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Family Tree Maker users - advice please?

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

CelticShiv

CelticShiv Report 15 Mar 2011 22:07

thank you for the advice.

So for instance, if I go into a marriage, it has option for marriage notes, would this be the best place to enter the full marriage details?

and then again if I enter a census year, it has a note option to that, so I presume this would be the best place to enter the census notes. I just need to check it all shows up when producing a report, as I think I remember with the older version of family tree maker that it didnt do this.

There just seems to be so many different places to enter information it is hard to know where is the best place to input the info.

For details from the GRO index, I am wondering if the best place to record this would be under source information maybe???and then in reference notes.

I know with the older version of family tree maker, you could only show 'preferred" facts in a report, but I see there is now an option to show "all facts" so am hoping that now means all the facts will be shown, regardless of whether it is preferred or not.



InspectorGreenPen

InspectorGreenPen Report 15 Mar 2011 21:44

There are several ways of recording information. I would try out a few first to see what you prefer before committing yourself. Then try a few reports and charts to see how the information is produced. Don't forget, that you will most likely have to customise them to get the results you want, so there will be some trial and error involved.


This is what I do.

Wherever possible make use of facts. If there isn't one suitable in the dictionary then you simply create a new one. Facts generally have a date and a description associated with them and you can have more than one entry

As well as the obvious such as birth, death, burial, etc, etc. typically, these are used for events such as

Christening / Baptism
Census Address
Census Occupation
(repeat as necessary for each census year you have details for)

So, you could have

Census Occupation
Date1851
Description Agricultural Labourer

Census Occupation
Date 1871
Description Farm Manager

I then use the notes to record additional information such as BMD references. Decide on a format and stick with it

So in the individual's personal notes, you could record something like

Births Sep 1916
Coventry 6d 1385
Thornley William (Stiles)

and in the shared notes with a spouse

Marriages Sep 1935
Coventry 6d 2372
Bonner Rilles (Thornley)
Thornley William (Bonner)

Notes are also used to record ad-hoc information and text which is not suitable for facts.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

PS the FTM 2011 uses the same database as 2010, so as far as recording your data, are virtually the same.

CelticShiv

CelticShiv Report 15 Mar 2011 20:55

I am reverting back to Family Tree Maker from Legacy.

I want to input various details such as information from baptisms, birth/marrage/death certs, but am wondering where about is the best to record the info, so that if I print off a book or family sheet for instance it shows all the information.

Would it be best recording it under notes?

Also the same for census, I want to input the full census details, as I find it useful having all the information in my family tree file. Again where is the best place to record the info so that it will show on a book or group sheet I print off.

I don't want to start inputting details until I have worked out the best way of doing this. As I would hate to input it all in a various way to then find it doesn't show.

I am using family tree maker 2010, not sure how much that differs to family tree maker 2011.

Advice appreciated.

Thank you.