Wednesday, April 3, 2019

DIGITAL FOLDER ORGANIZING & NAMING MADE EASY-Updated 3 Apr 2019

THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON 17 DEC 2013 AND UPDATED ON 3 APR 2019


WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOCATE THAT BIRTH, DEATH, MARRIAGE, PROBATE, LAND RECORD OR PHOTO WITH A CLICK OR TWO OF YOUR MOUSE?
 
No one wants to have to search and search to try to find a document or image that you KNOW you saved to your computer. Whether it was last week or last year, you should be able to locate anything you want, easily, with a click or two of your mouse.

 
Here is how I do it:
  1. CREATE YOUR MASTER FOLDER:  Decide where on your computer you want your genealogy information to be located. Such as in your C drive under PICTURES, DOCUMENTS, GENEALOGY, MEDIA or something else. You decide where that “Master” location will be. From that point on, ALL of your images will be located in that folder and in the subsequent sub-folders you will create. When I say "images" I am talking about photos, census, land records, probate etc. Anything that you scan or download to add to your family tree.
  2. CREATE YOUR SURNAME FOLDERS: Once you’ve decided on the MASTER folder, it’s time to create your surnames folders.  I began this process about 12 years ago when I only had 2,000 people and not very many surnames. Therefore, I created folders for each surname.  You could also create a set of folders for paternal lines, maternal lines or set of grandparents etc.  There are many ways to do this.  Just remember YOU WANT THIS TO BE EASY.  As the years have gone by, many more surname folders have been created in my files. 
  3. Here’s what I’m talking about. I use Windows 10 and this set of surname folders is under my MASTER folder which is located on my C drive.
 (YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY OF THESE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM)

Under each surname I want sub-folders to identify the documents/images I have saved. I want them to be very clear and very easy to identify. Birth, death, marriage, cemetery info, immigration, newspaper articles, probate etc.  In the ensuing years I have added a DNA folder for each surname.  Others have added their own particular folders, depending on their needs and their own family.  That's the advantage of having this system.  You can update & change it at any time, while still keeping your base system in place. 
 
HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THE FOLDERS I HAVE UNDER EACH SURNAME:


I have found over the years that these folders cover most everything. I rarely use the Misc. folder, but it’s there in case I run across the odd item that won’t fit elsewhere.
 

Just to be clear. Here are the steps: 
 
· Create your MASTER folder in you C drive – called Genealogy or My Surnames or whatever you want.
 
· Create surname folders
 
· Create your sub folders (see my suggestion below so you don't have to create all these sub folders each time under every surname.  YOU CREATE THEM ONLY ONCE AND COPY AND PASTE THEM.

Under each surname you will have a list of sub-folders to easily identify your items. Create these sub folders just ONCE (see my instructions below) and keep them where you can find them. Then copy & paste them under each surname.
 

HOW TO AVOID HAVING TO REPRODUCE THOSE SUB-FOLDERS FOR
EVERY SINGLE SURNAME
 
Nobody wants to have to right click, then go to “new folder” and create each of those sub-folders for every surname, over & over, right? Here is how I avoided that problem. 
 
I created a folder under C:/GENEALOGY called “Gene-folders for each surname file.”

Here is the list I have created.  ONE TIME.


 
I do this just ONE time and then I SELECT ALL the folders, copy & paste them into each of the surname folders. BINGO! You are done and ready to move on.
 
NOTE: Shortcuts that make it even easier.

Ctrl A to highlight the folders you want to place in the surname folder
Ctrl C to copy copies the highlighted folders. Now go to your surname folder &
Ctrl V to paste these sub folders in the surname folder.
 
The keyboard shortcuts above can be used for anything and will save you tons of time, no matter what you are copying & pasting.

NOW THE FUN PART - Find all of your documents/images scattered all over your computer and move each of them to the folders you have created.  WOW!  How easy is this going to be when you want to find that specific birth, marriage or death record?
 
EXAMPLES: Let’s say I’m looking for a birth or death record for someone with the surname HART.
 
Here are examples. I want to find a birth record for Henry G. Hart. You can see that I’ve clicked on birth under the Hart surname and there are all my records.  It's easy to find Henry G. Hart on the list.  I like to view my files in list format with a preview on the right hand side.  And, here it is.  Just like that you've found the exact record.



Now I want to find a death record for Ashley Hart.  I go to the HART surname folder, then click on "death-obits," then on the right hand side you see all the death records and can easily locate Ashley's record.
 


How easy was that?

LET’S TALK ABOUT NAMING YOUR DOCUMENTS/IMAGES
We all or at least most of us started out with file names like, Grandma, Easter 1910, or my Mom in 1950.
 
We have learned that those file names don’t work. In fact, if that kind of identifier is written on the back of any photo we should “fix” it so that someone in the future knows who this person is. 
 
These rules apply to ALL photos and to documents.
 
Whether you are scanning & saving them, or you grab them from a website. Whether they are census records, birth records, probate records or family photos. 

There MUST be a file naming standard.
 
I use this rule for naming all of my files.
 
WHO, WHAT, WHEN AND WHERE

I begin with the LAST NAME IN CAPS, then proceed from there with the first name (if known), what the record is and then when & where. You may use underscores, dashes or spaces between the items. I have used underscores for years and still do.  You might not always have all 4 pieces of information, but you record what you do have.
 
