Reference Guide#

Introduction #

The People Business Search service by Melissa is a powerful tool that can help businesses of all sizes improve the accuracy and completeness of their customer and business data. It can also be used to locate individuals and businesses using advanced search techniques. People Business Search allows for performing searches using limited or partial address and name information to resolve contact records.

Each record returned by People Business Search has a confidence level associated with it. This confidence level indicates the likelihood that the data is accurate. The confidence level is a weighted calculation based on the fields that match the input.

Base URL #

https://search.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 at sales@melissa.com or 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/CustomerID property in your requests.

Endpoints #

/V5/WEB/contactsearch/docontactSearch #

Use this endpoint to search for an individual or business name.

Try It Now #

GET JSON
POST JSON

curl -X GET "https://search.melissadata.net/v5/web/contactsearch/docontactSearch?\
&t=Test\
&id={{customerId}}\
&maxrecords=10\
&matchlevel=10\
&a1=22382+Avenida+Empresa\
&loc=RSM\
&adminarea=CA\
&postal=92688\
&anyname=Melissa+Data\
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Accept: application/json"

curl -X POST "https://search.melissadata.net/v5/web/contactsearch/docontactSearch" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Accept: application/json" \
-d '{
      "TransmissionReference": "Test",
      "CustomerID": "{{customerId}}",
      "MaxRecords": "10",
      "MatchLevel": "10",
      "AddressLine1": "22382 Avenida Empresa",
      "Locality": "RSM",
      "AdministrativeArea": "CA",
      "PostalCode": "92688",
      "AnyName": "Melissa Data"
    }
   '

Request Parameters #

GET JSON
POST JSON

Code	Description
Record Level Parameters
id	The License Key issued by Melissa.
matchlevel	0-100. The weighted percentage of how close the query matches the returned record. Anything less than 80% is questionable.
maxrecords	The maximum number of records to return.
t	This is a string value that serves as a unique identifier for this set of records. It is returned as sent.
Address Parameters
a1	The input field for the address. This should contain the delivery address information (house number, thoroughfare, building, suite, etc.)
adminarea	State, Province. The most common geographic data element.
ctry	The suspected country of the input phone number as the official country name or the ISO2 code. Some territories will require a different ISO2 code than the one that is given to them.
loc	City, Municipality. The most common population center data element.
phone	The phone number of the individual or company.
postal	ZIP, Postcode. The complete postal code for a particular delivery point.
postdir	Street Post Direction. The postfix directional for the most common street or block data element.
predir	Street PreDirection. The prefix directional for the most common street or block data element.
premnum	Street Number. Alphanumeric indicator for the most common street or block data element.
subpremnum	Suite Number. The Sub premises alphanumeric indicator for the most common street or block data element.
tname	Street Name. Name indicator for the most common street or block data element.
trailingtype	Street Suffix. The trailing thoroughfare type indicator for the most common street or block data element.
Name Parameters
anyname	Either an individual’s name or a company name. It’s better to use the Company Name or Full Name input fields if you know for sure.
comp	The name of a business or corporation.
first	The first name of an individual.
full	The full name of an individual. Inverse name order is also accepted (`Smith Tim` vs. `Tim Smith`).
last	The last name of an individual.
subuser	The Sub User ID. This is used to identify a group or users for multiple users/seats for logging purposes.

Code	Description
Record Level Parameters
CustomerID	The License Key issued by Melissa.
MatchLevel	0-100. The weighted percentage of how close the query matches the returned record. Anything less than 80% is questionable.
MaxRecords	The maximum number of records to return.
TransmissionReference	This is a string value that serves as a unique identifier for this set of records. It is returned as sent.
Address Parameters
AddressLine1	The input field for the address. This should contain the delivery address information (house number, thoroughfare, building, suite, etc.)
AdministrativeArea	State, Province. The most common geographic data element.
Country	The suspected country of the input phone number as the official country name or the ISO2 code. Some territories will require a different ISO2 code than the one that is given to them.
Locality	City, Municipality. The most common population center data element.
PhoneNumber	The phone number of the individual or company.
PostalCode	ZIP, Postcode. The complete postal code for a particular delivery point.
PremiseNumber	Street Number. Alphanumeric indicator for the most common street or block data element.
SubpremisesNumber	Suite Number. The Sub premises alphanumeric indicator for the most common street or block data element.
ThoroughfareName	Street Name. Name indicator for the most common street or block data element.
ThoroughfarePostdirection	Street Post Direction. The postfix directional for the most common street or block data element.
ThoroughfarePredirection	Street PreDirection. The prefix directional for the most common street or block data element.
ThoroughfareTrailingType	Street Suffix. The trailing thoroughfare type indicator for the most common street or block data element.
Name Parameters
AnyName	Either an individual’s name or a company name. It’s better to use the Company Name or Full Name input fields if you know for sure.
CompanyName	The name of a business or corporation.
FirstName	The first name of an individual.
FullName	The full name of an individual. Inverse name order is also accepted (`Smith Tim` vs. `Tim Smith`).
LastName	The last name of an individual.
SubUser	The Sub User ID. This is used to identify a group or users for multiple users/seats for logging purposes.

