Getting Started

Tips for setting up your logs.

The OLD Way

• In the past, researchers have divided their research logs in various ways.

– By individual

– By family group sheet

– By project or family line

– By surname and jurisdiction

– Etc.

The NEW Way

• In ResearchTies, don’t divide your log!

• The reason for dividing in the past was to be able to find entries by hand.

• Since you will be locating entries with a search engine, put all of your family data in one log. There will be no trouble finding it!

For Professional Researchers

• Keep a log for your personal family

• Keep a separate log for each client.

Getting Started

• When you first sign in, you will be asked to create a log.

Getting Started

• Name your log and save it. The name of your log will be shown at the top of your reports as, “[Name] Research Log.”

Getting Started

• To begin, you will want to add individuals to your database. There are two options:

– Import a small GEDCOM

– Hand enter the information

To import a GEDCOM, begin on the home page and click “Import GEDCOM.”

To keep your database as efficient as possible, only import a small GEDCOM of the family you are currently working on. It is highly recommended that you not import more than 1000 individuals as you get started. You can add more in the future, as needed.

Create a GEDCOM from your personal database (RootsMagic, Legacy, Ancestral Quest, etc), and select the specific people and families you want to include. Save the file.

(File names blanked for privacy.)

Click “Choose file” and select the file from your directory.

Once the file is selected, click “Upload My File.”

To see the people who were imported, click on the “List” icon in the blue tool bar, and click on “Individuals.”

This is the list of people who were imported, along with their data.

Click on the “List” icon in the blue toolbar and select “Families” to see the couples that were imported.

Click on the “List” icon in the blue toolbar and select “Surnames” to see the surnames that were imported.

To add an individual manually, click on “Add Information” and select “Add Individual.”

Data enter the fields, including the “Personal ID” from your personal database. Add the “Parents Marriage ID.” If desired, you can also include the “FamilySearch ID” from Family Tree.

FamilySearch ID

When the data entry is finished, click “Add Individual.”

After adding one individual, you can continue adding more by clicking the “+Add” button.

To add a family, click “Add Information” and select “Add Family.”

In order to add a family, both the husband and the wife need to be added as individuals first. If the spouse is already in the database, select that person from the dropdown list.

Since the wife, Hannah Minerva Rice is not yet in the list, I need to add her. Click on the green “add circle” to open the template.

Complete the data entry for Hannah Minerva Rice and click “Add Individual.”

Now, finish the data entry for the marriage information. For the Place of Marriage, be sure to select from the dropdown list or add the needed jurisdiction.

When finished, save the record.

From this list, additional families can be entered by clicking the “+Add” button. The list can be viewed anytime by clicking on the “List” icon in the blue toolbar and selecting “Families.”

Adding a surname is even easier than adding people and families. Click on “Add Information” and select “Add Surname.”

Type the main spelling of the surname, then include any desired alternate spellings.

To add more than one alternate spelling, click “Add Spelling” and another field will open. When finished, click “Add Surname.”

This list can be viewed anytime by clicking on the “List” icon in the blue toolbar and selecting “Surnames.” More names can be added by clicking on the “+Add” button.

• With basic data recorded in your lists, you may want to record a few repositories and sources next.

• Or, you may begin recording objectives, searches and results.