In viewing the sample above for the HART family, you can see how easy it is to locate a record using this method.

A WORD ABOUT CENSUS & CITY DIRECTORY RECORDS - My naming standard for these two records does change.  I want to be able to locate those records by the year, since there are generally so many of them for each surname.  Therefore, I put the year first, then the Who, What, Where. Example: 1910_GOULD_William & family_1405 Cole_DetroitMI

NOTE:  Use of the A-L, M-Z folders that you see in the very first screen shot.  I created these folders for those surnames that I don't think I will do very much research on.  Like perhaps a 4th cousin twice removed, or grandfather of your great uncle's wife's father.  Maybe you were only looking at them to try and find more information on a particular person.  You might only want to save one or two documents.  To me this doesn't generate a whole new surname folder. You can still copy & paste the sub folders under the A-Z folder so I can locate items easily.
  
If you should find that a particular surname that started in the A-Z folder has now become more of a focus and you are saving a lot of documents or images, then just create a surname folder and transfer the images to those files by using copy and paste.  
I have had to do this, but not very often.  I still find the A-Z folder useful for my purposes.  
 
Now multiply this by how many times you are searching for a record and you will find that having a system is worth its weight in gold. It may take you a little bit of time to create your system, but in the end you will be forever grateful for having done it. I know that back when I had to come up with something that would actually WORK, it made my life going forward a thousand times easier.
 
I certainly hope this has been helpful. If you have comments, please share them with me. I’d love to hear your success stories too. Did this system work for you once you implemented it? Have you come up with an even better system? I’m all ears.

NO USE OF THIS DOCUMENT FOR REMUNERATION - THIS IS A COPYRIGHTED DOCUMENT. 
COPYRIGHT © 2013-2019 Diane Gould Hall   All rights reserved

88 comments:

  1. It looks pretty simple if you're only looking for one record BUT,

    How would you find all the records for a particular person or a specific family when they're spread across multiple folders and sub-folders?

    How would you find, for instance, all of a particular type of record when they're spread across many folders and sub-folders?

    How would you find all the records for a particular location?

    How would you find all the records for a particular line? In other words, descendants of someone for x number of generations?

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    1. JL - Thank you for asking such thought provoking questions. I had to really think about what you've asked because the issue has never come up for me. Then, it dawned on me, why. I have a software program.
      If I want to find all records for a particular family or a specific location, I just have the Legacy database do that for me. Especially when you are talking about descendants. I would simply create a descendant report, indicating how many generations and what to include. All the reports can be customized and created very easily. Of course, first you must have the information entered into the database.
      In my 10 years of researching, I have always used a database. And in that time, I have never had to search on my computer to find locations, I simply click on whatever location I am wondering about and click on "show list." That then creates a list of all people using that location.
      This brings up a very good thought though for others who work in a different way. Instead of having all the sub-folders under each surname, you could simply place the files under the surname master folder, which would allow you to see them all. So everything for anyone named HALL would be under that folder. At least then you would have the files under the surname and not spread all over on your computer. Or, you could create a document sub-folder and a picture sub-folder and place items in there.
      There are many ways to approach organizing digital files. It boils down to creating a system that works for you. One that allows you to easily find what you are looking for. Having some kind of system and being consistent is the key.

      Thank you for visiting my blog and I sure hope I adequately answered your questions. Look for a post in the near future that would address your questions and give some examples of reports. I think it would be helpful to many people.

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    2. Sorry, I didn't keep track of this post so I missed your answer for a couple of months. I don't link any files to my database because it seems like a make-work project with virtually no benefit. I do have a filing system, though, that works for me so I was just playing devil's advocate because I've never been able to understand how people find records in more complex patterns with this fairly typical method of filing by surnames. I look forward to reading more about the reports.

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    3. I just saw the question above so I hope an answer is still worthy. Assume JL is trying to locate records on the hard drive...if you know you always capitalize your surname, or that your states are spelled out you can search your hard drive that way. If you search on a surname in all caps, I believe those "hits" will come up at the top of your search list, same is true for your states. If I search on "RhodeIsland" those records I have already renamed in that fashion come up at the top of the search list. Consistency is definitely the key in renaming and organizing your files and I am finally figuring that out as I rename my own files. I am also finding that understanding how the computer searches and sorts those files is also a big help!

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    4. I created my folders almost identical to this method until I ran into the problem JL Beeken mentions "How would you find all the records for a particular person or a specific family when they're spread across multiple folders and sub-folders? ".
      So I moved them out of their individual folders and dumped them all under the surname and relabelled them
      [Birth] 1916 Bruce Williams [certificate]. The suffix being where I sourced it from. [Newspaper] 1932 Bruce Williams [name of paper] and so on. The photos go in the same surname folder but in a sub-folder called _Photos. Now if I want something for Bruce Williams, it's all there in one screen.

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  2. Do you reproduce the same record multiple times for each individual. For example, a cemetery family plot or a census records? I need to get organized and this looks like a good way.

