Putting Documents as Sources in FamilySearch Family Tree

Family Tree Training



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Guide to Putting Documents in FamilySearch Family Tree as Sources. This Lesson guide contains written Steps and Images that show how to add both online and unpublished documents to your Tree. Following this lesson guide leads to a valuable hands-on practical experience for the beginner/intermediate level FT user in attaching these kinds of records to their ancestors.

There are many instances where it is desirable to enter a Document as a Source in an individual's Details page in Family Tree. This is particularly true when the document establishes/verifies the name, date and place of a person's vital event (i.e. birth register/certificate, marriage record, etc.).

While documents found in the Family Search digital databases can be easily attached as a Source to a person, using the Source Linker, (see Wiki page Attaching FamilySearch (FS) Records to Family Tree Using the Source Linker) often documents are found on other websites (free or subscription) or in the possession of a family member or other individual. Records found in these other places ought to be added to Family Tree using a different series of STEPS that are found on the following Steps with Pictures Handout.

How to best use "Putting Documents as Sources..." Handout
This lesson guide can be used individually, in a one-on-one mentoring session or in a class situation. It is designed to provide beginner and intermediate level FT users with a hands-on practical experience in putting documents as sources in their Tree. The lesson guide is found to be most successful in enabling users to do the task independently when it is part of a "Model with Steps;Do with Steps" approach. First the teacher/mentor perform the Steps in their own FT or in the sandbox account... at the same time drawing attention to the specific directions on the handout. After that, the participant does the task in their Tree by following the same Steps. Thus, by the end of the lesson, they have read through the Steps TWICE and performed the task ONCE. Retaining the handout for reference, they can more readily repeat the task thereafter.

Other FT Entry/Intermediate Task Handouts (STEPS with Pictures)
1. Putting Photos and Documents as Memories in FamilySearch Family Tree 2. Attaching FamilySearch (FS) Records to Family Tree Using the Source Linker 3. Fixing Relationships in FamilySearch (FS) Family Tree 4. Finding and Merging Duplicates in FamilySearch (FS) Family Tree

Related FT Resources

 * FSFamilyTreeUserGroup Resources: "Adding Sources in Family Tree" by Heather McPhie. Audio visual presentation of how to add sources.