Help! There seem to be several different places to keep notes about an individual in FH, and I find it difficult to be consistent about where I put which notes. For example for one individual there could be the witnesses at wedding, or godparents at christening, perhaps details about his appearance. There is the facility to write notes against each event or attribute, or in the marriage box, or in the tabbed notes section, and finally there is 'text from source'. I just wonder whether I will lose stuff - perhaps other users could advise me the best way to use these various note sections.Many thanks in advance.
Val
ID:3812
* using notes
using notes
The many places where you can keep notes is one of FH's advantages (flexibility) - and one of it's disadvantages (hard for new users to understand). 
As a guide I use the local note for basic biographical information about the person and research notes. To record extra details about particular events then I record these in the event's local note field, so attendees of a wedding are recorded in the marriage's note. (I record witnesses in the actual text field in a source record for the marriage certificate.) If there is information from the source which isn't the actual text such as noting illegible text then I use the note in the source record.
HTH
As a guide I use the local note for basic biographical information about the person and research notes. To record extra details about particular events then I record these in the event's local note field, so attendees of a wedding are recorded in the marriage's note. (I record witnesses in the actual text field in a source record for the marriage certificate.) If there is information from the source which isn't the actual text such as noting illegible text then I use the note in the source record.
HTH
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ChrisBowyer
- Superstar
- Posts: 389
- Joined: 25 Jan 2006 15:10
- Family Historian: None
using notes
I like to think of it in terms of what you're trying to achieve. I use narrative reports a lot to share information with other contacts, so:
Information about the individual (as Jon says, biographical notes, etc) go in the individual notes (on the Notes tab). These will appear in the report in their own paragraph after all the generated text about the events of his life.
Information about a fact i.e. attribute or event (marriage witnesses, gory details about the death, how many acres or employees for occupations) goes in the Note box for the event. I've amended the standard text scheme so these appear as part of the generated sentence for that event, thus: {individual} married {spouse/her/him}
Information transcribed from a source but interpreted elsewhere goes in Text From Source. If the name is spelt differently, what age they were said to be, sometimes the relevant sentence from some other document, etc. This doesn't appear in the reports, but is there for me when revisiting the information. I only transcribe sources if they say something different from the interpretation (i.e. name or place of birth or whatever), or if I think I won't be able to easily get hold of it again.
Other information about the source (as opposed to transcribed from it, such as when and where you had that conversation) goes in the Note box on the source pane.
Information about the individual (as Jon says, biographical notes, etc) go in the individual notes (on the Notes tab). These will appear in the report in their own paragraph after all the generated text about the events of his life.
Information about a fact i.e. attribute or event (marriage witnesses, gory details about the death, how many acres or employees for occupations) goes in the Note box for the event. I've amended the standard text scheme so these appear as part of the generated sentence for that event, thus: {individual} married {spouse/her/him}
Information transcribed from a source but interpreted elsewhere goes in Text From Source. If the name is spelt differently, what age they were said to be, sometimes the relevant sentence from some other document, etc. This doesn't appear in the reports, but is there for me when revisiting the information. I only transcribe sources if they say something different from the interpretation (i.e. name or place of birth or whatever), or if I think I won't be able to easily get hold of it again.
Other information about the source (as opposed to transcribed from it, such as when and where you had that conversation) goes in the Note box on the source pane.
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skeptik4321
- Platinum
- Posts: 42
- Joined: 09 Apr 2007 19:29
- Family Historian: V6.2
using notes
Thanks Chris and John this is all very helpful. I shall now start at the beginning and try and standardize each person's notes. At least now I have a better idea of what I'm trying to achieve!