Start with broad categories then get more specific. Cloud-based storagenot only protects your data from local threats like theft, viruses, power surges, and hard drive failures, but they also allow you to access all your backed-up information from pretty muc… Chances are you have at least some paper files in your genealogy records. Log and file events starting with marriage in the husband’s folder. Log and file sources about these relatives in the file of their closest relative that is on your pedigree. So get in the habit … Please note that parts of the site may not function correctly if you disable all cookies. Be Color Clever – Distinguish family lines with different colored folders, binders, tabs. Ask Directions – Write your own filing instructions; a big help when you take a long break. Nov 10, 2020 - Getting your family history files organized will make you a better, more efficient researcher. Whether you use Windows or Mac, you will likely use the /username/Documents folder on your computer. Organizing Your Computer Files Class Handout (.pdf)[domain expired 11/15/2009]. Below are tips for organizing both your genealogical research and your findings. Since many external hard drives available today include a cloud component, the answer could be: both. When beginning your family history research, it’s easy to think that it will be simple to keep track of what information you have and what you have yet to find. Dating Yourself – Always write the current date on your research notes. Procedure Step 1: Create a list of categories and color code them. Add visual labels. . Let me take a moment and talk about organizing paperwork. There are as many ways to organize family history files as there are researchers. Write the name of the husband (and his birth and death year, if known) and his wife’s name and dates on the. Put the document copy in that family’s file. This works well for me, allowing for records to be retrieved quickly and easily through consistent nam… And commit to keep it that way as you go. Investing the time required to be well organized will save time in the long run. Just like with your physical files, you'll want to start with the broadest categories that your files fit into. KISS – Keep It Simple, Silly! Too many negative searches on a research log show it is time to search in a different way. I created my list in MS Word. Dating Yourself – Always write the current date on your research notes. What to do with the genealogy and family history I collected, Easy System: One Family = One File Folder, More Information and Articles about Organizing your Genealogy Files, Ⓒ 2020 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. This page has been viewed 71,873 times (0 via redirect). Do these nine tasks before starting another search. You’ll quickly discover that it’s not so simple. If you happen to do both work and personal tasks on your computer, you should create two folders to separate out your personal and business items. Organizing Your Genealogy Files: A Practical Approach Starting to Organize: Pick a Framework. Suggestions for Organizing Family Court Files Avoid paying your attorney his or her hourly rate to organize your file by following this suggestion. Write your document number on the back of the copy, AND . Supply Closet – Keep a stash of folders, plastic sleeves, tabs, printer ink. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Genealogy Research : How to Organize the Notes, Papers, Documents, Emails, Scans, Computer Files, and Photographs for Family Research by D. Kalten (2015, Trade Paperback) at the best online prices at eBay! Sheet Control – Use standard 8 ½ x 11-inch paper for all notes and printouts. Materials. One Family consists of a father, a mother, and their children. There are two basic systems for organizing your paper files – file folders and binders. Even more so if you’ve been researching your family tree for a long time since everything used to be paper based. Use an easy to set up, easy to maintain system. The best time to file a document is when you first create it. We get better with experience. Think “foot wide and a mile deep” instead of “a mile wide and inch deep.” Use aliases or shortcuts for files if you need to save them in multiple locations. . Stay Single – One surname, one locality per sheet for easy filing. You will need to make decisions about how and where you are going to organize Facts (Data) as well as your supporting Documentation. While looking at the family group record for the family, pick a research objective (one person in the family, and one event in that person’s life) to research. When a source lists more than one family: 2nd marriages, in-laws, and step-children. KISS – Keep It Simple, Silly! You can’t avoid it, even in this day and age. These are options, but doing this creates questions about which folder gets which sources. What is the "right" way to organize your genealogy? All these questions are answered in this mega post on how to organize paperwork like bills, and files. I name all files consistently to match the main name for that person in my family tree software. Get most of the information for the footnote from the catalog of the repository where you are working. Free shipping for many products! To stay organized, it is important to commit to finish the paperwork and filing BEFORE the next search begins. Sheet Control – Use standard 8 ½ x 11-inch paper for all notes and printouts. Write a document number that you create on the back of each document photocopy, and put the same number on your research logs. Family File Organization. No Repeats – Avoid errors; write legibly the first time. By continuing and using this site, including by remaining on the landing page, you consent to the use of cookies. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Use an easy to set up, easy to maintain system. Write the name of the husband (and his birth and death year, if known) and his wife’s name and dates on the manila folder tab. Avoid over-organizing your files and folders. Individual folders and locality folders. Computer note keeping. Choose a method for organizing—group by subject, by file type, or by date. File First – File one research trip or effort before starting the next one. An interesting approach to organize photos is an external … Pick the most predominant family on the source document. File First – File one research trip or effort before starting the next one. This is how my original file looked. You separate all files by location and then by record type or resource. For starters, there are the raw files. In simple terms is one folder per family consisting of a father, mother, and their children. When you decide on a way that you want to … Computers are great for genealogists—but they are not the final storage medium. This article introduces key filing principles that can be adapted to a wide variety of situations as your experience grows. Putting Your Framework Into Action. Log and file sources for events prior to marriage in the father’s folder. Your computer will automatically organize the files in chronological order, so you can find the oldest documents first, and the newest ones last, and anything in between with ease. Each person develops his own system over time. Do not be discouraged if your filing system is not perfect. Ask a group of genealogists how they organize their files, and you're likely to get as many... Taming the Paper Monster. (Of course, if you use Windows, the slash is a \ instead of a /.) See more ideas about genealogy organization, genealogy, family … If you wish to disable them, please see documentation specific to your browser. Though perhaps not as secure as a safe deposit box or anchored home safe, a locked desk drawer or locked file cabinet can provide a sufficient spot to keep your important documents organized. Keep your research notes on computer if you like, but make a paper copy at the end of the day. If a file log is too hard for you to keep up, or doesn't meet all of your needs, then another method of keeping track of your digital genealogy files is to physically reorganize them on your computer. If your file box for the “Jones” family branch is blue, put a blue label on any files in that box, or use blue files. Include Folders for Branches of the Family in the Primary Surname Folder With all the important files stored in a law firm, you might be wondering whether to try one of the many “cloud-based” services on the market or just rely on your hard drive. It is most important to decide as early as possible how you are going to organize your accumulation of genealogical material. I keep all these files in an Elfa rolling file cart, which has two mesh drawers in it. That is, create one folder for each of them. One File at a Time – Work through paper piles steadily; the mess didn’t happen in one day. Compose your document number based on that family. Transfer each piece of family history data from each new source to your family group record. Some researchers like to expand the basic one family = one folder system by also creating a folder for selected individuals, or sometimes all the people in one locality.