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    1. Claudia - As far as census records. I file them by head of household. I will for example have something like 1910_HART_Henry & Olive & family_Armada Macomb Michgian. I didn't want to confuse the issue as far as naming files, but the census records are the only files that I put the date first and then the surname. That way they are chronological in my folders. Since I use a genealogy software program, Legacy, I can enter the census record one time, copy it to the Legacy clipboard and then paste into each family member with the click of the mouse. Or, in the case of the new Legacy 8, you just click on the "share" button and it automatically attaches the record to each person.
      For cemetery records where I might have an image detailing the family plot, with names etc. I would add that image to each person. It's so easy to copy & paste from folder to folder that I've never had any issues with it.
      Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope that helps answer your question.

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  3. Wow! Can you come and visit me and organize my computer files? PLEASE??? Thank you for such a clear explanation with examples. I'm inspired to go and change all my file names on my photos in particular. The ones that are labelled "Gramma with Mom" or "Me 1987" Sight....

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    1. Thanks Lorine! Don't think for a minute that I don't still have pictures with unidentifiable labels on them. I do. But, I'm making progress in changing that. :)

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  4. This is just so wonderful. It's like Christmas early! Thank you!
    Cheryl

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    1. Cheryl - thank you for the kind comment. Please let me know how the system works for you, what changes you might have made to suit your needs etc.

      Thanks for stopping by,
      Diane

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  5. What about pictures with multiple people in them? Do you rename them and place them under each person in the picture which creates duplicate pictures, or what? I have tried to get away from duplicates using links but that doesn't work too well either. I can't seem to find anything that really works.

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    1. Kay - Great question. That is always an issue and I've seen it discussed on many of the Facebook pages I follow. I will admit that for photos with a large number of people I haven't always been good at labeling them. If there are only one, two or three, then it's easier to put the names in the file name. There is a way to label the photos using metadata. My brother John Zimmerman wrote an article about labeling photos. Many people have found it helpful and perhaps you will too. Here is a link to his article which is located on The Organized Genealogist FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/organizedgenealogist/440222106079860/ I would copy and paste that link to your URL, since I cannot hyperlink it here.
      I hope that is helpful. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. And, thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate my readers very much.
      Diane

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    2. I solve this problem - When I have tons of pictures to scan, I organize the photos first. I then set the settings to scan each with the same file name (short file name) but with a different # for each picture. Then I add a few identifying markers, such as the main person's name and some other descriptive word or two - every pic is different -by attaching them to the file name/number (after the file name). So this way, I keep the related pictures together and also I will know more quickly what's in each picture. Then I create a Word document and list them all down and comment on each picture - who were in the photo and the story behind each picture. Any helpful info about the picture goes in the Word. It helps a lot. Then add (or copy and paste) the info in the family tree about each picture. And I do use the Start button search engine a lot to find something quickly if I need to, but I always try to organize them so I can FIND them again. Consistency in following naming systems and organization do help a lot.

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    3. A really good option for organizing photos, of any kind, is a software program called Historian available from forever.com. I use this extensively. You can tag multiple people in 1 photo, organize them into albums, do a bit of photo editing, update the dates for scanned photos and then use those dates for an organized timeline. It also has search capabilities. If a Forever account is created (optional), you can also upload the photos to Forever for safekeeping and Forever has an app that allows phone photos to automatically upload where they are safe (Forever has free accounts, but a paid account ensures the safety of photos). Historian by itself, however, is very worthwhile. Anyone familiar with Creative Memories' Memory Manager software, will understand the capabilities, as Historian is an upgrade to that software but now owned by Forever. I am a HUGE fan!.

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  6. Great System, Diane. And it was easy to set up. I think it took me less than 20 minutes start to finish. I look forward to making sense out of my documents and images. Thanks so much for sharing. Couldn't have done it without you!

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    1. Thanks Patricia. This system has worked well enough for me over the past 8 yrs. that I have found no reason to change it. I can easily find any record I am looking for in a couple of mouse clicks. I occasionally add a folder under a specific surname, if the need arises.
      Please let me know if you have any additions or ideas that could improve the system.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  7. I'm happily organizing the chaos of my genealogy files using your system and it's working great. Two additional folders I added were Awards and Occupation. Thanks again, Diane.

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    1. Patricia - I like the idea of the Occupation folder. I'm not sure there are enough Awards in my family to warrant a folder. LOL!
      What will you put in the occupation folder? I'm curious, as I'm always eager to learn new ideas.
      Thanks.

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    2. Hi Diane,
      I have occupation certificates of achievement, occupation photo's, newspaper clippings, etc. I find it easier, when linking documents and photo's to a person, to have them in one spot...that way I don't have to remember to check a variety of folders. So for instance...my dad has photo's, newspaper articles, award certificates, etc. that all pertain to his occupation. As I name these items, I put them all in the occupation folder under his LAST NAME_First name. Then, when I'm working on his info on my tree,and I want to upload these items to illustrate his occupation history, they're all in one spot. I don't have to remember to look in various folders. Having them in one place means I tend not to forget to include items.

