Types of FamilySearch Information
In order to understand how syncing RootsFinder tree with FamilySearch trees works, you may want to learn about the types of information at FamilySearch and how RootsFinder processes it. There are five kinds of FamilySearch tree information which can be imported to RootsFinder: facts, sources, media, notes, and stories.
FamilySearch Facts
FamilySearch facts include event information such as a date and place. They may (or may not) have sources attached.
Vital information:
In FamilySearch trees, vital information consists of the following:
- Name
- Sex
- Birth
- Christening
- Death
- Burial
FamilySearch presumes that each profile will have only one value for each piece of vital information. That is to say a person will have one name, one birth date, one death date, etc. If more than one value is provided, or if you provide events beyond basic vital information, it will go in the “Other Information” section. This means when you contribute information to FamilySearch from RootsFinder, your information may appear in the “Other Information” section at FamilySearch.
FamilySearch Sources
FamilySearch sources are, essentially, just general source citations like a reference; they differ from facts in that they contain no event information.
Therefore, when you copy sources from FamilySearch into RootsFinder you will not receive any specific event information. To get fact event information from a source, copy it into your tree using the RootsFinder web clipper, which allows you to gather all information from a source at once and then tag it to people in your tree.
FamilySearch Memories
Memories, including photos, documents, and stories, have been contributed by other FamilySearch users. You can add them into RootsFinder the same way you would import FamilySearch facts; just click the arrow pointing towards your RootsFinder information in the comparison view.
Other information:
Other information contained in FamilySearch profiles may be copied into RootsFinder as a note, so scroll to the bottom of a timeline to see what may have been imported into notes. Life Sketches are imported to RootsFinder as “Biography” information.
Do I have to archive my tree with FamilySearch Genealogies?
You don't. You only need to archive your tree with FamilySearch Genealogies if you want to get free hints from FamilySearch. This is not a RootsFinder policy. FamilySearch requires this to access their hints. FamilySearch provides the free hints, the free search engine and the free records. They get to make the rules for accessing their data. It's like paying a membership fee to Ancestry, FindMyPast or MyHeritage.
FamilySearch Genealogies is a read only archive. It provides hints to other genealogists. If you don't want your tree archived in FamilySearch Genealogies, you can opt out of FamilySearch hints by going to your Hint Settings and removing FamilySearch from your hints. You will be asked to log in so they can delete your tree from Genealogies.