Headers #

GET JSON
POST JSON

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

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

Response #

GET JSON
POST JSON

{
  "TransmissionReference": "Test",
  "Version": "7.1.1.1045",
  "ResultCode": "US01",
  "TotalRecords": "7",
  "Results": [
    {
      "MatchLevel": "100",
      "Address": {
        "Address1": "1907 Windsong Trl",
        "DependentLocality": "",
        "Locality": "Richardson",
        "LocalityAlternates": "",
        "AdministrativeArea": "TX",
        "CountryCode": "US",
        "CountryName": "United States",
        "Thoroughfare": "Windsong Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePreDirection": "",
        "ThoroughfareName": "Windsong",
        "ThoroughfareTrailingType": "Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePostDirection": "",
        "Premises": "1907",
        "PremiseType": "",
        "PremiseNumber": "1907",
        "SubPremises": "",
        "SubPremiseType": "",
        "SubPremiseNumber": "",
        "PostalCode": "75081",
        "PostalCodeSecondary": "4754",
        "MelissaAddressKey": "5278863291",
        "MelissaAddressKeyBase": ""
      },
      "Consumer": {
        "FullName": "Gerardo Abonce",
        "FirstName": "Gerardo",
        "MiddleName": "",
        "LastName": "Abonce",
        "Suffix": "",
        "OtherFullNames": "",
        "MelissaIdentityKey": "10282585908"
      },
      "Phone": {
        "Phone": "2145649470",
        "OtherPhones": "9726443402"
      }
    },
    {
      "MatchLevel": "100",
      "Address": {
        "Address1": "1907 Windsong Trl",
        "DependentLocality": "",
        "Locality": "Richardson",
        "LocalityAlternates": "",
        "AdministrativeArea": "TX",
        "CountryCode": "US",
        "CountryName": "United States",
        "Thoroughfare": "Windsong Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePreDirection": "",
        "ThoroughfareName": "Windsong",
        "ThoroughfareTrailingType": "Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePostDirection": "",
        "Premises": "1907",
        "PremiseType": "",
        "PremiseNumber": "1907",
        "SubPremises": "",
        "SubPremiseType": "",
        "SubPremiseNumber": "",
        "PostalCode": "75081",
        "PostalCodeSecondary": "4754",
        "MelissaAddressKey": "5278863291",
        "MelissaAddressKeyBase": ""
      },
      "CompanyName": {
        "CompanyName": "Abonce, Jose F",
        "OtherCompanyNames": "",
        "MelissaEnterpriseKey": "357774623"
      },
      "Phone": {
        "Phone": "2146206614",
        "OtherPhones": ""
      }
    }
  ]
}

