Indexer Issue
For FS personnel only. No comments needed.
Philippines, Camarines Sur, Caceres—Registros Parroquiales, 1716–1977 [Parte B] [MMZN-HJC]
Batch has 8 death records. Indexer put one in but blanked it all except for bogus page and record numbers.
Best Answer
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@Jerry Hill, evidently you are reviewing this batch. Please, as a reviewer it is your job to correct any mistakes the indexer made. This is the only way for the system to catch egregious errors in indexing and identify the indexer.
Thank you for your vigilance in reviewing these records. Keep up the good work! 😊
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Answers
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Yes. I never return a batch for re-indexing. I always correctly enter what they didn't. I hope FS is reviewing these and identifying the bad indexer, but I don't think they do.
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Hi @Jerry Hill,
Have you heard of Indexing Labs? Labs are new and experimental features that you can use in your FamilySearch Indexing. The directions below will help you set it up.
There is a feature called "Reasons to Reindex Batch". When you send a batch back to be reindexed there are boxes that allow you to state a reason why. One choice is: "User is abusive or Malicious". This will help alert FamilySearch that there is a problem. It will only work if you check the active box and then go back to Index and refresh your browser.
Thank you for your diligence in reviewing accurately. Your service is appreciated.
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I've heard of the Labs dozens of time but do not use them because, as I already mentioned (above), I do not return batches for re-indexing. The batch will have to be looked at by another reviewer and my indexing will ensure that they get good data to review.
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If you don't return them @Jerry Hill FamilySearch has no way of knowing that there is an indexer/reviewer or several that need more help. It is not going do any good to report the batches here, but, it might get them help if you use the form and return the batch for reindexing. The chances are good too that if you return them for reindexing the next reviewer will also have good data to review. When the projects get to the point that there are very few to review, then it becomes even more important, (in my opinion), to send them back for reindexing using the lab form, because that might mean that a reviewer needs more help.
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Melissa. I don't return batches for re-indexing. I re-index them myself. And we're told that FS reads these posts. So that's how they know the really bad ones from the inept ones.
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I don't think the people in charge of seeking out people who need extra help read these posts at all. Maybe a moderator could let us know if they do, but, I'm fairly convinced this group is pretty much volunteers. Obviously, this reporting system is not working either because you keep reporting the same problem in the same collection, or possibly the "bad" indexer has been contacted but there are still many records out there that need to be sorted through. I do hope that a moderator will get an answer for all of us.
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@Jerry Hill, Thank you for reporting the issue, it has been escalated. Your help is appreciated.
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Cindy
Just in passing ...
PLEASE; Please; please, advise, what is the situation/score ...
EITHER ...
[ 1 ]
As per what BOTH, you; and, @Melissa S Himes, have suggested ...
OR ...
[ 2 ]
As per the "Post" here; as, @Jerry Hill has done, expecting this to be the "Answer" ...
OR ...
[ 3 ]
A COMBINATION of BOTH [1} and [2], working in 'tandem' ...
.
As an aside ...
I would personally suspect it is the former (ie. what BOTH, you; and @Melissa S Himes, have suggested)
As ...
DOING what @Jerry Hill is doing; and, the recent action, that you have taken; as, a "Moderator" [ ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel) ], WILL, I guarantee, possibly ... OPEN the FLOODGATES ..., to posts such as this.
Now ...
That Said ...
The reason that I have taken an interest/'weighted in', is that:
NOT only do the "Reviewers", in "Indexing", NEED a clear DIRECTION on this matter; but, so do the REST of us.
I am sorry ...
That I have have taken an interest/'weighted in' ...
But, this is a matter, that a "Clear" DIRECTION is NEEDED.
Just my thoughts.
I know that this does not help/assist; but, I hope that this gives ANOTHER, insight; and, perspective.
Brett
ps: 'Jerry', I am sorry to be a concerned 'Voice' ...
AND ...
pps: 'Jerry', I TOTALLY understand your perspective (and, APPLAUD both, your perspective; and, efforts)
.
