Here are some frequently asked questions about the new person page in Family Tree:
Why is the Brief Life History at the bottom?
The Life Sketch was renamed Brief Life History. It is a great place to write about an ancestor’s life. It has been moved to the bottom to prevent people from using it as a place to communicate with other users. If you need to communicate with other users, feel free to start a discussion or use the new alert notes feature on the Collaborate tab.
Note: You can use My Layout Settings at the top of the Tools section in the Details tab to move the Brief Life History back to the top, but that only changes your view of the person page. Other users will still see life history on the bottom unless they also move it to the top.
Where are the time line and map?
The time line and map are now available to view on the About tab and to the right of the Memories tab.
What are Other Relationships?
The Other Relationships feature is used to record relationships between unrelated individuals who are often listed in historical records together. You can also use this feature to record unclear or ambiguous family relationships whose exact line of connection or descent is unknown.
Types of Other Relationships you can add include:
- Apprenticeship
- Employment
- Godparent
- Household
- Neighbor
- Relative
- Enslavement
What is the new About tab?
The About tab is a great way to explore an ancestor’s life, look at their timeline, family, and other cultural aspects that make them more personable. The person page isn’t just a place to store a bunch of data—it’s meant to represent the life of a real person.
Can I keep using the current version of the person page?
After 3 April 2023, the transition to the new person page was permanent, and the old person page is longer available.
Can we sort sources by using drag and drop?
The drag and drop functionality works if the sort order is set to Custom. Click the Options button, and click Custom. You should now be able to drag and drop the sources.
How do I print pedigree charts and family group records?
The new person page makes it easy to print pedigree charts and family records. Go to the Details tab, and then scroll down to the Tools section on the right to find the Print button. Click Print, and then click what pedigree you would like printed. The printout of the person page has also been improved. To see it, click Print then Person Details.
Where did the option go to change preferred parents or spouses?
The Set Preferred button is now at the very bottom of the Family Members section. If the button doesn’t appear, it means that this ancestor doesn’t have multiple spouses or parents to choose from.
How does the Brief Life History work?
The Brief Life History appears on the About tab and the Details tab. The Details tab displays a user-written life history and the About tab displays a computer-generated version. The computer-generated version is based on the name, dates, relationships, and other information on the Details tab.
On the Details tab, users can write a life history and choose to use this version of the life history on the About tab. A computer-generated version does not automatically appear on the Details tab.