Ah….finally, I have a good portion of a day that I can devote to genealogy! I have been working on a list of steps that I’d like to complete every time I am ready to enter some information into my genealogy files. I have decided to start a new tree with my RootsMagic software and to be much more careful about adding appropriate citations for each fact that I am putting in. I am starting with myself and trying to be as detailed as I can with creating my “Process List”. The list that I have in mind right now is pretty basic and I think I’ll probably be adding to it as I go through the process. For now, the steps will be:

  • Use Evidentia Software to enter and analyse each source. (I am QUITE certain that this step will be broken down into several more steps, but I have not used the software enough to understand what I’m doing yet.)
  • Enter the information into RootsMagic.
  • Use RootsMagic to create the proper citation.
  • Scan the source if it isn’t currently in a digital format
  • Save the image in RootsMagic, linking to all appropriate people
  • Upload the scan/document into Google Drive (where I have already set up my folders with the format that I want to use.)
  • Update the Group Sheet  (already created) if new information has been discovered for the correct family within Microsoft Word. (These are also save in Google Drive.)
  • Copy the citation in the correct position within the Group Sheet.
  • Update the Notes document (already created) for the correct family within Microsoft Word. (Also saved in Google Drive.)
  • Copy the citation in the correct position with the Notes.
  • See if Ancestry needs to be updated with any new information.

Awesome! Feeling pretty proud of myself and ready to dig in! Now, where is that Evidentia software? It’s not installed on my laptop, so I must have put it on my older laptop. Hmm…nope! Oh well, this is a “starting from scratch to get it right this time” project, so I’ll just reinstall the software. The only problem is that while I have no problem finding the software case, there is no disc inside. And thus begins a 3 hour search in my office. Every drawer, every box, every computer bag, etc. And no luck.

So I was thinking about just biting the bullet and re-purchasing the software. This time, I’d be sure to get the digital download instead of the disc! But wait, I have the registration key inside the software case, so maybe…..sure enough, I was able to download the latest update to the software, enter the registration key and VOILA! I’m ready to go!

Of course, now it’s lunch time….

Well, my plan is to start with my own birth certificate in order to learn how to use the software. I’m planning on looking at the “how to” videos on the website, but I’ve also downloaded the User’s Guide onto my iPad so that I can use that as well.

That’s the plan! Now to put it into practice!

On a side note – let me warn you about something that happened to me. Rather than searching for “Evidentia” in my browser, I just took a shot and put evidentia dot com in the address bar. This took me to a very official looking warning about a virus infection on my computer as well as a never ending audio recording about how I was in danger of having my financial and private information hacked and that I should call a specific phone number immediately. My virus protection software has never opened a web page to warn me about threats, so I knew better than to click anything on the page. After closing the window, I googled for information on the warning and it was not hard to find. Don’t fall for scams like this!