Legacy News

Organizing Your Paper Files - Color-Coding (4th approach)

You've probably learned that unless your paper files are in order, further genealogy research can be frustrating. You've also probably tried dozens of different organizational systems. Not every system works for everyone, which is why we have been publishing different methods via Legacy News.

Mary Hill developed a color-coding system for organization which has become very popular, and it works directly with Legacy's color-coding system. Her system is explained here.

To print pedigree, family group, and other reports using the color-coding system, follow these simple steps:

1. With Legacy open, click on the Options menu, then click Customize.
2. Click on the View tab. In the Ancestor Color Coding section, turn on the option.
3. Click Save.
4. In the Family View, navigate to yourself.
5. Click on Tools, then Apply Ancestor Colors.

The color coding is now set and visible in the Family View.

To print a color-coded pedigree chart, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Reports icon in the main toolbar. Click on the Pedigree tab.
2. Click on the Color Text and Boxes button.
3. Check the 4th option of 4 Line Colors. Save.
4. Preview or Print.

Not only do these color-coded charts look great, but they compliment the color-coded organizational system.

Other organizational systems

Click here to review the other organizational systems we have published.

Organizing Your Paper Files - a Third Approach

Unless your genealogy papers are organized, your research really cannot progress effectively. One of our Legacy users, Connie Spindel, agreed to share her organizational system with us. She calls it her E-Z File System:

My E-Z File System

I have tried 100's (or so it seems) filing systems over the years, and have finally narrowed it down to a very simple and efficient system. It is important to keep it as simple as you can so you will 'stick with it' and as efficient as you can so it will work for you instead of you working for your filing system! I use Legacy software which allows me to include a 'file number of my choosing' for every source. I'm not sure about other software, but think likely most all have this feature....

I have several 2" binders labeled Birth, Death, Marriage, Census, Obit, Photo, Probate, Will, etc.

When I receive a document I follow these steps...

1. Transcribe the contents of the document into my 'source text'
2. Add all pertinent source info, repository etc.
3. Scan the document and add image to my data source file
4. Give the source document its own unique source number (more of this below)
5. Cite the source to my database to all appropriate areas.
6. File my document in the appreciate binder.

Legacy automatically keeps track of my source document file #'s and makes it easy for me to just increase the # to the next in sequence, but this is actually very easy to keep track of even without this included feature of Legacy.

As an example, for the first birth certificate the file # would be 'Birth 1" the next would be 'Birth 2" and so on, and they would both go in the 'Birth' binder in sequence, same routine for Death, Marriage etc. Each getting the next higher available filing # and put into the appropriate binder.

This system provides a quick and easy way to file all documents and no need to make duplicate copies when more than one family is represented in the document (marriage, census etc.) as is necessary in surname or family group files. It doesn't matter if you have a marriage certificate from 1866 or 1966, they are just filed in sequence of when you received them. This eliminates LOTS of headaches!

As a side note: I do make copies of the document (either I print from the scan or from my copy machine) and keep in a BIG binder on my desk, which has dividers for all of the different file types. This binder is what I use to make copies of the documents for other researchers (or send the scans by e-mail) and for quick and easy reference while I'm working, and allows me to keep the original documents in the fire-proof safe (where they are hopefully well-protected).

When I need to prepare a report (for family or fellow researcher) all I have to do is open my genealogy (Legacy) program, see what files are sourced to that individual and write down the file #'s (or easily print out a source report if many individuals will be in the report), pull the document copies from my 'desk binder' and viola' there are ALL of my source documents ready to include in a report and mail away.... (If by e-mail I just include the document scans, filed on my computer the same way as listed above). * Legacy will also include source pictures within the report, but I find many people prefer them to be separate from the reports which makes them easier for them to save to their files.

You might have noticed, above I listed a binder called 'Photos'.... I use it in very much the same way, but add one more little step.... I open the scanned photo in my photo program (I use Adobe Photo Elements) and simply add information (via 'File Info') of those shown in the photo, date photo was taken (or best estimate), who or where the photo came from (my album, fellow researcher, publication etc). This enables the photo to contain all info within the file, yet does not require you to change the photo itself (as in adding text directly to the photo). The info can be printed with the photo as a 'Caption' via 'Printer Options' with most printers if desired. In addition, when adding the photo to Legacy this data is automatically added to the note field :-)... a real timesaver! (Note: Info is NOT added if linking through the Picture Center in Legacy; only if photo is directly linked to person, source etc. Maybe someday Legacy will add this function in Picture Center, but can't say for sure).

One other 'Biggie' I wanted to mention is to ALWAYS use archival quality sleeves (available at your office supply store in boxes of 100 and more, and really cheap on sale :-) for all of your original source documents... even the copy machine copies sent to you by fellow researchers, after all they are 'your' originals and are in need of safekeeping!

More organizational tips

Thanks Connie for sharing your system. Please direct any questions to her. We have also published other systems here. Some good advice - once you have a system that works well for you, stick with it. There's probably not a perfect system for everyone.

Organizing Your Paper Files - Second Lesson

It doesn't take long once you have started your genealogy adventure to collect so much information that it seems hard to handle. Dealing with information overload is handled through systematic organization of materials.

Most researchers have tried numerous systems for organizing. There is not one system that works for everyone. We will feature several systems in this newsletter. The first lesson was published in Legacy News in February 2006 and can be read here. If you have a method that works well for you, please let us know.