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    3. Thanks for the info Patricia. I do have a couple of ancestors for whom an Occupation folder would be handy. I believe this is one of the advantages of this system. You can customize your folders to fit your needs and each ancestor. I generally don't need to add folders as I've kinda done that over the years. However, there are always exceptions. I started out without the folder for Biographical Sketches and Signatures and Newspaper Articles. Now those are just automatically included.
      Happy hunting 😃

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  8. Hi Diane - I'm getting ready to embark on reorganizing my files. Thank you for this informative post - this and your brother's post about naming files were the perfect way for me to get my thoughts together. A couple of questions:

    1 - I notice you have a folder called "A-Z Surnames" under your HART folder. Would you explain that?

    2 - Is there a big advantage to organizing the subfolders under each surname by type instead of by individual? I'm debating this as my next step after renaming everything will be to be sure that everything I have is actually entered into Family Tree Maker (right now I have gaps mostly for files I had when I got FTM and didn't add them). It seems like it would be easier to see each person's files if I were to create subfolders by individual instead of by type of document, but I can also see the advantages of sorting by type.

    Thanks again!

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    1. Hi Mary Ann,
      I use the A-Z folder for those people for whom I'm pretty certain I won't be doing extensive research on. Since I might only collect one or two documents on a 4th cousin twice removed, I put them in the A-Z folder, rather than creating a separate surname folder.
      As to your second question. For me, the advantage to creating the sub folders by type is that I have far fewer folders. If I created sub folders by individual I would have hundreds of sub folders. It's not a matter of space on my computer, but more a matter of not wanting to have to scroll through all those folders. That is why my system is different than my brother, John's. He prefers to have one folder called documents and files everything there. I guess I just want a more organized approach. In my mind when I'm filing a birth record and later go to look for it, I just go to the birth record sub folder under that particular surname. This makes the most sense for me. However, if something else makes more sense to you, then you should do it that way. As long as you have a consistent naming pattern and you know that with a couple of clicks of your mouse you can find any record, then your system works.
      Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. And thanks for stopping by.

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    2. Mary Ann,
      I've actually added a section to the post now, that covers the A-Z folders. I had enough people ask that it was worthwhile to address them. Sometimes when we use something every day we take for granted others will know. Which isnt necessarily true.
      Good luck with your research.

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    3. Diane, thanks so much for all of this. I have tons of family documents and photos that I need to organize digitally and physically. Your digital "surname folder then type of document subfolders" scheme has lots to offer but do you organize your physical archive this way? I was planning to organize my physical archive by "surname folder then individuals within surname folders" with each individual's file containing all his photos and documents. My thinking is that my digital archive structure should mirror my physical archive structure. What are your thoughts?

      Also, what should be the scope of my family archive? Should it only be direct line relatives--parents, grandparents, gxxxgrandparents and their children? How wide should I cast the net? First cousins? I want my archive to be useful and reasonably thorough for future generations but I also don't want it to become unwieldy. These concerns are particularly relevant for my physical archive. I want to avoid building on to my house to accomadate the burgeoning paper trail.

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    4. Hello Mike. I’m glad my suggestions have been helpful. I do not keep a physical archive. The only “paper” I have are vital records I’ve sent away for. Even though I scan and file them digitally, I still keep that physical copy. However, they don’t constitute much in the way of space. I have 3 three ring binders and that’s all.
      As to photos. I do have many old photos. I keep all originals. All photos have been scanned. I have labeled nearly all my physical copies. They are kept in archival safe boxes by surname.
      How big your scope is is pretty much up to you. I am not one who researches my 4th cousin once removed, wife’s father’s family, unless I have a reason.
      Upcoming generations care less and less about stacks and boxes of paper. Creating my blog was a way to tell family stories that can be read by everyone. Also creating online trees is immensely helpful for the same reason. It helps those who come after us.
      I wish you the best with your research.

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  9. Diane,
    I love your system and am in the process of re-organizing and re-labeling all of my documents. I have a question for you: how do you identify a page of a book using "Who, What, When and Where"?
    Thanks for your help!
    Janet

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    1. Hi Janet. I'm so glad you found the system helpful. Good question about the books. Glad you asked. I have plenty of book images and I don't use the Who, What, When, Where for them. I would say something like Annals of Bath Co VIrginia_page 18 or History of Keene New Hamshire_Title Page or History of Keene New Hampshire_pg 123_Bio of Ebenezer Clark. Things like that. If I have several images from the same book I will try to use the same naming system for all of those images so they will sort correctly. Hope that makes sense.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. Hi Diane, I am using your system and adapting it to my needs as follows: I am filing by family groups rather than individuals and in the folder name for each family I am adding the ahnetafel numbers for my direct ancestors, both husband and wife. If either of the spouses has more than one marriage, I add these family groups also and put the ahnetafel number of my direct ancestor on that person, husband or wife. by sorting these families by name I can easily see when an ancestor has more than one marriage and which marriage is in my direct line. I have one ancestor who married five times (his third wife was my direct ancestor) and another who married sisters after the death of the first sister. Then there is the grandmother who married a brother of her first husband when he died. I am also color coding this families using the blue, green, red, yellow scheme for my line and using lt blue, purple, pink and brown for my former husband's line (my children's father). All in one tree. I'm also entering my descendents' families using the color coding, but not numbering them. Do you see any pitfalls in my system that I may not be seeing?

