When importing my GEDCOM file and I find it is a match with another profile, but mine has more information

Question

The person in my GEDCOM has the parents listed, but the match already in the Wiki tree does not.  How do I import so my information overrides the existing profile?

Answer 1

Hi Derik! We are glad you joined our big family WikiTree.

You can't over-write a profile; you will only create a duplicate and it will need to be merged back down into the earlier profile ID. More work.

I suggest that you skip importing the duplicate, and then later connect Martha Lee with her parents by hand.

Comments

Thanks, Kitty , for the answer that makes sense .

---

Kitty, I'm new at this.  I'm importing my tree in small managable sections. My 1st GEDCOM had no valid matches. In working on my 2nd GEDCOM I have several.

If I understand this right - the profiles will merge to the lower number, but is all of the information maintained in tact?

If I have sources but the other person does not; they have the lower profile # because mine is not created yet... will my sources be carried over? Or lost?  

As Derek mentioned, I have more information (both parents vs one) WHAT gets merged? If I skip my person - do they just not get added? So what happens to the parents? Do they get added with no child?

Sorry for all the questions, but not having done this before I feel kind of lost.

---

Hi Karen, There are two different processes being discussed here.  

1.  If there are two profiles for the same person on the WikiTree, they must be merged.  One profile per person on the WikiTree.  All the information from the biography of the higher ID number will be added to the biography section of the lower ID number.  After a merge, it is important to clean up the lower ID numbered profile to delete duplicate sources (we only need one copy of the same source), and to make the final profile more readable.

2.  Matches when you are uploading a GedCom file is different.  If there is a profile already for an ancestor on your GedCom, you will see a match to check.  If you are adding someone that already has a WikiTree profile, Skip the addition.  Please do not create a duplicate because then you have to go to process #1 again.  Please only use a GedCom to add new profiles for individuals that are not already in the WikiTree.

So, If you have more accurate information, additional sources, pictures or family connections for a profile on the Wikitree, please edit the existing profile to add these items to improve the profile.  You will need to do this edit process to make the connections between your GedCom ancestors and the existing WikiTree profiles.  These connections do not happen automatically from a GedCom to existing profiles, and each profile imported on your GedCom has to be cleaned up to make it more readable and interesting.  Because of this editing requirement, many feel it is easier to skip the GedCom import  altogether and just enter the data manually.

I hope this answers your question.  Just keep in mind that the goal is one profile per person on the WikiTree and two profiles for the same person means more work (see #1).  

---

So if I say - they are the same person and allow my person to be skipped when the Gedcom is imported, what happens to information I have on the parents, etc?

---

If the parents are new, they will be imported from your GedCom with the info in your GedCom for them.

If they aleady exist on  the WikiTree, you will need to manually edit their existing profiles to connect to their children or to add additional information or sources to their pre-existing profiles.  These additions will not happen automatically from you GedCom.  If you Skip a person, that is the end of that family line and you have to manually connect to the pre-existing WikiTree profiles.

---

Thanks Kitty. I guess this will all make better sense after I've done it a time or two.

Answer 2

If I am not mistaken, you will be able to choose what  information stays in the final profile while you merge the two matches.

BUT IF YOU SKIP THE MATCH, you can fill in the missing information on the profile that exists already. 

I am hoping someone will come along that can answer this question better than I 

 

Answer 3

It is a good idea to make a note of the ID of the person you are going to link to later, it is all to easy to forget which person you need to link to.