Sorting Family Tree Digital Files

An integral part of storing your files/photos should be, if possible, making digital copies of all your documents and photos.  To assist me with this I enlisted the aid of my (sometimes willing) husband. We had invested in a good flat bed scanner about a year ago and have found it an invaluable resource. As I sorted all the documents and photos into Family Groups, Steve scanned the documents, ready for me to later label and sort into folders.

There are a number of good reasons for making digital copies which include:

• Security:  in case of loss due to water damage, fire or misplacement of a document
• Online Resources:  for attaching to your online family tree or blog, an easy way to back up your research.
• Sharing: for sharing with other family tree researchers 
• Time Management:  it is a good way to have all your files at your finger tips, you are able to check out details quickly and without fuss.  It is much easier than going through folders, boxes etc for the hard copy for the record.

The  dilemma again arises on how to file them so they can be easily found. 

Trying to stick to my KISS philosophy, this is the method I have chosen.
As each document, photo or newspaper cutting is scanned I name the file with DC, BC, MC, newspaper, census etc, then the surname, christian name, and date if known.  eg.  Death Certificate for my grandfather would have the file name:  DC.Shepherd, Malcolm Michael 25.06.1932. 

Of course the system you use is a personal choice and you need to choose your own approach and make it consistent for all your files.

The next step is to set up your files within your Family Tree Digital File.  I have chosen to organise my digital files in the same manner as I set up the files for the hard copies.  (see my previous blog , Time to Go Shopping.  All the folders on the computer corresponded with original files of photos and documents. i.e,. Four main folders  in the names of grandparents eg. Shepherd, Herbert, Smith, and Hewson  (see diagram above).

 

Once these files are set up I set up a file within each of these folders for the family groups of my great grand parents.

 eg:  Hewson is divided into Hewson and Keable and Shepherd is divided into Shepherd and Lee.

Then within each of these folders set up files for the documents for that section of your family group, eg: Births, Deaths, Marriages, Newspaper Articles, Military etc. 

 See the diagram to the right as an example of how your folder setup could look.

Again these folders are a personal choice and will correspond to the type of documents you have to store.

One final note:  Yes this is quite a daunting task! However if you take the time to set up a workable system and slowly work your way through your collection of data, you will be rewarded with a manageable collection of family tree files that can be easily accessed and shared with other researchers.

Also, as you discover new information or others share photos or documents with you, they are easily filed away.

If you find this system of use let me know, or if you have any suggestions to improve my system I would love to hear from you.

Time to go Shopping!!!

In my last blog I described the early how I had started to tackle the paper pile that represented my family tree research over the past 15-20 years.  This blog celebrates the fact that I have moved on from the four boxes marked “Hewson”, “Smith”, “Shepherd” and “Herbert”  and now have a fully functioning storage system for all my documents, photos etc.  .

This step started with a visit to the local office supplies shop, where I purchased folders, binders, photo boxes , sticky labels, protective plastic sleeves, folder dividers and alphabetical filing cards for the photo boxes. You will note these were all colour coordinated to fit with our spare room décor, much to my husband’s amusement. 

 The next step was to make up folders for each of the following: Births, Deaths, Marriages, Newspaper Cuttings, Census, Research Notes and Miscellaneous (for the odd things that didn’t seem to fit into the other folders).  In each folder I put in dividers for each of the Family Branches and filed all relevant documentation into each folder.  For example my grandmother on the Shepherd side’s death certificate, funeral notice, photo of her grave stone and family thank you card were all filed in the Deaths Folder in the Section for Shepherd.

All photos are now filed in “Family” boxes in Alphabetical order (SURNAME, Christian name) and any photos that are too large for the photo’s boxes I have filed into a photo folder .  I have to admit as I packed the “colour coordinated” boxes into the shelving, along with all my family research books I felt quite pleased with my progress.  It was now time to sort the conglomeration of digital files that lived on my computer, lap top and a number of usb sticks.

The Family Tree Project

Where am I going to start?  Feeling a little overwhelmed I sat down and tried to set  some rational boundaries.  I had to remember that this was a starting point and to not get bogged down with the unrelenting supply of information, and resources available.   It was important to have a clear picture of where I was going with this project. I spent the initial week planning, considering all the stakeholders, setting a budget, developing a timeline and reaching decisions on what were achievable goals.

The achievable goals would be:

• Selection of a suitable online Genealogy site to post family tree on
• Provision of access to this tree to family members and other researchers
• Development of a Filing system for all documentation, photos etc
• Electronic copies and electronic filing system for all documentation.

The first step was to do some research into the different online Genealogy sites and to compare them with those that I am already familiar and decide which would suit my project requirements. It was important that this site could be easily accessed by other members of the family  and researchers who were interested following the development of our family tree.

I decided to approach the development of this family tree as a pilot project that could be expanded and developed at a later stage to include all my family tree research.  To keep the project within a reasonable boundary, I decided to only extend by family tree back 5 generations.  Then when this was established I would be able to move on and add the additional information past the first 5 generations. I think this is good advice for anyone starting on their family tree.   Keep the initial stages of your research within achievable limits. Once you have established your Family Tree up to the first 5 generations you can use this as the base to go back further in your family tree exploration. 

It was also necessary to decide on a simple and easy to use filing system for all my documents in both hard copy and soft copy.  The logical form for me, was to develop Files for the four branches of our parents surnames, e.g. my parents family names and my husbands family names.  It was important to keep this filing system simple, so as it didn't consume too much of my valuable research time.

Approaching your family tree research in an organised manner

Yes this is part of what had accumulated in my spare room, not to mention the collection of scanned documents that were in numerous files on our computer and my lap top. I am sure there are many family researchers who, like me, find it hard to keep up with the large amount of information, photos and documents that they have accumulated.

It was around 2007 I decided it was time to really sort out this mess. At this time I was studying at University and one of the subjects I was doing that semester was Project Management. Our first Assignment was to identify a project we would like to put into action over a period of 2 months. We had to develop a plan, put it into action and report back to our lecturer and class on its success. So using the guidelines and lecture notes from our Project Management Course I set out, with great determination, to put some order into my family tree research. (I do believe my husband was even more enthused at the thought of having the spare room or family office functioning in a more ordered manner).

The first step in the process was to identify what my were my main objectives. (sooooo important to have something that is dooable). So after some careful thinking I came up with the following objectives.

1. Develop an on-line family tree, that can be accessed by family members and family researchers and can be used as a basis for future research.

2. Establish a physical filing system for the storage of family tree records (birth, death and marriage certificates, photos, newspaper cuttings, personal accounts, letters etc.).

3. Develop an filing system on my computer for the storage of all scanned documents that is logical and easy to maintain.

I look forward to sharing the different stages of this project and appreciate any feedback or suggestions on how to make the process even smoother and more efficient.