Jane writes...

First, I'd like to say that I love GenSmarts and use it almost daily.

I use TMG for my genealogy database and love it, too. But, I don't like its research task functionality. Hopefully they will be updating that in the future.

What I'd like is to use GenSmarts and all that it already knows to be able to add research tasks to people. For example - one of the local history centers that I research at has a wonderful biographical database. I'd like to be able to generate a "custom" research item to search that database for everyone who had any events in that county during a specified date range. I'm not sure if GenSmarts could figure that out directly from TMG. If not, I could generate a list of people from TMG and export it to a spreadsheet (or other format) to be uploaded to GS.

Another, less complicated (maybe?) idea would be to have standard tasks that could be added to people individually as I see fit. I could have standard tasks set up for things I do frequently and then by way of a check box or something, add these tasks to people.

Of course, it would be all the better to integrate these with the feature to script queries on custom websites.

If I could use GS to keep track of all my research tasks, it would be great. I know your main focus is to use the program to generate suggestions and that is great, but I find that I end up with lists about the same data in multiple places and I find that inefficient.

Thanks for listening and I invite others to share their ideas.

On 2008-12-22 6:26pm GenSmarts replied...

GenSmarts TOOLS...CUSTOMIZE RECORDS... can generate your list of suggestions for people who lived in a place during a specific time frame. You can print a report or dump the results to a spreadsheet.

On 2008-12-23 12:55pm Jane added...

Thanks for reminding me about that function. I viewed your tutorial early on and then I kind of forgot about that functionality. I can use that to accomplish some of the things I am thinking about. I will refresh my memory on how to use it and what it can do for me.

I am really frustrated about trying to keep my research efforts straight and am groping for a comprehensive solution. My brain can't do it all, so I need a tool.

I understand that the main thrust of your software is to generate ideas and streamline the lookup, not to track research activities.

I wish I was a programmer ... or I wish you and Bob Velke could team up on a solution![:I]

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Tags:  TMG  Family Tree Maker  

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