Preferred Applications

While pondering over the issue of the best way to organize my genealogy files, and playing with a number of different applications in the process, I realized that what I am using now beats the others hands down. For those who are curious, my main database uses TNG (The Next Generation of Genealogy Software), a web-based application. Because TNG offers a great deal of flexibility, it allows me to present data in a lot of different ways and keeps the data organized well.

TNG allows all different types of media to be organized by types in what the program calls collections. These can easily then be used to store the files that pertain to individuals and then linked directly to the individual, or individals, within the database. I’m just starting the process of converting my files, but so far I’m using a directory for each different type of record or photograph. The next step in the process, beyond, uploading the records, will be to purchase some large binders and archival sheet protectors to store the documents and photos.

Getting Organized – Again

Every year or so, I seem to go through a phase where I try to get more organized and this spring was no exception, but at least this time, I seem to be making real progress. For them most part, I’ve managed to get most of the old photographs scanned and their digital copies filed under the surnames involved, but there remains a lot of work to do dealing with the other types of files.

Since I work from several different computers at times, I’ve started storing all of the genealogy files on an external hard drive that can be accessed from any of the computers in the house. On the external drive, I have broken most of the files down into location-based areas, starting at the state level, then by county and finally, if necessary by township. Within the area sections, I have additional headings such as cemeteries, local histories, churches, historic places, etc. Surname files are a bit more of a challenge as it’s hard to know the best place to file such things as marriage docs which cover more than one surname, but at this point, they’re categorized under the married surname.

Since most of my files are in digital format, I rely very heavily on my genealogy software to keep things organized properly, but it may be time to start looking at alternatives for filing…