CHANGES IN INPUTTING: FOCUS ON TREES INSTEAD OF DATABASE - UPDATED

SUMMARY

As of July 20, 2020, Dora has asked us to change how we collect the data. Finish your current recid the old way and then start the next family with the new instructions below.  Dora now plans to get data from the GEDCOMS and not from the VCC database. Therefore, we will no longer use the obit screen on the VCC database to collect information.  The tree will provide the data.  We are most interested in the following bits of information for the grands and their parents:

·         Date of birth (Try to include a month with the year when possible)

·         Place of birth

·         Date of Death (Try to include a month with the year when possible)

·         Place of death

·         Gender

INSTRUCTIONS

Step I: Updating Tree and VCC

·         Open VCC database and the GEDCOM/Tree

·         Put PID numbers as always on the tree for the following people:

o   Vet

o   Spouse of Vet

o   Parents of Vet

o   Child of Vet

o   Spouse of Child

o   Grands

·         If the spouse of the child (parent of a grand) is not on the grid, add him/her to the grid

·         Make sure to update relations on VCC with the second parent for all the grands

·         Do not update or input on the obit screen for the child or his/her spouse

·         Be sure the tree has birth and death info for the child and his/her spouse (parents of grands only)

Step II:  Getting birth, death info

·         Look at hints for the first grand

·         If there is a record with all four bits of data (birth date and place/death date and place), attach the record and move on to the next grand

·         When you attach the record to the tree, make sure you click on the birth and death information so that it shows up under their names on the profile page. 

·         Do not look for death causes, but if the death cert is in the hints, attach it to the tree

·         If you must attach a record from Family Search, make sure the relevant information (birth and death info) is filled in on the tree.  The source does not have to be linked to every bit of data.

Step III: Update Log and Finish up

·         Enter the gender on the log in column H (Make sure you insert and label the new column first)

·         Please put gender in for the child of the vet if and only if s/he has children (i.e. grands).

·         Enter an X, NF, L for birth date and death date as in the past and leave Death Cause blank.  Do not use E as an option anymore (just X).

·         Hit complete on the VCC database when finished with the family

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Q:  Should I add additional/new grands that are not on the tree to the log, the VCC grid, and to the tree?

A: Yes to all three. Make sure you also update relations on VCC to include both parents for the new grand.

Q: Can I go back to the grid to make sure the tree matches if my tree is missing lots of people?

A:  Yes, look at the grid, use the links if they work, or get them from the hints to make sure your tree matches the grid.

Q:  Do I need to mark my log where I began this new method?

A: No, we will be able to tell where the gender column is marked

Q: Should we type in death cause on the log if we see it?

A: No

Q: Should we still attach Social Security records and WWII draft cards to the tree?

A: No, you do not need to attach these records if you have already attached a record with the necessary birth and death information.

Q:  NEW**Should we still use public family trees for info when we cannot find any other sources for birth or death information? It makes me nervous to add them without adding quality codes and source info like we had on the grid.

A: If we use a public tree for a birth or death date, which does not happen very often, please make a brief note on the profile page for that fact.  For example, click EDIT on the birth fact on timeline, and then in the description box type “from public tree.”

Q:  NEW**What should we do when we need to estimate a death date for a grandchild? When we added info on the grid we were able to make a note to explain the death range. Now that we are only working on the tree, should we add a note? Also, is there a certain way to enter the death range on the tree that would be best?

A: I checked with Coralee and she says she has a way to deal with letters in the date field, so we can put any of the following in for death or birth year if necessary:

·         BEF. 1910

·         BET 1900-1910

·         AFT 1910

·         ABT 1910

If you put in a range, you can also type in a brief note of explanation in the description under that field on the timeline, such as “from brother Edward’s 1963 obituary.”

Q: NEW**Should we use E on the log when there is a death date already on the tree?

A: No.  Do not use E anymore on the log.  Just mark X if there is a date or NF if you cannot find a date, or L if the person is still living.