Starting Your Family Tree Week 2015 - Day 5

Uploading your tree

To upload your tree to any website, you first need to create a GEDCOM file.

A GEDCOM is a database designed to allow you to share family history database files with other researchers who may or may not have the same genealogy software program as you. 

A GEDCOM can be opened in any genealogy software program. And best of all, you can even merge the GEDCOM from a fellow researcher into your own database (genealogy software) if you have ancestors in common.

♦ GEDCOM files can easily be shared with others via e-mail attachment or on a disk.

♦ GEDCOM files can easily be uploaded to lineage-linked databases like Ancestry, FamilySearch, GenesReunited.

♦ GEDCOM files can be converted for use in genealogy companion software programs and utilities that will create things like specialty charts (family group records, pedigree charts, genealogy reports), books, scrapbooks and web sites.

To create a GEDCOM:

Open your family tree software program. 

Click on "File" to see the drop down menu

Click "Export File"

A folder will open for you to save your GEDCOM. 
In the Save file as drop down box, choose gedcom. 
Name your file, click save 

Next go to the website where you want to upload your tree. Use the links and instructions on the website to upload. When you get to the part where you browse for your file, find the gedcom on your computer and upload from there, just like uploading a picture or an attachment. 

Sit back and watch the website do the magic in matching you up with others researching your ancestors. but BEWARE that not every one has learned to be as accurate in documenting their sources as you have learned to be this week. Nor have they all checked the actual documents to make sure that the information is correct, so ALWAYS make sure that you check the facts by searching for the actual document to get the correct information. 

Happy matching!