Gedcom: To import or not import

+21 votes
536 views
If you are wondering whether or not to import your gedcom to WikiTree, my recommendation is to manually enter. Here is why.....

I am Debra Gray Oliver and I am new to WikiTree.  I was introduced to WikiTree through a DNA match. I immediately signed up. I found navigation a bit tricky but managed to upload my gedcom with the intent to import. Of course I didn't want to manually enter ancestors; or so I thought.  My gedcom has 1300 people and the gedcompare indicated 400 possible matches. I spent a week going through the possible matches and discovered that 30 were true matches. I was ready to push the import button.......however I hesitated. I decided to search the "help" features as one of the matches was on my direct line and I hit the multi skip button and it was going to skip me!!!  This made me nervous.  I found some information about manually entering. I thought to myself, "no way, I have too many people and only 30 matches".  Out of curiosity, I decided to search a few of my direct ancestors independently (not using the gedcompare). Wow!  My second great-grandfather and his parents were already in WikiTree. I continued to search for names and found more matches that did not show on the gedcompare. I decided entering manually was the best way to start my tree and avoid duplicates.  I am not concerned at all about manually entering. In fact, it has given me a better understanding of how WikiTree works.
in The Tree House by Debra Oliver G2G1 (1.1k points)

5 Answers

+10 votes
I wish now that I would have done that as well. I've still got gedcom errors to attend to and it's been a year since I imported.
by Natalie Trott G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)
+12 votes
Debra welcome to G2G forum.

Congratulations on your decision, It's the best !

Any doubt you mignt have come back. G2G forum is plenty of great genealogists always ready to help.

Best of luck in your research.
by Rubén Hernández G2G6 Pilot (814k points)
+7 votes
I have moved on from Gedcoms too. I spent more time cleaning up and sourcing my profiles when I uploaded them than I do by creating manually - and it was sooooo tedious!!!. Now I only add profiles manually. I use the RootsSearch research facility that makes it really easy to find sources and add them in, and my family history program is still so important for having all the dates and locations at hand. I have many thousands of profiles I can potentially add, but I'll just prioritise what's important and add others over time. I still have plenty of time then to contribute to WikiTree in other ways. Good on you Debra for articulating this strategy!
by Gillian Thomas G2G6 Pilot (260k points)
+5 votes
I loaded my telecom and after seeing the problem it might possibly create, I cancel ed it and created one that more manageable.

3 or 4 generations at a time, less headaches
by Wayne Prather G2G2 (2.2k points)
+2 votes
Excellent decision, Debra, and one I wish I had been wise enough to make. In the time I am spending cleaning up my gedcom import I could have manually entered all the profile ten times over.

And your point about manually entering giving you a better understanding of how Wikitree works is spot on.
by Mary Diamante G2G6 Mach 1 (18.3k points)

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