How Do I Quickly and Easily Add 19,000 GEDCOM Imported Family Members to My Tree?
I can't spend half my life importing these one by one!
Brian
Answers
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Hi Brian,
The quickly and easily depends on how you have prepared your gedcom file in the first place:
Did you eliminate all Living people? Family Search does not allow you to add any Living though a gedcom
Did you check in FamilySearch for any entries that may already be there? If not, then you will create duplicates that you will then need to do something about.
We do recommend that a gedcom file contain no more than 100 names at at a time. You WILL need to go through each name in your file to add it.
This information - and more - can be found in the Knowledge Article:
That Article also contains links to:
How should I prepare my GEDCOM file?
What happens to information uploaded from a GEDCOM file?
This process does take time. I fear you will need to rethink the 19,000 individuals
You may also like to check out the Pedigree Resource File:
Wish you well in the process of submitting the 19,000 names into either - or both collections.
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GROAN!
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Brian
Welcome to the "Community.Familysearch" Forum.
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
And, like many ...
One who has spent MUCH MORE than half my life, Researching their Genealogy/Family History ...
FIRSTLY ...
Just so that you are aware ...
Here an old 'standby' of mine, that I have previously proffered on occasion ...
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Most new (and, some old) Users/Patrons DO NOT understand the basic 'nature' and 'premise' of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', when they join in.
Please let me explain ...
We do not have our OWN "Tree" in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
We ONLY have "Branches" (ie. Ancestral" lines), that are interconnected, in this SINGLE "One" World "Tree", for all of us, that is "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is NOT like 'On-Line' "Websites" (eg. "Ancestry_com"; or "MyHeritage_com"; or, the like); and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes (eg, the OLD, now no longer supported, "PAF"; or, "Ancestral Quest"; or, the like).
We DO NOT have "Private"/"Personal" 'Trees' in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' like other 'On-Line' "Websites"; and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes.
We do not even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, the "Deceased" individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
And, most importantly ...
We DO NOT even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, Our OWN "Deceased" Ancestors/Family/Relatives in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is built on a "Open Edit" Platform - hence, why any registered User/Patron can "Edit" (ie. Add, Delete; and/or, Change) ANY "Deceased" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
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In other words ...
"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is a "Collaborative" effort by us all ...
There is NO, "My" 'Tree'; or, "Your" 'Tree' ... in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' ...
We ONLY have "Branches" (ie. Ancestral" lines), that are interconnected, in this SINGLE "One" World "Tree", that is "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Now ...
That Said ...
SECONDLY ...
As I always 'say', to User/Patrons, who mention the "Upload" of GEDCOM File into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' ...
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You can; but ...
Please DO NOT Upload a GEDCOM File into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Upload the GEDCOM Files in the "Genealogies" Part of 'FamilySearch', that is fine; but, please NOT into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Some of the reasons that Users/Patrons (like myself) DO NOT want the ability to upload a GEDCOM File into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' are:
(1) It is most likely that individuals/persons in a GEDCOM File are ALREADY in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'; and, most Users/Patrons DO NOT even take the time to look to see if any one in their GEDCOM File is already in "Family Tree", in some instances, negating the need to even upload the GEDCOM File.
(2) There has been (many) cases where Users/Patrons, using the "Compare" process (of the upload) have "Dismissed" a "Possible" Match with an individual/person already in "Family Tree"; so that, their "Record", from their GEDCOM File, is loaded into "Family Tree", regardless; just so that, their "Record" appears in "Family Tree" (and, in some instances, for Members of the Church, so they can do the "Temple" Work, despite the fact that the "Temple" Work is ALREADY done with the "Possible" Match with the individual/person already in "Family Tree").
(3) Even with the "Compare" process (of the upload), there has been (many) cases where Users/Patrons have uploaded THEIR version of an individual/person in their GEDCOM File, on top of (ie. Over) an individual/person ALREADY in "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch" that has been there for MANY years and is well documented and "Sources" - in many instances obliterating all of the documentation and "Sources".
(4) If an individual/person is ALREADY in "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch", there is NO need to up uploaded one's version of an individual/person from one's own GEDCOM File - just take note of the the 'FamilySearch Person Identifier' (PID) of the individual/person that is ALREADY in "Family Tree"; and, one can go back later to ensure what information/detail is recorded and attached for that individual/person. Just DO NOT uploaded one's version of an individual/person in their GEDCOM File, on top of (ie. Over) an individual/person ALREADY in "Family Tree" - obliterating all of the documentation and "Sources" ALREADY in place/on record.
(5) The "Hours" (sometimes "Days"; or, even, "Weekes") of work, by other Users/Patrons, that can be needed to CORRECT the DAMAGE done by the upload of a GEDCOM File can be disheartening.
I am sorry ... 'off my soap box' ...
Enter (ie. 'Create') the individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' one at a time - on a one by one basis.
Many of the individuals/persons in a GEDCOM File, most probably, ALREADY exist in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Only one or two generations of the "Living" individuals/persons; and, perhaps, maybe, only one or two generations of the "Deceased" individuals/persons, may be required to be entered/input into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch"; BEFORE, some of the "Deceased" individuals/persons, from one's Ancestral Lines, ALREADY existing in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', are discovered.
Use the "Find" facility/function/feature to Search "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', one may be surprised to find some (if not, many) of them already there.
Many well established and documented (eg. "Sourced") individuals/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' have been RUINED, by the upload, a GEDCOM File, into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
I hope this puts things into perspective.
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Like many, I really wish 'FamilySearch' would just STOP allowing the "Upload" of GEDCOM Files into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' altogether.
There is just NO need to "Upload" of GEDCOM Files into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', under ANY circumstance; even, if one's "Ancestral" Lines are NOT already in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
I know that this may not help; but, I hope that this gives you some more, insight; and, perspective.
Brett
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tl;dr for Brett's comment: PLEASE DON'T. (Emphasis very intentional.)
Really. Even if only half of those people are already here in Family Tree, that's nearly 10,000 duplicates. Please, we beg you, do not do that to yourself and others.
If, despite our warnings, you decide to use FS's compare-and-add process, do not trust it. For example, if it finds a match to one parent but not the other, go to another browser tab and check Family Tree: the profiles are very likely both there, but the match is not being identified for some unfathomable computer reason. If the process and your manual check both agree that you should add a person, check the result carefully: GEDCOM files mangle things like notes and sources, and I don't think FS's import includes sources, anyway.
I think you will find that, daunting as it seems, adding your information one profile at a time is actually far faster in the long run, especially if you want to include your source citations and notes.
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tl;dr for Brett's comment: PLEASE DON'T. (Emphasis very intentional.)
Really. Even if only half of those people are already here, that's nearly 10,000 duplicates. Please, we beg you, do not do that to yourself and others.
If, despite our warnings, you do decide to use FS's compare-and-add process, do not trust it. For example, if it finds a match to one parent but not the other, open Family Tree in another browser tab and check: it's very likely that both parents are actually there, but it's not finding one for some unfathomable computer reason. If both the process and your manual check agree that you should add a person, check the result carefully. GEDCOM files mangle things like notes and source citations, and I don't think FS's import process includes sources, anyway. And if it finds a match and wants you to add your conclusions, do not trust it to have told you everything about what's already there. Open the existing profile in another tab and make sure you're not overwriting good details with less-good.
I think you will find that, daunting as it seems, adding people one at a time is actually faster in the long run, especially if you pay attention to proper sourcing.
(I tried to add a comma to a previous version of this comment, and managed to trigger the forum's "after it is approved" message, which in my experience is actually a euphemism for "has been permanently deleted". If it shows up, my apologies for the duplication.)
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