Legacy Family Tree 7.5 has now received official FamilySearch certification in four new categories and will be available as a free update for both Standard and Deluxe edition users on Monday, January 17, 2011.

For years, FamilySearch has worked on developing a web application for researchers to be able to interact with a very large, unified database of connected genealogical information. This new system is being released in phases - first for members of the LDS church while it is tested and perfected, and then to the public. This new database, commonly known as "New FamilySearch" is the database with which Legacy 7.5 will interact. All other databases, including the new Historical Records, Family Trees, and Library Catalog are currently open to everyone at www.FamilySearch.org.

Who should install this update?

Everyone. Although the only major new feature in the 7.5 update will be the addition of more new FamilySearch integration tools, there will be dozens of minor additions and fixes for everyone. However, gaining access to the new FamilySearch databases requires an account. Currently, registering for a new account is restricted to members of the LDS church.

New FamilySearch Certifications

• Sync - ability to keep FamilySearch family tree current with Legacy's information for selected persons and information (optional - you do not have to share anything if you do not desire)
• Update - publish to new.familysearch.org family tree. Also includes request to combine matched individuals (also optional)
• Ordinance Reservation (LDS-specific) - identify persons needing ordinances, prepare for Ordinance Request, and check for duplicate ordinances
• Ordinance Request (LDS-specific) - request ordinances in order to print the ordinance cards

Previous FamilySearch Certifications

• Access - search and read new.familysearch.org family tree
• Print - print multiple reports and charts using online data from FamilySearch
• Ordinance Status (LDS-specific) - read and display ordinance status information
• PAF Import - PAF data can be imported into Legacy for use in the tree

We also expect to be certified in the "Helper" category for this update.

Register for our Legacy-FamilySearch webinars

As part of the Arizona Family History Expo in January we are teaching two classes about Legacy and its new FamilySearch tools. These classes will also be broadcast to a live webinar audience. Registration is free but space is limited.

Improving Your Use of New FamilySearch: Data Cleanup Strategies, Friday, January 21, 2011

New FamilySearch Made Easy with Legacy Family Tree, Saturday, January 22, 2011

What's New

Here are some screenshots of 7.5.

Possible Matches

Possible Duplicates

Share Data

Automated citations when importing data

Automated tracking of changes

Ordinance Status (LDS-Specific)

Track your ordinance cards (LDS-Specific)

Track who has your cards (LDS-Specific)

Track your completed cards (LDS-Specific)

Print/Reserve ordinance cards (LDS-Specific)

Plus a lot more...

What will Legacy 7.5 cost?

Nothing. Legacy 7.5 will be a free update to Legacy 7.0 or 7.4. When it is available, all you will need to do is download and install the update as you usually install Legacy updates. The new FamilySearch integration tools will be available as part of both the Standard (free) and Deluxe editions of Legacy.

When will Legacy 7.5 be released?

On January 17, 2011. Watch our blog at http://news.legacyfamilytree.com for the announcement, or simply check the Updates section on the Legacy Home tab inside Legacy 7.

We've got great news for those awaiting our New FamilySearch integration tools. We've now completed the requirements for "Sync Certification" and have applied for official certification on these features. Legacy is already certified in "Access", "Print", and "Ordinance Status".

The certification process usually takes a few weeks. Once it passes FamilySearch's tests, we will undergo some further testing, and then announce the free update via this blog/website.

To learn more about the FamilySearch integration tools, click here. The latest information from FamilySearch is that access to the new.familysearch.org website, to which Legacy's FamilySearch tools provide access, is still restricted to LDS members while the site is still undergoing development and testing. I hear that later this year, and possibly even the beginning of next year, it will be ready and available to the general public.

Those of you with access to "New FamilySearch" will want to view a seminar we presented last week in Mesa, Arizona. We recorded the seminar and published it online for you to view. The syllabus pages are also available for you to download.

The seminar, entitled "An Overview of Legacy Family Tree and its New FamilySearch Tools" was taught by Legacy's Geoff Rasmussen (that's me...) and was presented as a training session for LDS Family History Center consultants. It contains both an overview of working with Legacy and working with Legacy's new FamilySearch features.

We've also made the seminar's handouts available to download. The handouts are entitled:

• Legacy and New FamilySearch: an Overview
• Improving Your Use of FamilySearch: Data Cleanup Strategies

The seminar and handouts can be used for personal training or as a teaching tool for your next Family History Center training meeting.

To view the seminar, visit our Legacy-FamilySearch web page at http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/fs.asp and click on the 4th video in the "Video Tutorials" section.

By the way...this weekend we released an update to Legacy which added several Legacy-FS features and corrected various bugs that you've reported to us. We haven't made the "official" announcement yet though. Visit http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/RevisionHistory7.asp for the revision history or http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/DownloadUpdate.asp to download the update.

We have a great new update for you to download. This update has been several years in the making and for those with a "New FamilySearch" account you will be especially excited.

Watch the video

We've published a few videos showing you all about the new FamilySearch tools. Visit www.legacyfamilytree.com/fs.asp and click on the links in the Video Tutorials section.

Who should install this update?

Everyone. This update includes much more than the new FamilySearch integration features. Since our last update we've added several minor enhancements and fixed bugs that you've reported.

