CHANGES IN INPUTTING: FOCUS ON TREES INSTEAD OF DATABASE

 

SUMMARY

As of today 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)

·         Enter an X, NF, L or E for birth date and death date as in the past and leave Death Cause blank

·         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.

Don't forget to update your logs

This is just a reminder that you need to keep your input logs updated. Some of you do an excellent job of this. Some of you struggle.

If you've shared a Google doc with me, make sure it has all the current information. If you stay on the line where you just entered information, I might not be able to see what you typed.

If you're in the office, and I retrieve your log from the server, please make sure the information is current and SAVE it. If you don't save the spreadsheet, I can't see the changes you've made. A couple of you have strange looking logs (from my perspective). They don't appear to have changed for a couple of weeks and don't seem to have all the work you've completed entered. Please save your logs!

Ever had child

Those of you who are working on Project 1 might remember that there is a column on your input log called "Ever had child." I thought I'd give you an explanation of what the information in this column means. The 1s and 0s in this column don't guarantee that the soldier did or did not have children. They merely indicate that he might or might not have children. In short, the numbers mean the following:

• 1 = something is entered in the pension children fields
• 0 = nothing is entered in the pension children fields

If a 0 is entered in this column, all it means is that there was no indication in the pension that the soldier had children. There weren't any letters, affidavits, or family circulars that noted the presence or absence of children in the soldier's family. We just don't know if he had kids. Often, if the soldier had children we would find mention of them in the pension, but this is not always true.

If a 1 is entered in this column, it means that there is some indication in the pension that the soldier did or did not have children. There will be a 1 in this column if the pension contained any of the following kinds of information in Children: Name field in the pension data:

• a child's name
• (child) - indicating that there is evidence of a child, but no further information
• (no child) - indicating that somewhere in the pension it was stated that there are no children

Often, you'll see a 1 and be surprised that the soldier has no kids. That's fine. Other times you'll see a 0 and think the soldier is childless only to find out that he has 14 kids. That is a bummer.

I hope this information helps as you use the information in the Ever had child column.