* Source Date

[lyghthouse]

I was wondering how people use the date on the source citation window?

I have been using it as the date I inputted the source into FH.

Recent discussions at a local FHS suggested I should be using this field to cite the date of the source ie a birth cert from 1900 should have a date of 1900 in the source citation pane.

Any comments how you use it.

ID:2452

[nsw]

The GEDCOM standard for this says:

'The date that this event data was entered into the original source document'

so I take this to mean it should be the date of the source, i.e. 1900 in the example you give.

However, in most cases I don't really use the citation fields at all. If my source is a birth certificate then I record the various items of information in the source and link the facts such as birth date, occupations, residence, etc. to this source without filling anything into the citation as it seems to me to be completely unnecessary.

[ADC65]

I agree with Nick and use the same method. I suppose they are handy-to-have fields for sources where the date isn't either obvious or given in the document itself; however, for BMDs and census entries I leave it blank.

[ADC65]

I should add I do find it useful to add the GRO reference into the 'Where Within Source' part of the citation for BMDs. This then gives the full reference on reports, web outputs, etc., which I think is helpful.