Contribution Reference Guide

Contribution Reference Guide#

Introduction #

Welcome to the Melissa Contribution Cloud API. This service allows you to submit corrections for GeoPoints, where you can specify the MAK in question and submit the suggested latitude and/or longitude.

Contribution can be used to:

Specify problem GeoPoints using Melissa Address Keys (MAKs).
Submit latitude and longitude corrections.
Provide an email for correction notifications.
Submit additional comments about the problem MAK.

A web-based interface for this API is available here:

Data Correction Submission Page.

CORS Handling - Header Changes

The Access-Control response headers for some requests will change by December 2025.

To read more about this change, please see the advisory.

Base URL #

http://contribution.melissadata.net

New to Melissa Cloud APIs?#

We highly recommend first time users of our Cloud APIs to review our Using Melissa Cloud APIs section. It will cover critical topics like:

Endpoints #

/V4/WEB/addMAK #

Use this endpoint to submit a request to add an unlisted address for review and the generation of an associated Melissa Address Key (MAK). This is part of our contribution pipeline to include user input and improve data accuracy.

To ensure your request can be processed, include the complete address details (e.g., address line 1, locality (city), administrative area (state), postal code (zip), country, and an explanation in the comments field (e.g., “New residential subdivision” or “Commercial building recently completed”). Submissions without adequate justification may be discarded.

Upon a successful request you will get an MS01 result code and a successful submission message.

All user contributions enter a queue and are evaluated by our team on a case-by-case basis.

Submitting a correction does not guarantee that it will be approved or integrated into the active dataset.

Try it Now#

GET JSON
POST JSON

curl -X GET "https://contribution.melissadata.net/V4/WEB/addMAK?\
&id={{customerId}}\
&t=Test\
&a1=22382%20Avenida%20Empresa\
&a2=\
&admarea=CA\
&ctry=US\
&lat=33%2E637562\
&loc=Ranch%20Santa%20Margarita\
&long=-117%2E606887\
&postal=92688\
&reason=Add%20a%20MAK\
&respondto=youremail%40melissadata%2Ecom" \
-H "Content-Type:application/json" \
-H "Accept:application/json"

curl -X POST "https://contribution.melissadata.net/V4/WEB/addMAK" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Accept: application/json" \
-d '{
    "CustomerID": {{customerId}},
    "TransmissionReference": "Test",
    "AddressLine1": "22382 Avenida Empresa",
    "AddressLine2": "",
    "AdministrativeArea": "CA",
    "Country": "US",
    "Latitude": "33.637562",
    "Locality": "Rancho Santa Margarita",
    "Longitude": "-117.606887",
    "PostalCode": "92688",
    "Reason": "Add a MAK",
    "RespondToEmail": "youremail@melissadata.com"
    }'

Request Parameters#

GET JSON
POST JSON

Code	Description
Request Level Parameters
`id`	Required. The License Key issued by Melissa.
`t`	Value passed through unchanged to the response for identification or any other purpose.
Record Level Parameters
`a1`	A minimum address location for the contact.
`a2`	The second address line.
`a3`	The third address line.
`a4`	The fourth address line.
`a5`	The fifth address line.
`a6`	The sixth address line.
`a7`	The seventh address line.
`a8`	The eighth address line.
`admarea`	Administrative Area, Province, State. The most common geographic data element.
`ctry`	ISO2 code for the country.
`lat`	The latitude.
`loc`	City, Locality, Municipality. The most common population center data element.
`long`	The longitude.
`org`	The organization name associated with the address record.
`postal`	The ZIP Code.
`reason`	Any additional information you want to add about the change request.
`respondto`	The email address to receive updates about the change request.

Code	Description
Request Level Parameters
`CustomerID`	Required. The License Key issued by Melissa.
`TransmissionReference`	Value passed through unchanged to the response for identification or any other purpose.
Record Level Parameters
`AddressLine1`	A minimum address location for the contact.
`AddressLine2`	The second address line.
`AddressLine3`	The third address line.
`AddressLine4`	The fourth address line.
`AddressLine5`	The fifth address line.
`AddressLine6`	The sixth address line.
`AddressLine7`	The seventh address line.
`AddressLine8`	The eighth address line.
`AdministrativeArea`	Administrative Area, Province, State. The most common geographic data element.
`Country`	ISO2 code for the country.
`Latitude`	The latitude.
`Locality`	City, Locality, Municipality. The most common population center data element.
`Longitude`	The longitude.
`Organization`	The organization name associated with the address record.
`PostalCode`	The ZIP Code.
`Reason`	Any additional information you want to add about the change request.
`RespondToEmail`	The email address to receive updates about the change request.

