Contribution FAQs#
How do I make a data correction submission?#
You can do this through the Data Correction Submission page:
What Contributions is For#
The Contributions form is intended for our clientele who are confident about certain data points and have evidence to support it.
With each submission, a “reason” for the correction can be submitted which explains why your team has confidence in the correction you’d like to make.
Our data specialist team then reviews your submissions before adding them to our reference data and ultimately improving our APIs for everyone.
Since we take data quality seriously, every submission is subject to scrutiny and our usual data quality processes, and not every submission will be accepted.
What Contributions is not For#
We want to be clear that Contributions is not intended to “build your own database” for the Melissa API that is suited to specific use cases. Data that is submitted to the API must be generally correct by some standard of evidence depending on the type of data.
For example, we need to ensure that a physical address submitted for addition to our dataset must truly exist somewhere in the world. This could be corroborated with a particular postal source, governing body, or other trustworthy signs that the physical location exists.
How to Use the Contribution Submission Page#
Step 1: License Verification#
When you first access the Contribution Submission Page, you will be prompted to enter your Melissa license number. This step verifies that your license is eligible to submit contributions through the program.
Step 2: Select a Contribution Type#
After your license has been verified, select the type of correction you would like to submit:
Change Existing Address#
Use this option when an address already exists in Melissa’s database but contains inaccurate geographic coordinates or when more precise latitude and longitude information is available.
You may search for the address by either:
Entering a MAK Number, or
Entering the address and selecting from the suggested results.
Once an address is selected, the Geographic Data section will automatically display Melissa’s current latitude and longitude values.
You can then update the coordinates with the correct information and submit the correction by clicking Update Address Location.
Add Missing Address#
Use this option when an address is not currently present in Melissa’s database.
The submission form allows you to provide available address information, including:
Company Name
Address Lines 1–8
City
State/Province
Postal Code
Country
Latitude and Longitude (if known)
Not all fields are required. For example, additional address lines or geographic coordinates may not be available for every address. You may submit the address with whatever verified information you have.
Override Email Validation Status#
Use this option when Melissa’s Email Validation service returns an incorrect status for an email address.
For example:
If an email address is deliverable but is being reported as invalid, you may submit a correction indicating that it is deliverable.
If an email address is not deliverable but is being reported as valid, you may submit a correction indicating that it is not deliverable.
Enter the email address, select the appropriate deliverability status, and click Override Email Validation Status to submit your correction.
Optional Information#
All contribution types include the following optional fields:
Reason
Provide details explaining why you believe the submitted correction is accurate. Any supporting context can help our data specialists evaluate the submission more efficiently.
Contact Email
Provide an email address where Melissa may contact you if additional information or clarification is needed during the review process.
Review Process
After a contribution is submitted, it is reviewed by Melissa’s data specialist team to verify the accuracy of the proposed correction. If the submission is confirmed to be valid, the update will be incorporated into Melissa’s reference database and reflected in applicable services.
Please note that all submissions are subject to review and validation, and not every contribution will be accepted. Depending on the nature of the submission and the review process, updates may take several months to be completed.