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    1. Hi. Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your question. I will answer honestly. I have never used the color coding system at all. So, I cannot respond regarding that. As to filing families by group, I think each person has to find the system that works for them. If that's the way it makes sense to you, then it works. If you can readily, with a two or three clicks of the mouse, go directly to the record you are seeking, then it works. Ahnetafel numbers are confusing to me, but they obviously work for you. So, it sounds to me like you've found a system that works with your way of thinking. Good luck with your research.

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    2. I assign the rin number to the document once entered into Legacy then digitial file is filed under rin no i.e. 213 BrownJohn_ marriage1899 this way all documents for same person grouped together census filed under head of house rin

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  11. I am never happy with my organizational system, and I found your post interesting. I do separate by surname, but then I separate by family units. In your system how would you organize this example: KESSLER family. The daughter marries a DALY, but she is a 2nd great-aunt and not my direct ancestor. Any of her info would be very important in gathering information about the rest of the family. Would you give Daly it's own folder, or do the records go into the Misc. folder or are they still considered part of the Kessler family? (WHEW!) Thanks for your input! Lisa

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    1. Lisa,
      Thanks for your comment. I personally don't differentiate between direct and indirect lines in my digital filing system. If I think I will be gathering a lot of data on a particular name, I give that surname its own file. However, many times they start out in the A-Z file. Then later on I may realize I have more than say, six items for that surname and will then create the surname folder and transfer everything over. I must say that not happens a couple of times per year. It's pretty much up to you to do what makes you comfortable. Those files take up very little space and with the size of our hard drives now, it's not an issue. I am not a big "collector" of people. So, while many people would have 10-15 thousand or more names after a dozen years of research, I only have about 4,500. I add new people all the time, but not the very distant ones. That's just my own personal preference. Therefore, my files are not confusing to me as there aren't a ton of multiple Smiths or Morrisons etc.
      I really appreciate your comment. I hope that my response is helpful.

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  12. Thank you so much for your insight, Diane! Right now I have 3 different people contacting me about specific ancestors and that ancestor's family. Because my files are separated by family units it is easy to find all the information I have on that particular family. But sometimes I want a file of just the death certificates for the family so I can evaluate them. I'll figure it out! Thank you very much and Merry Christmas! ~ Lisa

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    1. Lisa - I've been out of town on vacation so forgive my delay in responding. It is nice to have all the vital records for one family, in a particular folder, for easy retrieval. I've never found that I've had to tweak this system, once I got it all set up several years ago. So far so good. I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and that you have a joyous New Year with lots of good genealogy finds.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  13. Hi, Diane!
    I spent some time the last few weeks organizing folders in the way you suggested, and I have to admit is it rather comfortable feeling and much easier for me to link the documents in my Legacy program. I am curious how you handle certain things though. Would a marriage picture go in the marriage file or in the pictures file? I have been adding them to the marriage file myself, but I curious how you have been doing it. Same question with a funeral home record... would that be better in the death records folder or it's own folder? I'm enjoying your blog and your insight. Currently I am working on saving all important genealogy emails into the correspondence folder and getting them out of my email program. :-) Thanks! Lisa

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    1. Hi Lisa,
      I had to go into my digital folders and see just how I've been filing the items you mentioned. I have only about three wedding photos for the entire family and one of them is mine. I've been filing those under the Marriage folder. As for funeral cards, again, I only have a few. Those, I've been filing under Death Records/obits. Certainly a case could be made for adding a folder for funeral cards. However, with only about half a dozen, I didn't see the need to create a file. Although it takes up no extra space and I've been known to create an additional file based on the documents I have for a particular family.
      I'm really glad the system is working for you. One nice thing with any system we use, is that it can be customized to fit our own needs. Just as long as it works for us, is all that matters.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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    2. Thanks, Diane! That's pretty much what I'm doing as it makes sense to me to put the wedding pictures in the wedding folder. Now, what about a newspaper article about the wedding? I haven't decided what folder it should go in... marriage or newspaper? What do you do? I am interested in your reasoning. Thanks! Lisa

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    3. Lisa,
      I put all newspaper articles (except obits) in the Newspaper Articles folder. That keeps it simple. If we start to spread similar types of digital files over many folders that would seem confusing to me. One thing I've learned from the many questions I've been asked about this subject. We all think differently and need to tweak the system to fit our own needs. One thing I try not to do is "over think" it. Things can always be found by global search in case we put something amiss.

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  14. Diane, I would very much like to use your super blog post at our next Kamloops Family History Society meeting on April 28, 2016. It contains answers, or guidance to many of the questions our group have been asking about how to organize their digital files. I have recently become the Program Co-ordinator and I am hoping it would be okay to use (attributed, of course), your suggestions. Many thanks, Lindley Roff

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    1. Lindley,
      Thank you for asking. I would be honored for you to refer your members to my blog post about digital filing. I'm honored. It's been a helpful post for many people. And, it can be adjusted based on specific needs, but at least it gives researchers a start. Let me know how it goes.

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  15. I found your blog about a month ago and came across your filing system. BRILLIANT! EASY! I've added those great sub-folders and finally feel I have a system that will serve me very well. THANKS!