Headers#

GET JSON
POST JSON

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

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

Response#

GET JSON
POST JSON

{
    "Version": "8.4.0.1026",
    "TransmissionReference": "Test",
    "TransmissionResults": "",
    "Results": "MS01",
    "Message": "Thank you for submitting your correction. All submissions will be reviewed and added. We cannot guarantee that all submissions will be reflected in our final products or when they will be added. Usual turn-around time is several months."
}

{
    "Version": "8.4.0.1026",
    "TransmissionReference": "Test",
    "TransmissionResults": "",
    "Results": "MS01",
    "Message": "Thank you for submitting your correction. All submissions will be reviewed and added. We cannot guarantee that all submissions will be reflected in our final products or when they will be added. Usual turn-around time is several months."
}

/V4/WEB/changeGeoPoint #

Use this endpoint to submit problem GeoPoints with comments and proposed corrections. This is part of our contribution pipeline to include user input and improve data accuracy.

To ensure your correction can be processed, include the MelissaAddressKey (MAK) identifier for the address, the proposed new coordinates (latitude and longitude), and an explanation in the comments field (e.g., “Moved pin from the highway to the actual building entrance”). Submissions without adequate justification may be discarded.

Upon a successful request you will get an MS01 result code and a successful submission message.

All user contributions enter a queue and are evaluated by our team on a case-by-case basis.

Submitting a correction does not guarantee that it will be approved or integrated into the active dataset.

Try It Now#

GET JSON
POST JSON

curl -X GET "https://contribution.melissadata.net/V4/WEB/changeGeoPoint?\
&id={{customerId}}\
&t=Test\
&lat=33%2E637562\
&long=-117%2E606887\
&mak=8008006245\
&reason=GeoPoint%20Change%20needed\
&respondto=youremail%40melissadata%2Ecom" \
-H "Content-Type:application/json" \
-H "Accept:application/json"

curl -X POST "https://contribution.melissadata.net/V4/WEB/changeGeoPoint" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Accept: application/json" \
-d '{
    "CustomerID": {{customerId}},
    "TransmissionReference": "Test",
    "Latitude": "33.637562",
    "Longitude": "-117.606887",
    "MelissaAddressKey": "8008006245",
    "Reason": "GeoPoint Change needed",
    "RespondToEmail": "youremail@melissadata.com"
    }'

Request Parameters#

GET JSON
POST JSON

Code	Description
Request Level Parameters
`id`	Required. The License Key issued by Melissa.
`t`	Value passed through unchanged to the response for identification or any other purpose.
Record Level Parameters
`ctry`	ISO2 code for the country.
`mak`	A proprietary unique key identifier for an address.
`lat`	The corrected latitude.
`long`	The corrected longitude.
`reason`	Any additional information you want to add about the change request.
`respondto`	The email address to receive updates about the change request.

Code	Description
Request Level Parameters
`CustomerID`	Required. The License Key issued by Melissa.
`TransmissionReference`	Value passed through unchanged to the response for identification or any other purpose.
Record Level Parameters
`Country`	ISO2 code for the country.
`MelissaAddressKey`	A proprietary unique key identifier for an address.
`Latitude`	The corrected latitude.
`Longitude`	The corrected longitude.
`Reason`	Any additional information you want to add about the change request.
`RespondToEmail`	The email address to receive updates about the change request.

Headers#

GET JSON
POST JSON

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

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

Response#

GET JSON
POST JSON

{
    "Version": "8.4.0.1026",
    "TransmissionReference": "Test",
    "TransmissionResults": "",
    "Results": "MS01",
    "Message": "Thank you for submitting your geocoding correction. All submissions will be reviewed and added. We cannot guarantee that all submissions will be reflected in our final products or when they will be added. Usual turn-around time is several months."
}

{
    "Version": "8.4.0.1026",
    "TransmissionReference": "Test",
    "TransmissionResults": "",
    "Results": "MS01",
    "Message": "Thank you for submitting your geocoding correction. All submissions will be reviewed and added. We cannot guarantee that all submissions will be reflected in our final products or when they will be added. Usual turn-around time is several months."
}

Response Fields #

Service Level Response Fields #

Output Name	Description
Version	The current service version number.
TransmissionReference	Serves as a unique request identifier.
TransmissionResults	Lists error codes from any errors caused by the most recent request as a whole.

Record Level Response Fields #

Output Name	Description
Results	Comma delimited status, error codes, and change codes for the record.
Message	The response message for the request.

Result Codes #

Melissa products use a result code system to indicate data quality; the status and any errors. These result codes are four-character codes (two letters followed by two numbers), delimited by commas. Result code definitions are shared among Melissa products.

Understanding the Code #

To fully understand result codes, you need to know them. Knowing what codes are possible and what they indicate will be key in building an effective application. It is useful to know all the codes, but this does not necessarily mean you will use them all. Just because you have a toolbox, doesn’t mean you will also try to use a screwdriver along with a hammer on a nail.

Contribution Result Codes

Contribution Reference Guide

Contents

Contribution Reference Guide#

Try it Now#

Request Parameters#

Headers#

Response#

Try It Now#

Request Parameters#

Headers#

Response#