This is my scratchpad for trying out things...

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Step 1: Go to the Add a Person page

Finding the Add a Person page
When adding the first person in a tree
From any page: Go to Add a Person page by selecting Add > Person from dropdown in top menu	Example: Add a new person from any page
When adding a parent or spouse
From a Family page: If the name exists at the top of the page, Go to Add a Person page by selecting (add) by the name If the name does not exist at the top of the page, Open page in edit mode by selecting Edit from the left menu Go to Add a Person page by selecting Add a page for (wife or husband)	Example: Add spouse to Family page directly from Family page	Example: Add spouse to Family page in edit mode
From a Person page: If the name exists on the right side of the page, Go to Add a Person page by selecting (add) by the name If the name does not exist, but the correct Family page does, Open the Family page in edit mode by selecting (edit) under the page link Go to Add a Person page by selecting Add a page for (wife or husband) If neither the name nor the correct Family page exist, you must first add the correct Family page, see How to add a new Family page	Example: Add spouse to Family page directly from Person page	Example: Opening Family page in edit mode from Person page Example: Add spouse to Family page in edit mode
When adding a child
From a Family page: Select Add child	Example: Add child to Family page directly from Family page

Step 2: Enter the data on the Add a Person page

The Add a Person page has fields for entering a person's name, gender, birth and death information to check the database for a matching page or to populate the fields for a new page when there is no match.

Example of the data entry box on an Add a Person page.

Enter only known information into these fields, as completely as possible. Leave unknown information blank.

The Given name field

The Surname field

Gender

Use the dropdown menu to specify gender.

Fact type

Use the dropdown menu to specify a fact type for each row. There are four options at this stage: Birth, Christening (Infant Baptism), Death, or Burial. Additional facts can be added later in the process.

The Date field

Enter dates in d mmm yyyy format - case doesn't matter. WeRelate automatically transforms any date it can interpret into d Mmm yyyy format (e.g., 4 Sep 1753). It supports standard GEDCOM modifiers (Bef, Aft, Bet/and, From/to, Cal, Abt, Est), which it automatically transforms to mixed case. Ambiguous numeric dates (e.g., 9/3/1876) aren't allowed. WeRelate supports dual dating - if you are entering dates prior to 1752 and aren't familiar with dual dating (d Mmm yyyy/yy), please read Month number and dual dating.

Proxy dates (e.g., christening date as proxy for birth date, or probate date as proxy for death date) should not be entered in the field that they are a proxy for, but should be entered as their own fact. When a christening or burial date is used as a proxy, do not enter a birth or death date that can be derived from the proxy (e.g., Bef christening date).

Source citations should give the date supported by the source in case the date in the date field is changed. If a non-trivial conversion is required, the source citation should include both the date as expressed in the source and the converted date (e.g., 6 (6) 66 [6 Aug 1666]).

For further information, see date conventions.

The Place field

[cos1776 note: I have not made a convention card for this, so the other format is included here for now.]

Enter the place name in the following format (for places in the United States): Municipality or Township, County, State, United States. Do not enter the words "Township" or "County". Enter only what is known - e.g., if the municipality is not known, start with the township, county or country.

Once you enter a comma, pause a few seconds and WeRelate will present a dropdown of potential matches. Select a match or continue typing to refine the dropdown. You can skip a part of the place name - for example, you can enter municipality, state to get a list of all places with that municipality name in that state - then select from the list. Note: WeRelate matches on exactly what is typed, so spelling matters; however, capitalization does not.

For further information, see how to select a place. For further information, see How to select a place name.

Step 3: Search for possible matches

Once you have entered as much information as is known on the Add a Person page, click Next to run a Search for possible matches.

From the Search page, scan the results to see if a match exists:

• If there is no match, click Add Page to open the new page in Edit mode where sources and additional information can be added. See How to edit a Person page for instructions.
• If there is a match, DO NOT click Add Page, but rather click Select next to the matching page title to open the existing page in edit mode where sources and additional information can be added. See How to edit a Person page for instructions.
• If there might be a match (i.e., you are not certain), review any page in the list by clicking directly on the page title (not the Select button). After reviewing, use your browser's back arrow to return to the Search for possible matches page again, and either Select the match or Add Page if there was no match.

Note: Please err on the side of caution. It is better to add a new page and have two pages for the same person until research can determine a match than it is to have one page that mixes the information for two different people. The latter causes considerable confusion and can be difficult to untangle.

Related pages

• How to edit an existing Person page

How to add the first person in a tree

Example: Add a new person from any page

Step 1: Go to the Add a Person page

• Select Add > Person from the dropdown menu at the top of any page.

