Update – My First Attempt to Export FTM to RootsMagic

RootsMagic has created an update that fixed some of the problems I had in my previous blog as follows:

FIXED – Sources tied to the name facts are now showing up on the person profile page as follows:

FIXED: I thought I lost my citation text that I had with the source. However, I do now see it in the research Notes for the source. Don’t know if this is where I would want it, but it is not lost. Solution might be for me to look at what I am putting in my citation text on FTM. Perhaps it really should be text from the source.  This could just be my misuse of the field on FTM.

Partially Fixed: Previously my description notes from FTM were placed in the Person Detail notes for the fact and I lost the fact notes. Below is what it looks like on FTM.

This is partially fixed because now my fact note does appear in the fact note on RootsMagic and I think they were trying to put my description into their Place details, I see it under the Facts detail where it puts the Place details first and then the Place location. However, I can’t edit it, because it is not in the Place details fields. (ALMOST but NO CIGAR)

I am very happy to see that the RootsMagic developers are trying to help all us users of FTM to make the transfer to their software as painless as possible.  Therefore, before I was a little disappointed but now I am becoming more hopeful. Even though I am not jumping ship from Family Tree Maker at this time, mainly because “if it is not broken, don’t fix it”. However, I do need to have a back-up plan and I need to make sure that the data I am putting in FTM will export to Roots Magic in the way I really want it to, I need to know what to expect. Plus I need to learn Roots Magic.

I see two things I must do,.

1. Look at all my source citations and verify what is inputted into the detail versus the text fields on FTM so that they come across in a useful manner for me on RootsMagic. This is a user problem (ME), not a RootsMagic software import problem.
2. I also need to learn RootsMagic and thus I have started a new tree for my unknown DNA matches. Since this is just a working tree, for me to figure out relationships, I can learn RootsMagic by actually using it. I didn't want to start-over and recreate my tree that I have in FTM, I know I would get too frustrated. This is why I am starting a brand new tree that serves a brand new purpose.