Help with spreadsheet please.

Dagwood · Post by **Dagwood** » 17 Apr 2011 22:18

I would like to use a spreadsheet to track the census and other records I have on Ancestry in order to concentrate my efforts on searching for those that are missing. I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a format I could use with Microsoft Works and into which I could possibly download individual's names from Family Historian rather than retype all the names. Any suggestions for either the spreadsheet or the transfer of information most welcome.
Dagwood

ID:5075

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 17 Apr 2011 23:14

You can simply use the save as CSV file option on the output from a Query of your choice, although I am not sure why you can't track your recorded sources using a Query, rather than moving the people to a spreadsheet.

Post by **tatewise** » 17 Apr 2011 23:34

There are several useful missing Census Queries in the Knowledge Base:
http://www.fhug.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id ... susrecords
In particular:
http://www.fhug.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id ... years-1911
and
http://www.fhug.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id ... us_queries

Dagwood · Post by **Dagwood** » 18 Apr 2011 14:20

Thank you for your replies Jane and Tatewise. Unfortunately they served only to highlight my deficiencies in understanding how powerful FH is and how little I know in how to use it! [confused]
I am now going off into retreat with my copy of 'Getting the most....' determined to understand Queries and how they can be used for my needs.
One question before I depart, (Probably for a very long time! - Ed), do both of your answers refer to census record copies held within FH or at least references to them if not the actual pages as found and stored in Ancestry? At the moment I have made no reference to Census finds within FH, I do have copies which I have downloaded to my PC and netbook however.
I do see now that a spreadsheet may be making hard work of it but guess all my Census finds need to be captured/referred to in FH. Is that the case or can you refer to external sources with Queries or am I completely at sea here?
Thanks for your patience
Dagwood with 'L' plates [wink]

PeterR · Post by **PeterR** » 18 Apr 2011 14:42

The FH Queries will only work for Census Facts entered in FH. By far the best method for entering Census details into FH is to use Nick Walker's excellent, and free (but donations appreciated) Ancestral Sources which can also link census images downloaded (e.g. from Ancestry) to the FH Source records linked to the Census Facts.

Post by **tatewise** » 18 Apr 2011 17:10

I can only concur with PeterR that Ancestral Sources is the best way to capture your Census finds, and record them in Family Historian with cross-references to the copies downloaded from Ancestry.
Ancestral Sources V1.1 can be downloaded from the FHUG Home page using the links top right.
Once you have captured your Census finds, the FH Queries will tell you what you have captured, and what is left to find.

davidm_uk · Post by **davidm_uk** » 18 Apr 2011 20:26

I use a spreadsheet for basically creating a sort of timeline of a family, based on census returns, with hyperlinks in the spreadsheet to downloaded census images (and also BMD index entries if it helps tie the timeline together) so that I can access that inforation quickly.

I find that this helps me to visualise the 'big picture' of the family over time and I often find things I might have otherwise missed (eg the family line tied together by a sibling of the person I'm interested in even though I can't find that individual in a census.

While I do have to type in the information from census returns I quite often enter the data into the spreadsheet first and only when I'm fairly sure that I have a consistent story for the individual/family do I then add the data into FH.

If you want to message me with your email address I'd be quite happy to send you an example (MS Excel) of one of mine, it might help you to construct one suitable for yourself. I'd rather not post a populated spreadsheet in the downloads area on here.

David

Dagwood · Post by **Dagwood** » 19 Apr 2011 17:47

Peter, Tatewise and David, your comments very much appreciated. I have now downloaded Ancestral Sources and have made a start in linking images and creating the references to each census. I have followed Nick's advice in the preamble and have started with a copy set of records to experiment with and this seems to be going quite smoothly. I'll then try using Queries as suggested before I launch into the full scale exercise on my 'proper' set of records.
David, your offer is much appreciated and despite the above I would like to see a copy of your spreadsheet as the idea of using it as a primary worksheet sounds interesting. I will message you seperately with an e-mail address as you suggested.
Once again my thanks to all who have responded and I have noted the donation comment as I firmly believe we need to contribute towards the costs incurred by the guys who write and/or administer these sites and systems. I'll message Nick and find out how as I could not see a link.
Dagwood

Post by **tatewise** » 19 Apr 2011 20:45

You can send an Ancestral Sources Donation to Nick Walker by running AS and using Help > Make a Donation....

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