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    1. Ruthe,
      Yeah! It's always so nice to hear that something I've shared has been helpful. The system has worked for me for many years now and I don't seem to have to make any changes in the last few years. The nice thing is, that once it's in place, you can make a change here and there by adding a new folder or moving some of those misc. names into surname folders. Have fun and good luck with your research.

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  16. Hi Diane,
    How do you handle women once they're married? Do you put them under their maiden name or married name? What about when a woman marries several times and the second marriage, not the third or fourth, is the direct ancestor marriage and most important? Would you have separate Surname folders for the third and fourth marriage surnames? Thanks, Sherry H.

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    1. Hi Sherry,
      I have those situations all the time, with multiple marriages. As far as creating a separate folder for each of the married surnames, I don't do that unless I plan to research the family in depth. Otherwise, they are just kept in the A-Z folders under the proper sub folder. As to where to file the women? Once a woman marries I place all her info from that point on, in the new surname. Of course if it's a direct line, then that will get a primary folder of it's own with the sub folders. My naming convention is SMITH_Mary Ann nee CLARK_marriage cert_date and place. For one of my greats I did the following HANKINS_Susan C nee BOGGS HUNTER CRESSE_type of record, date & place. That tells me that her married name is Hankins and that her maiden name was Boggs and that she married a Hunter and Cresse prior to Hankins. It's all in neat order for me to see. Hope that answers your question. This method has worked for me for many years.
      Thanks for your thoughful question.

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    2. Thank you, Diane, that makes sense. I was trying to figure out the best way to do it. Sherry Harris

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    3. Diane,
      Great read, I hope to start very soon....tomorrow. I do have question though, my family is Norwegian and the women keep their surnames and I'm not sure how to file them. I'm sure it's an easy solution, I'm just not seeing it.
      Thank you,
      Kayla

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  17. Diane. We have boxes and boxes of source data and I want to start making digital files to organize this chaos. We will be switching to Legacy from FTM. Your filing system does not appear to be within Legacy, so how do you make the connection? If you are working in Legacy and want to look at say, a birth record, do you have to leave and go to your documents file? Also...while working in Legacy lets say you want to keep something you found, is there a way to save that record to that individual via Legacy, and then just move on, or what? But then, do I still have to create a file? I cannot even imagine the amount of scanning I am faced with to get into the digital age! Thank you.

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    1. Dave. No, my filing system is not "part of" Legacy. None of the software programs store the media inside the programs any more as it became too cumbersome. Now the files you add are simply linked from Legacy to your computer files. When I find something on a website, like Ancestry, I download it, save it to my computer and then add it via the "add media" option located in many of the Legacy screens. All your photos and documents then show up right there in the media file, if they are saved as JPG or TIFF etc. The PDF type of files will show a link that you click on. Therefore, I save all my documents that I want to add to Legacy, as JPG's. Please visit the Legacy website and you will find numerous free training videos. Best of luck in your research.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  18. Diane...I have numerous boxes of data I have collected over 40 years of genealogy, and I think your system seems the best for me, but getting through the chaos is daunting. Just scanning alone may exceed the years I have left, but I'm determined. I have been using FTM,but will be switching to Legacy soon. I don't understand how Legacy connects to your data system in windows? Also, if when I find something new, give it a file name, save it, how does Legacy know I have it? Or maybe it doesn't, but I do (thinking out loud here), and would have to go to my files to see it. Is Legacy somehow connected to your windows data base? Your thoughts would be most appreciated.

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    1. Hello. Thanks for leaving your comment. Legacy works like all the other genealogy software databases these days, it links to your files. So, when you use the "add media" component in any media area of Legacy, you go to where ever your file is on your computer, click on it and link it. The Legacy website has numerous free tutorials with great training information. I watched them all when I began using it years ago. They have all been updated and are very easy to follow. In addition, I highly recommend that you ask to join the Legacy User Facebook group. This group is monitored by several of the Legacy technical support personnel. Good luck with your scanning and transition. It will be worth it, I promise you.

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  19. Hi
    Great Idea!! I will set the up in just a few moments.

    I do have a question though... I have MULTIPLE separate families with the last name of White. Would it be better to keep them in one White folder or in individual White branch folders? One giant folder just doesnt seem right but I'm unsure of how to do it any other way.
    Kim

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    1. Kimberly - great question. That's totally up to you. I have many families with the same surname and they are from different branches - some maternal, some paternal. I keep them all in the same surname folder. Because in the end I am looking for a specific file inside that folder. I may add additional identifiers to the file name I give the birth, marriage, death or other record, but I don't create multiple surname folders for the same name. That being said, there would certainly be no harm in doing that if it makes it easier for you. I figured that my system would give someone a guideline and then they can keep it the same or tweak it however they want. Bottom line is always - can we quickly locate any record on our computer? If we can, then our system is working.
      Thanks for stopping by and best of luck.

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  20. Hi Diane...sorry for the double entry, but thank you so much for clarifying things for me.

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    1. I thought that was probably the same person posting twice, but I wasn't sure. Happy to help.

