migrating data

[pwalsh 0]

I am considering migrating to TMG 7 from an ancient copy of Ancestry Family Tree. I have may years of data collected, most with sketchy source data (I was not in the habit of citing for much of my research career). Actually, that is why I am looking at converting to TMG. I am looking at this as an opportunity to clean up and validate my data and associated sources. I have about 900 individuals in the database. As I see it, I have three possible appoaches to doing this. Can you advise me on which would work best with TMG?

 

1) Start from scratch(!) - Literally rekey data and be sure to capture sources cleanly and accurately

2) Import data only and build and attach sources manually

3) Import data and sources and then try to go back and clean up

 

Thanks.

[Jim Byram 0]

I am considering migrating to TMG 7 from an ancient copy of Ancestry Family Tree. I have may years of data collected, most with sketchy source data (I was not in the habit of citing for much of my research career). Actually, that is why I am looking at converting to TMG. I am looking at this as an opportunity to clean up and validate my data and associated sources. I have about 900 individuals in the database. As I see it, I have three possible appoaches to doing this. Can you advise me on which would work best with TMG?

 

1) Start from scratch(!) - Literally rekey data and be sure to capture sources cleanly and accurately

2) Import data only and build and attach sources manually

3) Import data and sources and then try to go back and clean up

There are TMG users who might follow any of the three paths that you have listed. I personally would take route 3 and clean up the resulting data. Terry Reigel would take route 1 and enter the data from scratch and get it right from the beginning. It's really your choice as to what produces the desired end result with the least effort.

 

If you import a GEDCOM, it will be important to use the Advanced Import Wizard and deal with the unknown, custom and EVEN MISC GEDCOM tags by creating new tag types with the import. This will reduce the post-cleanup import considerably.