Step 2: Enter information

Example: Entry box from Add a Person page

The Add a Person page has fields for entering a person's name, gender, birth and death information to check the database for a matching page or to populate the fields for a new page when there is no match.

Enter only known information into these fields, as completely as possible. Leave unknown information blank.

The Given name field

The Surname field

Gender

Use the dropdown menu to specify gender.

Fact type

Use the dropdown menu to specify a fact type for each row. There are four options at this stage: Birth, Christening (Infant Baptism), Death, or Burial. Additional facts can be added later in the process.

The Date field

Enter dates in d mmm yyyy format - case doesn't matter. WeRelate automatically transforms any date it can interpret into d Mmm yyyy format (e.g., 4 Sep 1753). It supports standard GEDCOM modifiers (Bef, Aft, Bet/and, From/to, Cal, Abt, Est), which it automatically transforms to mixed case. Ambiguous numeric dates (e.g., 9/3/1876) aren't allowed. WeRelate supports dual dating - if you are entering dates prior to 1752 and aren't familiar with dual dating (d Mmm yyyy/yy), please read Month number and dual dating.

Proxy dates (e.g., christening date as proxy for birth date, or probate date as proxy for death date) should not be entered in the field that they are a proxy for, but should be entered as their own fact. When a christening or burial date is used as a proxy, do not enter a birth or death date that can be derived from the proxy (e.g., Bef christening date).

Source citations should give the date supported by the source in case the date in the date field is changed. If a non-trivial conversion is required, the source citation should include both the date as expressed in the source and the converted date (e.g., 6 (6) 66 [6 Aug 1666]).

For further information, see date conventions.

The Place field

[cos1776 note: I have not made a convention card for this, so the other format is included here for now.]

Enter the place name in the following format (for places in the United States): Municipality or Township, County, State, United States. Do not enter the words "Township" or "County". Enter only what is known - e.g., if the municipality is not known, start with the township, county or country.

Once you enter a comma, pause a few seconds and WeRelate will present a dropdown of potential matches. Select a match or continue typing to refine the dropdown. You can skip a part of the place name - for example, you can enter municipality, state to get a list of all places with that municipality name in that state - then select from the list. Note: WeRelate matches on exactly what is typed, so spelling matters; however, capitalization does not.

For further information, see how to select a place. For further information, see How to select a place name.

Step 3: Search for matches

• Once you have entered the information above on the Add a Person page, select Next to run a search to see if there is already a page for this person.

From the Search page, scan the results to see if a match exists:

• If there is no match, click Add Page to open the new page in Edit mode where sources and additional information can be added. See How to edit a Person page for instructions.
• If there is a match, DO NOT click Add Page, but rather click Select next to the matching page title to open the existing page in edit mode where sources and additional information can be added. See How to edit a Person page for instructions.
• If there might be a match (i.e., you are not certain), review any page in the list by clicking directly on the page title (not the Select button). After reviewing, use your browser's back arrow to return to the Search for possible matches page again, and either Select the match or Add Page if there was no match.

Note: Please err on the side of caution. It is better to add a new page and have two pages for the same person until research can determine a match than it is to have one page that mixes the information for two different people. The latter causes considerable confusion and can be difficult to untangle.

How to add a person to an existing tree

Building a tree involves alternating between adding Person pages and Family pages. A Family page is used to link Person pages together to define a family unit and to enter any information specific to that family unit. Therefore, there is always the potential for a Person page to be linked to one Family page for parents and siblings and to one or more Family pages for each spouse and children.

The easiest way to add a person to an existing tree is from a Family page. See How to add a new Family page, if a new page is needed.

How to add a parent or spouse

Example: Add spouse to Family page directly from Family page

From a Family page:

If the name exists at the top of the page,

• Go to Add a Person page by selecting (add) by the name
• Continue with Step 2:Enter information above.

Example: Add spouse to Family page in edit mode

If the name does not exist at the top of the page,

• Open page in edit mode by selecting Edit from the left menu
• Go to Add a Person page by selecting Add a page for (wife or husband)
• Continue with Step 2:Enter information above.

Example: Add spouse to Family page directly from Person page

From a Person page:

If the name exists on the right side of the page,

• Go to Add a Person page by selecting (add) by the name
• Continue with Step 2:Enter information above.

Example: Opening Family page in edit mode from Person page

If the name does not exist, but the correct Family page does,

• Open the Family page in edit mode by selecting (edit) under the page link

Example: Add spouse to Family page in edit mode

• Go to Add a Person page by selecting Add a page for (wife or husband)
• Continue with Step 2:Enter information above.

If the correct Family page does not exist, you must add it first.

• See How to add a new Family page

How to add a child

Example: Add child to Family page directly from Family page

From a Family page:

• Select Add child
• Continue with Step 2:Enter information above.