Research guides

Genealogy workflows for tracing real families. Each guide answers a single “I want to…” question with a setup checklist, numbered steps, and pointers to the relevant wiki reference.

Available now

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Data entry and cleanup

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• I want to add my first person from scratch — Create your first person note manually, then add relationships when you’re ready. Easy · ~5 min
• I want to add a new family member — Add a new person (e.g., a new baby) with parents linked, a birth event recorded, and media attached. Easy · ~5 min
• 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. Medium · ~30+ min
• I want to find and merge duplicate persons — Run duplicate detection across your tree, then resolve each pair side-by-side in the Merge Wizard. Medium · ~15-30 min
• I want to delete a person and clean up references — Delete a person note safely, then sweep the vault for orphaned references. Easy · ~5 min

Sources and evidence

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• I want to set up per-fact source citations — Track which sources support each fact about a person, with coverage scoring. Medium · ~15 min
• I want to capture a source from a website — Use Obsidian Web Clipper to capture obituaries, Find a Grave, FamilySearch, or Wikipedia into your staging folder. Medium · ~15 min setup
• I want to attach one source to multiple people — Link a single source (census, will, probate packet) to every person it names, with structured roles for FAN-network research. Easy · ~5 min per source

Methodology

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• I want to analyze FAN clusters to break through a brick wall — Use source roles to track Friends, Associates, and Neighbors across documents, then run the Sources by Role report to surface community networks. Advanced · ~30+ min for the first cluster
• I want to research enslaved ancestors (Beyond Kin methodology) — Document enslaved ancestors via slaveholder records, source hierarchy, and Beyond Kin naming conventions. Advanced · ~30+ min for the first packet
• I want to handle conflicting evidence between two sources — Reconcile contradictory sources using Mills’ three-axis classification (source / information / evidence), then capture the resolution. Medium · ~10 min framework, ~30+ min per conflict
• I want to write a proof summary for a contested fact — Document the reasoning chain for a genealogical conclusion using the Create Proof Summary modal. Advanced · ~30+ min per proof
• I want to track research progress on a long-term project — Use Hoitink’s Six Levels for per-ancestor status, plus research reports as living research logs. Medium · ~15 min to set up
• I want to identify which facts in my tree need more research — Use per-note research questions, the Research Gaps card, and the Gaps Report to find what to work on next. Medium · ~15 min initial pass
• I want to organize a multi-document source collection — Use the source_parent pattern to model probate packets, military pension files, and other multi-document record groups. Medium · ~15-30 min for the first collection
• I want to track married women and placeholder surnames consistently — Use maiden_name, married_names, and a personal placeholder convention to keep women searchable and handle unknown surnames. Easy · ~10 min to set the conventions

Visualization and reports

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• I want to generate a printable family tree — Generate a print-ready PDF (or Excalidraw / ODT / Canvas) family tree from a root person. Easy · ~10 min
• I want to map an ancestor’s life — Visualize a single ancestor’s geographic journey using Map View’s journey, heat, and migration overlays. Medium · ~15 min
• I want to generate a family group sheet — Use the Report Wizard to generate a printable Family Group Sheet for a couple. Easy · ~5 min
• I want to generate a family reunion report — Generate a Descendant or Ancestor Report for a reunion handout. Easy · ~10 min
• I want to assemble a family history book — Use Book Builder to combine person profiles, family group sheets, photos, and narrative chapters. Medium · ~1-2 hours

Analysis

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• I want to filter and analyze my data with Bases — Use Obsidian Bases to filter, sort, and analyze person notes; find geographic clusters, identify missing data, generate custom views. Medium · ~15 min

Migrations

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• I want to migrate from Family Tree Maker — Export your FTM tree as GEDCOM, then import with media-path stripping. Medium · ~30 min
• I want to migrate from Ancestry — Download your Ancestry tree as GEDCOM and import. Photos and stories don’t come with the GEDCOM — plan for that. Easy · ~20 min
• I want to migrate from RootsMagic — RootsMagic exports cleanly; this is the most predictable migration path. Easy · ~20 min
• I want to migrate from Gramps (with media) — Use the dedicated .gpkg package format — preserves more than GEDCOM and extracts media automatically. Easy · ~20 min

Working with others

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• I want to help a non-technical family member get started — A supporter’s guide for setting up Charted Roots on behalf of a relative — install steps, what to teach, what to avoid, when to recommend a different tool. Medium · ~2 hours

Queued

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These ship as they’re written:

• I want to print a wall-sized pedigree
• I want to set up a staging workflow for messy imports
• I want to compare migration paths across siblings
• …plus more (see the guides plan for the full enumeration)

Found something missing? Suggest a guide.