One of our dedicated Legacy users, Mary Brenzel, offered to share the system she uses. Please direct any questions directly to her:

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First, you may wish to view/print the pictures of my “records” file box showing an overall view and a more close-up view of some of the hanging folder labels.  In addition, I’ve included pictures of 2 sample documents. View them here:

File folders

File folders - close up

Document in sleeve, labeled

Census document in sleeve, labeled

Each document type is sorted by location and type, with a few exceptions.  Because of the ability to place labels on the hanging folders in a variety of positions, I’ve aligned the labels for the same document types.  For example –

MICHIGAN, MACOMB
       CENSUS RECORDS

MICHIGAN, MACOMB
       BIRTH RECORDS

ENGLAND, DEVON
       CENSUS RECORDS

ENGLAND, DEVON
       MARRIAGE RECORDS

ENGLAND, DEVON
       BIRTH RECORDS

In the above example, there are no marriage records for Macomb County, Michigan so there is no label in that location.  This leaves it open for if / when they might be found and added to the files.

Records for countries are stored first, followed by U.S. States.  All of this is alphabetical.  For example, Devon, England is before Lancashire, England which is before Somerset, England.  France would be after England and then Germany.  Connecticut is before Florida; Macomb County, Michigan is before Oakland County, Michigan.

From front to back, my file box is organized like this –

ENGLAND, BATH (with folders for the different document types)
ENGLAND, DEVON
ENGLAND, LANCASHIRE
ENGLAND, MIDDLESEX
ENGLAND, SOMERSET
CONNECTICUT, HARTFORD
FLORIDA, DADE
FLORIDA, LEON
FLORIDA, PALM BEACH
MICHIGAN, MACOMB
MICHIGAN, OAKLAND
MICHIGAN, WAYNE
NEW YORK, ERIE
NEW YORK, NIAGARA
RHODE ISLAND, KENT

All of my documents, whether prints of census pages from Ancestry.com or certified copies of vital records are stored in archival safe and acid free sheet protectors.  I use a label maker to label each document, placing the label on the upper right of the sheet protector.  The sheet protectors are placed in the appropriate file folder with the 3-holes at the top, keeping the labels visible for easy retrieval.

Now for the actual document labels.  I will give you examples for each of the types I currently have organized with the file folder labels first.

ENGLAND, DEVON
BIRTH RECORDS
        ENG DEVON BIR 001
        ENG DEVON BIR 002

ENGLAND, DEVON
BAPTISM RECORDS
       ENG DEVON BAP 001
       ENG DEVON BAP 002

ENGLAND, DEVON
MARRIAGE RECORDS
       ENG DEVON MAR 001
       ENG DEVON MAR 002

ENGLAND, DEVON
DEATH RECORDS
       ENG DEVON DEA 001
       ENG DEVON DEA 002

ENGLAND, DEVON
CENSUS RECORDS
       ENG DEVON CEN 001
       ENG DEVON CEN 002

MICHIGAN, MACOMB
MILITARY RECORDS
       MI MACOMB MIL 001
       MI MACOMB MIL 002

At this time, I have only 1 exception to the above system.  That is the Social Security Death Index.  All of those records are filed together regardless of where the number was issued, where the person last resided or died.  These documents are labeled as SSDI 001, SSDI 002, etc.

Lastly, here’s how I use it in Legacy.  I use the document label as the FILE ID value in the Source Detail when I source the data, except that the country or state is spelled out.  For example, my grandmother was born in Devon, England.  The document for her birth record is ENG DEVON BIR 001 as shown in one of my pictures.  The last attachment shows the source detail screen for her birth in Legacy.  The FILE ID is ENGLAND DEVON BIR 001.

The beauty of this system is that multiple people can have the same document referenced on Source Details for different types of data in Legacy.  I can cite 2 examples.  1)  I have multiple census images with multiple families on the page.  All members of all families on the page would get the same FILE ID assigned on the Source Detail for the Census Event.  2)  My grandparents’ marriage record from the Catholic Church is labeled as NY ERIE MAR 002.  That FILE ID is on their marriage source detail is NEW YORK ERIE MAR 002.  The witnesses to the marriage are members of the family.  A “witness” event is entered for each of the witnesses with the same sourcing information and NY ERIE MAR 002.

Lastly, the documents within the folders do not have to be stored in a particular order.  As you get a new one, once it is recorded in Legacy, it can be filed away at the back of the file folder for that location / document type behind all of the others of its type.

This is all really quite simple.  I hope that you are able to understand it.  Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

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Thanks Mary for sharing your experiences with all of us!

Organizing Your Paper Files

It doesn't take long once you have started your genealogy adventure to collect so much information that it seems hard to handle. Dealing with information overload is handled through systematic organization of materials.

Most researchers have tried numerous systems for organizing. There is not one system that works for everyone. We will feature several systems in this newsletter. If you have a method that works well for you, please let us know.

Visit http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/filing.asp for the first lesson.

Organizing Your Papers - MRIN Filing System +

A genealogist recently asked me if we should really keep the paper files since everything can be digitized these days. I responded with a list of reasons why we should still keep the papers. But, the challenge of organizing the paper files still exists.

Previously we have published four different organizational systems. One of our users, JL Beeken, shared her experiences with us using the MRIN Filing system. She wrote,

I finally got organized when I had so much paper and so many digital sources that I couldn't find anything without wading through up to my shoulders. But, to be accurate, it was really a couple of years past that point. . . .

JL has some really good ideas about using the MRIN filing system. Continue reading her article here.