GEDCOM Upload Change?
It was my understanding that new GEDCOM uploads became CETs and did not get added to the FS world tree. But, this week, a cousin has added a GEDCOM to the main FS Tree, creating many duplicates of long-established profiles. I started cleaning them up, but stopped in order to ask the question here.
The relevant Help Center article: The new GEDCOM upload experience (CETs) • FamilySearch
One of several new profiles added this week as "GEDCOM data" https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/P4PM-VNX
Is the Help Article inaccurate, incomplete, or ahead of its time?
Thanks.
의견
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@Áine.ní.Donnghaile Remember, CET is not in full production yet, and not rolled out to all users. But you are correct. An uploaded GEDCOM file will become a CET for some users, for others it will continue to be a PRF. A GEDCOM cannot be added to the FS FT. However, data from a CET can be added to the FS FT on a profile by profile basis. Please attach a screenshot showing the "GEDCOM data" information.
Upon reviewing the link above, I do not see how/why you believe this profile was created from a GEDCOM uploaded to the FS FT. Please explain.
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Upon reviewing the link above, I do not see how/why you believe this profile was created from a GEDCOM uploaded to the FS FT. Please explain.
You don't?
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@Áine.ní.Donnghaile thank you very much for the screenshot. It appears to me that is the reason statement manually entered by the user when the change was made, not an automated feature of either CET or FS FT. Do you have more you can show me?
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No, @mynameistk That is what the system has always displayed after a GEDCOM upload. For many, many years.
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Some of the many profiles created by the unsourced GEDCOM upload of a cousin on New Year's Eve.
You'll see that every item on every profile lists "GEDCOM data" as the Reason. No one is going to spend the time to add that dozens of times to hundreds of profiles. That's a system label that has been around as long as I've been using FamilySearch.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/P4PM-KLR
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/P4PM-RJ3
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/P4PM-VNX
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/P4PM-S16
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/P4G1-BRV
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/P4PM-G8X0 -
@Áine.ní.Donnghaile I looked at one of the above links for P4PM-S16 Sarah Green. It shows the person was added on 12/31/2025 by Lindsay Hale with the reason: "MyTrees GEDCOM Match against FamilySearch"
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Yes, but that doesn't mean she did not create all those duplicates and many more via GEDCOM upload.
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@Áine.ní.Donnghaile This one as well.
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II don't think you understand what I'm trying to tell you or what I asked in the first place.
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@Áine.ní.Donnghaile I will show this to the engineering team at tomorrow's meeting.
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Áine,
Thank you for surfacing this concern. I asked our support team to dig into what happened here and I have an answer for you.
Lindsey, likely does not have the feature enabled for the new user trees (CETs) and therefore her Gedcom upload created a new static tree submission into the Pedigree Resource File database of the Genealogies on FamilySearch, just as users have been able to for over a decade. This upload path has not yet been fully deprecated for users who do not have the new upgraded experience enabled.
Lindsey then would have used the old MyTrees comparison tool to compare her PRF tree submission against the Shared Family Tree. She would have been presented with list of people who were in the Shared Family Tree, who "might be" in the tree and who "likely weren't" in the tree. She then used the tool to copy people from the PRF tree into the Family Tree.
This old Gedcom upload flow into PRF and its accompanying comparison and copy feature is being upgraded for all users, eventually. At some point in the future PRF will become a static database, and all new Gedcom uploads will create a new user tree (CET). The old compare and copy (from PRF to Family Tree) tool will be turned off. It has long been a source of duplication and error. and the new Tree 2 Tree matching and TreeLinker tool, which are already deployed in the new system, are the replacement. These are much more accurate and genealogically sound.
Áine, If any of this that I've outlined above doesn't sound accurate according to what Lindsey has shown/told you, please let me know.1 -
Thank you, @Robert Kehrer, for a clear summation of the issue.
The current Help Article indicates the "old way" is no longer possible. I've seen a few GEDCOM uploads since that Help Article surfaced. This time around, I decided to broach the question.
You may have noticed another thread where this issue has been discussed:Thanks again.
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Not to be pedantic, but Gedcoms were never (I believe) added directly to the Shared Family Tree. Instead, they have always been added to the Genealogies product as new individual static trees in the Pedigree Resource File dataset . Then users could compare the new PRF tree vs Family Tree and copy some persons over if they felt they were not in the Family Tree. This old system was problematic and is being replaced, but is still on for some users (particularly those who do not yet have the new feature enabled).
We are working toward the day when the PRF becomes static, all new trees are created as editable CETs and the TreeLinker, with it's ability to more clearly evaluate all the relationships and evidence in both trees, becomes the tool for copying data between trees. We're not fully there yet for all users.2 -
Yes, not directly added; it was a 2-step process. But, the Help Article suggests strongly that 2nd step is no longer an option.
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Ah, That Help Article may be a bit forward looking. Thanks for the heads up Aine. I let our team member who is in charge of the Help documentation at the link below know so a change can be evaluated:
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/the-new-gedcom-upload-experience2 -
Áine, the documentation team has reveiwed the article and submitted a correction request. I don't know exactly how long it will take to get pushed live, but it will be updated
-Robert
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Thank you, Robert. Your help is greatly appreciated.
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Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’re committed to resolving as many issues as possible, and we’re closing this discussion for now. If you or others encounter this issue again, please start a new discussion and include relevant information such as your operating system, browser, URLs, and screenshots if available.
We appreciate your support and engagement. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any future questions or concerns.
Thank you for using CET.
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