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  21. Diane has an excellent way of sorting/organizing files. 40 years ago when we started out, we did not have internet, no way of finding what you did. Then the internet a little over 20 years ago changed this. FYI: the Document file that MS gives you will make more than 1 copy of your file and all is lost with a blue screen of death. I use a search engine to find all documents with one surname/type that is good and free called "Agent Ransack" MS Explorer has never allowed you to keep a copy of your search, which I do to keep track of the files I have for each surname. Over the many years of doing research, I found Ms Explorer slow and not finding everything etc... My file set up is like Diane's only I have partitioned my c drive and all genealogy files are on the E/H drive. Why? when updates come, Micrsoft over the years does mess with data files. They are getting better at this, but I don't trust those updates. And I have lost files that way. Back up & Back up is necessary. I use this same set up with OneNote also.

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  22. Diane, I am currently struggling as new self proclaimed family historian. I do not have best organizational practices. I like your system. How you address variations surname spellings? For example, I have a surname, "BAZE". However, I have come across records for ancestors where the surname is spelled, "BAIZE" or "BAISE".

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    1. Hi, thanks for your comment. I absolutely don't worry a bit about different spellings. It's a part of genealogy. My maiden name is spelled GOULD, but is found as GOLD, GOOL, GOOD, GOULDE etc. We cannot keep a separate file for each spelling, that would be overwhelming. However, I do make note of the various spellings as I enter the documents and information in my Legacy database. I'm sure you can do the same with whatever genealogy program you use.
      Best of luck to you as the new family historian.

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  23. I like the standardised approach to file naming - mine are all over the place. Sometimes surname first, sometimes date.....
    I have a folder for each surname and then a folder for each individual within that surname - the folder name gives the dates of the person to help distinguish people with the same forename/surname. This is an issue I run into multiple times because my paternal line is Irish and they do tend to call all the boys the same name....if I had all the files for every person in one folder I would get hopelessly muddled on which Patrick was which. Having individual folders is the only way I can separate Patrick senior from his son and his grandson. How do you deal with that issue yourself or don't you encounter it?

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    1. I generally put a title of the type followed by date. B=birth, m=marriage, d=death etc etc. I also allocate a family number (eg F27) and a person number (eg P121) so I can quickly search a person. ie

      B1897-Surname-John-OtherInfo-F31-P121.jpg
      B1799-Surname-John-Whatever-F29-P312.jpg
      D1801-Surname-John-Whatever-F29-P312.jpg

      So if i search 'P312' the results would only show what i have for that person.

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  24. I stumbled upon this blog post this morning with gratitude. I have been using this folder-based filing system for years and it has served me very well. Of course I have added one or two additional folders for my own purposes, but the most important thing here is that I have discovered from whence it originally came. You see, I have been sharing this system everytime someone asks me how I organize my documents. I have ALWAYS indicated that it was not my brainchild and indicate my embarrassment that I don't remember where I discovered it. Now I tell Diane Gould Hall is the originator and point them to your michiganfamilytrails.com blog for more enlightenment.

    Brian A Runyan, President, Clark County Genealogical Society (Vancouver, WA not Las Vegas, NV)

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    1. Brian,
      Thank you for your kind words. And, thank you for pointing people to my blog post about digital organization. The great thing about any system is the ease with which we can customize it for our own use. I've added a few more folders to some surnames, since I wrote my blog post.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  25. I've added a folder for Naturalization.

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    1. Carol - I wish I could add one for naturalization. Honest to goodness, my ancestors must have gotten naturalized on Mars. I sure can’t find any records. LOL!
      That’s really the beauty of the system. It’s adjustable to our needs. Since the post I’ve added a DNA folder. Thanks for your comment and thank you for stopping by.

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  26. This. Is. GREAT. I've been sure looking for a better system than the sloppy one I've been doing. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS, and for all your effort in creating it for us to read.

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    1. Okie. You’re most welcome. I’m glad it will assist you in your organization. One less thing to worry about as we hunt for those ancestors.
      Thanks for your comment.

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  27. I have been considering Surname folders to organise Legacy media. Your sub-folder idea is great.

    My question is how are spouses handled. For exampley father is Bright, so a folder. My mother is Lebrun, so a folder. Electoral rolls for mother starts as Lebrun but change to Bright after marriage, and is shared with my father.

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    1. Thanks. I have always filed people under the name they were using at the time of the event. Married women under their married name. Even if they remarry, I then use the next husband's name. Let’s say, I’m trying to locate the obituary for my great grandmother who was born Florence Hunter, married a Bowden and then married again to a Bell. That obituary and any other newspaper article, census or what have you that occurred after her marriage to Bell, will be found in that name. But, it’s a personal choice and should be whatever will work best for you.
      Thanks for your question.

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  28. This is wonderful. All of it. I am interested to know what is the value of a database when there is Ancestry and your own, backed up organized filling system. It feels like triple the work. Also, is there a reason you prefer Legacy over FTM or RM?

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    1. I would love to answer your questions, but this comment area is not the place. The response would be too lengthy. If you get this reply please contact me via email michiganfamilytrails(at)yahoo.com I will be happy to answer your questions.

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  29. I just finished setting up my sub-file template. Trying to get and stay more organized; thanks for the suggestions/hints. I have a question though. I've been using Dropbox for my Genealogy files. Do you use anything similar? We travel a lot and I like to be able to access the files easily. When I was adding/changing my files to accommodate the new sub-files; Dropbox was very slow. I ended up creating in my "C" drive and moving to Dropbox.

