Guides
Table of Contents
Recipe-style walk-throughs for the workflows readers most often ask about. Each guide answers a single “I want to…” question with a setup checklist, numbered steps, and pointers to the relevant wiki reference for deeper detail. Aimed at readers who already have Charted Roots installed and want to do something specific.
Two tracks: research (genealogy) and worldbuilding.
Research#
Genealogy workflows for tracing real families. Browse all research guides →
Start here:
- I want to add my first person from scratch — Create your first person note manually, then add relationships when you’re ready.
- I want to import a GEDCOM file and clean up the result — Import a GEDCOM with the Data Quality Preview, normalize place-name variants, and triage duplicates against your existing tree.
- I want to set up per-fact source citations — Track which sources support each fact about a person, with coverage scoring across your tree.
- I want to map an ancestor’s life — Visualize a single ancestor’s geographic journey across their lifetime using Map View’s journey, heat, and migration overlays.
- I want to generate a family group sheet — Use the Report Wizard to generate a printable Family Group Sheet for a couple.
Worldbuilding#
Workflows for novelists, RPG creators, and worldbuilders documenting fictional universes. Browse all worldbuilding guides →
Start here:
- I want to create a fictional universe — Set up the foundational universe note for your fictional world, with optional linked calendar, map, and validation schema.
- I want to set up a custom calendar with eras — Define a fictional date system with named eras, abbreviations, and epochs.
- I want to build a family tree for fictional characters — Add fictional characters to a universe with parent / spouse / child relationships.
- I want to create a custom map of my fictional world — Use a custom image as the basemap for your universe and drop place markers.
- I want to compile a worldbuilding bible from my notes — Turn the universe note into a living bible with auto-rendered entity tables, embedded maps, and an optional printable export.