{
  "TransmissionReference": "Test",
  "Version": "7.1.1.1045",
  "ResultCode": "US01",
  "TotalRecords": "7",
  "Results": [
    {
      "MatchLevel": "100",
      "Address": {
        "Address1": "1907 Windsong Trl",
        "DependentLocality": "",
        "Locality": "Richardson",
        "LocalityAlternates": "",
        "AdministrativeArea": "TX",
        "CountryCode": "US",
        "CountryName": "United States",
        "Thoroughfare": "Windsong Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePreDirection": "",
        "ThoroughfareName": "Windsong",
        "ThoroughfareTrailingType": "Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePostDirection": "",
        "Premises": "1907",
        "PremiseType": "",
        "PremiseNumber": "1907",
        "SubPremises": "",
        "SubPremiseType": "",
        "SubPremiseNumber": "",
        "PostalCode": "75081",
        "PostalCodeSecondary": "4754",
        "MelissaAddressKey": "5278863291",
        "MelissaAddressKeyBase": ""
      },
      "Consumer": {
        "FullName": "Gerardo Abonce",
        "FirstName": "Gerardo",
        "MiddleName": "",
        "LastName": "Abonce",
        "Suffix": "",
        "OtherFullNames": "",
        "MelissaIdentityKey": "10282585908"
      },
      "Phone": {
        "Phone": "2145649470",
        "OtherPhones": "9726443402"
      }
    },
    {
      "MatchLevel": "100",
      "Address": {
        "Address1": "1907 Windsong Trl",
        "DependentLocality": "",
        "Locality": "Richardson",
        "LocalityAlternates": "",
        "AdministrativeArea": "TX",
        "CountryCode": "US",
        "CountryName": "United States",
        "Thoroughfare": "Windsong Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePreDirection": "",
        "ThoroughfareName": "Windsong",
        "ThoroughfareTrailingType": "Trl",
        "ThoroughfarePostDirection": "",
        "Premises": "1907",
        "PremiseType": "",
        "PremiseNumber": "1907",
        "SubPremises": "",
        "SubPremiseType": "",
        "SubPremiseNumber": "",
        "PostalCode": "75081",
        "PostalCodeSecondary": "4754",
        "MelissaAddressKey": "5278863291",
        "MelissaAddressKeyBase": ""
      },
      "CompanyName": {
        "CompanyName": "Abonce, Jose F",
        "OtherCompanyNames": "",
        "MelissaEnterpriseKey": "357774623"
      },
      "Phone": {
        "Phone": "2146206614",
        "OtherPhones": ""
      }
    }
  ]
}

Service Level Response Fields #

Output Name	Description
ResultCode	Comma delimited status, error codes, and change codes for the request.
Results	A results array containing the returned records.
TotalRecords	Total number of records.
TransmissionReference	Optional. Serves as a unique request identifier.
Version	The current service version number.

Record Level Response Fields #

Output Name	Description
Address1	The standardized or corrected contents of the input address.
AdministrativeArea	State. Most common geographic data element.
CompanyName	The company name associated with the record.
CountryCode	The country ISO code.
CountryName	The official country name.
DependentLocality	Urbanization. Smaller population center data element. Dependent on Locality.
FirstName	The first name of an individual associated with the record.
FullName	The full name of an individual associated with the record.
LastName	The last name of an individual associated with the record.
Locality	City. Most common population center data element.
LocalityAlternates	Alternate names for the locality (e.g. vanity names).
MatchLevel	The percentage match level of the record with the request. Ideally above 80%.
MelissaAddressKey	A unique key associated with an address.
MelissaAddressKeyBase	A unique key associated with a building containing multiple suites/apartments.
MelissaEnterpriseKey	A unique key associated with the Business Record.
MelissaIdentityKey	A unique key associated with the Consumer Record.
MiddleName	The middle name of an individual associated with the record.
OtherCompanyNames	Other company names associated with the record.
OtherFullNames	Other names associated with the record.
OtherPhones	Other phone numbers associated with the record.
Phone	The standardized phone number.
PostalCode	Zip (Plus 4). Complete postal code for a particular delivery point. In U.S. plus 4 is not required but will be appended if address is verified.
PostalCodeSecondary	A secondary postal code associated with the record when available. (eg. Plus4)
PremiseNumber	The alphanumeric indicator within premises field.
Premises	Street Number.
PremiseType	Leading premise type indicator within premises field.
RecordID	The number of the record. Always 1 for a single request, otherwise it serves as an index of the array of records.
SubPremiseNumber	Suite Number. Sub premises number indicator within premises field.
SubPremises	Suite. Alphanumeric code identifying an individual location.
SubPremiseType	Suite Name. Sub premises type indicator within premises field.
Suffix	The first suffix (such as “Jr.” or “III”) from an inputted full name.
Thoroughfare	Street. The most common street or block data element.
ThoroughfareName	Street Name. The name indicator within the Thoroughfare field.
ThoroughfarePostDirection	Street Post Direction. The postfix directional contained within the Thoroughfare field.
ThoroughfarePreDirection	Street PreDirection. The prefix directional contained within the Thoroughfare field.
ThoroughfareTrailingType	Street Suffix. The trailing thoroughfare type indicator within the Thoroughfare field.

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 #

Code	Short Description	Long Description
UE - Search Error
`UE01`	No Match	No match was found.
US - Search Status
`US01`	Match Found	A match was found in the data.

Reference Guide

Contents

Reference Guide#