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Thanks, @Brett . Very well written post and we do need an answer as to how these are to be handled. This board will be flooded with posts like this if this is the way to report these batches. I probably sent 10 back for reindexing this week alone with the form attached. Someone in a position of authority needs to make a decision and write a policy statement on how to handle these batches. Or, get rid of the form in labs and, as Brett said, open the floodgates for reporting on this site.
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All
FYI
Related (Follow-on) Post ...
[ These post need to be considered together ... ]
FamilySearch Help
Category = Indexing
HOME > FAMILYSEARCH HELP > INDEXING
FS -- Reporting Badly Indexed Batches
Just so you all know. Labs do me no good for reporting bad indexing because I do not return batches for re-indexing. I re-index them myself.
FS. You need to provide a means to report egregiously bad indexing and malicious indexing. You already have 95% of the code necessary to do so in the Labs feature. All you need to do is put a button (and accompanying code) on the Labs page that lets us specify that we have already re-indexed the batch and just want to report it. All of the reasons you have for returning a batch can be used in reporting a non-returned batch. Surely your hotshot engineers can handle that. I could do it.
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/108144/fs-reporting-badly-indexed-batches
Brett
Attention: @Melissa S Himes & @CindyPrice (FYI)
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I have tried using the Labs for reporting indexing problems and I think you need to simplify the process. Sometimes it works very easily and other times you have to do it several times before it will "take". When it won't take on the first try, I can't waste my time re-trying it and just go back to the usual way and just send it back to be reindexed. Or if it isn't a very large project (more than 50), I just go ahead and make the corrections and assume that when support sees all the corrections, they will notify the indexer, etc.
I agree that we need some definite guidance as to how we should handle these situations.
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Thank you all for your responses. Below are the steps to take to report malicious indexing.
- Contact FamilySearch Support, and let them know what the batch number is.
- Hold onto the batch for a minimum of 24 hours to allow FamilySearch Support enough time to research the issue.
- In the top menu, click Batch, and then, in the drop-down menu, click Re-index Batch.
- In the box that opens, indicate whether to keep or delete the data.
- If many records are missing, but what’s there is correct, select Keep the indexed data.
- If all or most of the information is incorrect or doesn’t match the image, select Delete the indexed data.
- Click Return Batch for Re-indexing.
Malicious indexing would include the indexer:
- Enters gibberish in the fields, such as, "jkjkjkj" as a name.
- Enters dates that were not on the document.
- Adds many more records to a batch than necessary.
- Enters only information in one field, then marks the other fields <blank>.
- Indexes only required fields.
- Marks images as No Extractable Data when they should index the images.
When you use the FamilySearch Labs "Reasons to Reindex" it goes to the same department for assessment. It may just be easier in many cases to report it to FamilySearch first.
Those of you trying to help make FamilySearch better with your ideas, please know you are appreciated. I encourage you to go to "Suggest an Idea" in the Community and let your voice be heard there.
Thanks again. Keep up the good work.
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@CindyPrice Thanks for verifying the information from the Help Center on how to return a batch for reindexing.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/the-batch-i-am-reviewing-needs-reindexing
So, does that mean one should contact FamilySearch Support through the Live Chat or by telephone or via the Community?
If it is via the Community, will a moderator then assure us that the "issue has been reported"?
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As reviewers we have the option to return batches for someone else to reindex or to fix the issue. You can find the correct instruction here:
"If you can tell right away that a batch is going to take significant time to correct, simply send the batch back for reindexing. Click the tab in the top left corner of the screen labeled Batch, followed by Reindex. (If you don’t have time to review the entire batch, click Batch, followed by Return."
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-review-a-batch
Reviewers are not required to correct extensive errors although many do chose to do so.
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@Melissa S Himes , Yes, one should contact FamilySearch Support through Live Chat or by telephone, or via the Community? If reported on the community a moderator will advise you that the issue has been reported.
Thank you for all your help in the Community.
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