GENBOX-L Archives

Archiver > GENBOX > 2008-04 > 1208315848


From: "Tom Pajak" <>
Subject: Re: [GENBOX] procedural question for data gathering
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:17:28 -0400
References: <001701c89f45$831bb4d0$2f01a8c0@PJK72005NTBK><48057490.20104@worldnet.att.net>
In-Reply-To: <48057490.20104@worldnet.att.net>


Do you find the ability to create reports in this way easy? I admit that I
have not experimented a lot with Genbox reports, but what I have tried seems
cumbersome. That seems to be true with most of the genealogy programs, so is
not unique. It has until now just seemed easier to sort records, etc. using
a spreadsheet, or as lately, with OpenOffice databases. Maybe I just find
the methodology of a database such as Openoffice more natural due to my past
life.

I like the idea of keeping separate databases with Genbox categorized in
terms of the villages as a workable method which might work for me as well.
I do think that some official method imbedded in one of these programs that
would allow for such staging would be a useful feature. It might be easier
to structure reports specifically for that purpose as a result.

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On
Behalf Of Kathy
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:38 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [GENBOX] procedural question for data gathering

Tom Pajak wrote:
> I spend a great amount of time perusing
> microfilmed church records from another country. The records are
Baptismal,
> Marriage, and Death records.
> I normally keep all of the data I find, until the connection is
> found. As I mentioned earlier, I keep that data in spreadsheets.
>
> The thought occurred to me however that it might also be possible to just
> put the data into the genealogy database, without the intermediate step of
> using a spreadsheet.
>
> How do others do this manner of research?

I conduct research from foreign church records in much the same way you
do-- gathering all the information on people with select surnames and
all their associates (e.g., godparents). Because the records contain so
much information-- mother's maiden name, parents' residence, father's
occupation, and the same for godparents-- I transcribe all the entries.

Initially I kept spreadsheets, as you're doing, but then switched to
entering everything directly into Genbox. I can immediately make the
connections that are obvious as I enter the data, then use reports to
examine the data more in depth at a later time. I've been creating a
separate database for each village because there isn't that much overlap
among them, and because it makes data entry easier. Because I record
where everyone is from, I can easily create a report that will tell me
who is from a neighboring village, so that I can look for links there.
Once I've straightened out the people and their families, and I find
those who are related to me, I can export them from a village database
to my main database. Until then, I find it easier to keep the village
databases separate.

Hope that helps as you think about your data entry strategy,
Kathy

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