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    1. Hi. Thank you for your question. I do use Dropbox, but only as a storage. I have never tried to create the sub folders in it. I use a desktop at home and only use my laptop when we travel a couple of times per year. I do hope it works alright for you once you’ve set them up on your C drive and transferred to Dropbox. Pretty much, once they are set up you should be good.
      Happy traveling.

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  30. Diane,
    Thank for this great filing system. I do have a question, my ancestors are Scandinavian and the women kept their surnames. What suggestions would you have for these folders?
    Thank you,
    Kayla Kittleson

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    1. Kayla,
      I too have female ancestors who kept their maiden names. In that case, I file everything under that surname. My thinking is this. If there is a file I'm looking for, what was the person's name when that event occurred? So, that's how I organize my documents. If a woman married several times her documents would be in several different files, depending on her name at the time. Some people may want to do otherwise and that's perfectly fine. It's a system that can be adapted to each researcher's individual preference.
      Thank you for your question.

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    2. Thank you. I am working on my details now.
      Kayla

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    3. Oops, another question, how do you handle first cousins and their families? Do you give each of them their own folder?
      Thank you

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    4. First cousin or second cousin etc. Those are separate families and are filed by surname. Relationship has no bearing on the filing system. This is not a system based on family relationships,, but based on surnames.

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  31. Love this idea for organizing digital files! I use FTM and have all the documents/photos in that directory however, it does not allow one to view any files in a sub-directory from FTM. Would you suggest actually ending up with two copies of everything? One in FTM and one in the setup as indicated above?

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    1. Hello Heather. Thank you for your question. I used FTM many years ago. That was when the digital files were embedded into the program. It's my understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, that the digital files are now linked to the program, as they are in other software such as Legacy.
      Therefore, you would only ever need one copy to link to. You would have all your digital folders set up, including their subfolders. Then when you want to link something such as a death certificate, you would simply set up that link in FTM as I do in Legacy. There is a very good FTM group on Facebook with many experienced users. You might also want to ask your question there. Good luck with your setup. And thank you for stopping by.

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  32. Hi Diane, yes all the files are in folders on my computer but under FMT and then the appropriate Media folder. Thanks for your input. I'll double-check on the sub-folder issue.

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    1. I hope you can figure out what works for you. There should never be a need for duplicate copies of images/documents, unless you’ve placed them in two folders for two separate people. An example would be a marriage record that you might place under the grooms name and then also under the bride's maiden name.

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  33. Hi Diane. First, apologies for the lengthy post. My digital files are a mess, but I'm working on it. Files have been all over the place, but I'm working on my system, which is different than yours. My system is:
    Genealogy
    Locations
    Country
    State
    People
    Surname
    First Middle
    Documents
    Pictures
    So, different than yours, and maybe I would have done something similar to yours, but this is what came to my head, and I'll stick with it for now.
    My issue comes with couple/group pictures. Say I have a pic of a couple, Michael and Martha Lazar. Do you put that pic in the Michael Lazar folder (default to husband?), and just share with Martha in Legacy? I just upgraded from Legacy 4 to 9, so lots to learn! What if you have a pic of Michael Lazar (grandpa), Paul Misialek (great grandpa), and a couple uncles? Where do you put that pic? Or, if there's a big family pic of two families together (15 people)?
    Also, I heard that you can add comments to your photos (Right-click on photo > Properties > Details Tab > Comments. But, how does Legacy capture that data? It doesn't seem to work for me. Thank you for your help!

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    1. Hi Eric,
      Each of us has to use whatever system works for us. As long as we are consistent in the naming and filing of those images, and can find them with ease, then our system works. As to naming of groups and where they go. I have not labored over this issue. When I have a group photo (and I have many), I place it in my picture folder for one person. Then I attach it in Legacy to that person and copy and paste it to all the others. Of course, I identify the people in the photo (if I know them) in the notes section of the photo. I'm so glad you updated to Legacy 9. It's got so many more wonderful features than 4. Most of us really love the hashtag feature. I use it all the time. Remember that they have free tutorials on their website. Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your comment.

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  34. Hi Diane- Just recently found this article through Cyndi's list while in the pursuit of help with digital organization. I have really been intimidated with the File Explorer and having been timidly trying to tame the wild beast for years. I already started using your technique and got through step one and step two. Your instructions are clear and concise and ideal for a pre-computer brain person (of a certain age) such as myself. Many times I get bogged down at the beginning because I think too literally and find that terminology is very fluid among techies and it throws me off. I cannot count how many times I have been instructed to go a button or icon only to find out there is no such thing because it is now called something else or is somewhere else. I just wanted to tell you that I am thrilled to have found this, and I thank you for this very helpful article. A new fan!

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    1. GenJo - You've made my day with your comment. I couldn't be happier that my system is working for you. I don't know about that "certain age" thing, as I suspect you may be younger than me. LOL! So many people are. If you should have any questions please get in touch.

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I look forward to reading your comments. If you have any connection to the people mentioned in this blog, please let me know. I write about mine and my husband's ancestors and would welcome new information or meeting a new cousin or two. Thanks for visiting and come back soon.