1	Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). A description of SICCode1.
SICDescription2	A description of SICCode2.
SICDescription3	A description of SICCode3.

GrpGeoCode #

Output Name	Description
Latitude	The parsed geographic coordinate for a particular delivery point.
Longitude	The parsed geographic coordinate for a particular delivery point.

GrpCensus #

Output Name	Description
CensusBlock	US Only. The Census block number from the most recent yearly census.
CensusTract	US Only. The Census tract number from the most recent yearly census.
CountyFIPS	US Only. The Census FIPS number from the most recent yearly census.
CountyName	US Only. The county name that corresponds to the county FIPS code.
PlaceCode	US Only. The FIPS Place code as defined by the Census.
PlaceName	US Only. The FIPS Place name as defined by the Census.

Input Best Practices #

This service can deal with multiple languages and scripts. It expects UTF-8 encoding. Be on the lookout for question marks (?), squares (▖) or other unwanted characters like �. They may be an indication of encoding issues and may result in data loss. Bad encoding or character loss is not something our service can correct for you.

Result Codes #

Result codes yield more granular information about a given business. They are returned as a comma-delimited string of 4-character alpha-numeric codes, e.g. AS01,FS01.

SE## and GE## Codes #

The SE## and GE## codes (Transmission Service Error and General Transmission Error) are used to signify more general errors, and are returned under the key TransmissionResults in the outermost level of our responses.

Business Coder Result Codes

Reference Guide

Contents

Reference Guide#