File Import and Clean Up

1. Import the gedcom into a *new* Family File. This is very important and makes it much easier to clean up the file and verify that you really want all the information that’s in the gedcom to be imported into you main Family File.
2. If you have a Legacy Family File from someone else, don’t import it into your main Family File until you clean it up.
3. Review import log and correct any issues found there
4. Run File > File Maintenance > Check/Repair and fix any problems noted there.
5. Check Name List or Index view for descriptors:
1. Surname

                                       i.    Look for characters such as question marks or “unknown”

                                     ii.    Look for all caps – surnames should be entered in letter case but can be displayed as all caps – Options > Customize 3.3

                                    iii.    Edit in Master Surname List (View > Master Lists > Surname)

2. Given Name

                                       i.    “Baby”, “Twin” or question mark, etc.

3. Make sure capitalization is correct – i.e., O’Neill and not O’neill.

                                       i.    Make sure Options > Customize > Data Format is set to “Don’t change what I enter” then you can edit the surnames in the Master Surname List

6. Check locations
1. If you find non-locations in the Master Location List (View > Master Lists > Location)

                                       i.    Options > Options for Non-Locations

                                     ii.    Or highlight the individual and click on Edit to edit the field

2. If counties are missing, assign counties using the Geo Location Database – remember those are only *current* locations and not historical

                                       i.    Click on round map icon and select Geo Location List

3. After assigning counties, exit the Master Location List, click on Reports > Books/Other and select the “USA County Verifier” report.
6. Check Sources
1. Make sure they are decently formatted. There’s probably not much you can do about fixing them, but at least it will give an indicator to the reliability of the data in the file.
2. Do you really want to import something where the sources are all showing as “WFT Vol…”?
7. Back up and run File > File Maintenance > Check/Repair

Legacy v8 has Potential Problems Indicators – read “dots” that indicate a problem with standardization, gaps, age ranges, etc. You can correct those as you find them, but the Potential Problems List might be more useful since you can change a lot at one time.

9. Potential Problems Report:
1. Records tab – Determine which records you wish to check
2. Warnings tab – you can set years
3. Problems tab
4. Standardization tab

                                       i.    To toggle warnings for non-standard entry, go to Options > Customize > Other > Turn on or off Optional Reminder Messages >Messages

5. Gaps tab - to set gaps between birth of children
6. LDS tab
9. Create Problems List – to create a new list

             or

11. View Existing Problems List – to view previously created list
12. When something isn’t really a problem (yes, the child was born right after the father died)
1. With “problem” highlighted, click on “Mark as Not a Problem”
13. Indicators on Family View to show that there is an exclusion:

1. Set PP Exclusion flag on Family View at Options >Customize 3.12

2. The symbol used is » and it shows next to Husband/Wife labels
14. Editing from PP Report
1. Click on appropriate button on the right to bring up either the Individual’s Information or Marriage Information edit windows.
15. Once data is cleaned up, you can import into your main Family File if you wish or leave it separate. You can have multiple Family Files in Legacy with no problem.