I’ve been lecturing on organizing your genealogical documents electronically for the last decade. It’s one of my most requested topics. We all have piles of paper – some organized, and a lot that’s not. I have nothing against paper filing systems. In fact, William Dollarhide got my files in order, with his “Dollarhide Systems” organizing methods, back in the day when computers weren’t even discussed. But now we have more electronic documents coming our way than paper. Thus the need to organize electronically.
This Insta-Guide is made to help genealogist’s make the transition from paper documents to electronic. Get rid of the 3-drawer filing cabinet, and those boxes full of paper. And include the all-electronic paperwork that you pull off the internet every evening.
This guide covers the following topics:
- The Introduction
- What You Will Need Besides Your Computer
- Digitize Those Papers!
- A Note About Files and Folders
- Electronically File as You Would in a 3-Drawer Filing Cabinet
- Electronic Filing – Setting up Hierarchical Folders
- What Goes in the Master file?
- Inside each Surname Folder, set up Country Folders and Family Folders
- Labeling a Family Folder
- The Contents Sheet
- A Note and a Warning About Files
- Access the Master Folder From More Than One Computer and/or Program
- Sharing Documents (files)
- Link to Your Files From Within Your Genealogy Program
- What About Photos?
- Electronic Document Storage Systems
- Back Up Your Files
- Dispose of Your Paper Clutter
- Take Your Family Documents on the Road
- References
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