This update is free

There is no cost for this update. If you've already installed Legacy 7.0 (standard or deluxe editions) just follow the update instructions below. The FamilySearch tools are included in both the free standard edition and the deluxe edition. If you do not yet have Legacy Family Tree, and you want to utilize the FamilySearch tools, you can download either edition.

What's New

New FamilySearch integration. We've written about this many times. Click here if you've missed the articles.

• Version 7.4 includes a special "pre-release" edition of our New FamilySearch integration tools which lets users: 1) Match their Legacy individuals with FamilySearch individuals, 2) Combine potential duplicates that exist at FamilySearch, 3) View the real-time ordinance status of individuals
• After installing the update, you will be asked if you want to turn on the FamilySearch integration tools. At this time only LDS members should say yes (FamilySearch accounts are currently restricted to members of the LDS church while they conclude their testing).
• The FamilySearch tools have been officially certified by FamilySearch, but the tools are still in "pre-release mode". This means that 1) not all of the features that we want to implement are available, but we want you to get started (the rest of the features will be released in version 7.5) and 2) there are still a few minor (non-critical) bugs to resolve.

Before installing the update...

As with any new update, we encourage all users to make a backup of their family file. Do this before installing the update. It's pretty simple. Just go to File > Backup Family File.

Join our LegacyFS mailing list

If you have questions, suggestions, or just want to discuss the new FamilySearch features, subscribe to our new mailing list at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/LegacyFSList.asp.

How to Update

Instructions for Deluxe Edition users

All you have to do is connect to the Internet, start Legacy 7.0, and click on the "Install and Download Now" link on the Legacy Home tab. (If you're reading this from within the Legacy Home tab inside of Legacy 7.0, you'll first need to click on the Home button in the top left of the Legacy Home tab which looks like the following picture:

Instructions for Standard Edition (free edition) users

You will need to visit our website. Go to http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/DownloadUpdate.asp and follow the instructions.

Here's what some of the screens look like (click on the images to enlarge):

Possible Matches:

Possible Duplicates:

Share Data (to be completed in 7.5):

Ordinance Status:

Other Exciting Features:

1) Filter your list in many ways. For example, just show your first four generations and work to complete them.

2) Overall progress. As you complete the tasks (matching, combining, syncing, ordinances) for each person, watch as the progress bar moves closer to 100%. Now you have a manageable project.

3) This is your filtered list of names. The colorful icons show you the status of each task.

4) View the list of tasks for the current person, view and navigate their pedigree, or view additional information about the person.

More information

To learn more about Legacy and New FamilySearch, please visit www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/fs.asp.

Legacy version 7.5 is finally almost here. Version 7.4 is even closer....

Here's where we're at. In January we will release Legacy 7.4 which will add most of the long-awaited FamilySearch integration tools to Legacy. This will be a free update for both Standard and Deluxe edition users. Just yesterday, version 7.4 received official certification from FamilySearch in the following categories: Access, Print, and Ordinance Status. This will allow you to:

• Match your Legacy individuals with FamilySearch individuals
• Combine potential duplicates that exist at FamilySearch
• View the real-time ordinance status of individuals

So, the matching and combining functionality in 7.4 will prepare you for the features in 7.5. LDS users will want to know that although the ordinance reservation tools will not be available until 7.5, 7.4 will provide you with the ability to reserve ordinances via the new.FamilySearch.org web site.

In the next month or so after 7.4's release, we will complete the software development to receive certification in the following categories: Sync, Update, and Ordinance Reservation. This is mostly done now, but we want to give you what we have - a great, solid version 7.4. We will then release these final features in Legacy 7.5.

Legacy 7.4 / 7.5 web site

We've created a special web site devoted to keeping you updated on this release. At www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/fs.asp we will publish the very latest information:

• News / Updates section - this is where we will publish the latest announcements (in addition to this LegacyNews blog)
• Video Tutorials - we've published our first video entitled Getting Started in Legacy Family Tree for the brand new LDS genealogist.
• Preparing for Legacy 7.5 - these are links to all the articles we've published in LegacyNews about preparing your Legacy family file for working with the new FamilySearch tools

By now, you've probably read about the next great update to Legacy - version 7.5. If not, we've written about it here, here, here, here, and here. This article will explain what version 7.5 will add to Legacy 7.0 and give guidance on how to best prepare for the update.

What's coming in Legacy 7.5

For years, FamilySearch has worked on developing a web application for researchers to be able to interact with a very large, unified database of connected genealogical information. This new system is being released in phases - first for members of the LDS church while it is tested and perfected, and then to the public.

Legacy version 7.5 will add new tools to help researchers collaborate, backup, and optionally synchronize their Legacy family files with the data in the FamilySearch databases. These new tools should encourage better research collaboration and prevent research and ordinance duplication.

What will Legacy 7.5 cost?

Nothing. Legacy 7.5 will be a free update to Legacy 7.0. When it is available, all you will need to do is download and install the update as you usually install Legacy updates. The new FamilySearch integration tools will be available as part of both the Standard (free) and Deluxe editions of Legacy.

Who should download Legacy 7.5?

Everyone. Although the only "new" addition in 7.5 will be the New FamilySearch integration tools, we will still correct bugs and add new features as we usually do with our normal updates. However, gaining access to the new FamilySearch databases requires an account. Currently, registering for a new account is restricted to members of the LDS church.

When will Legacy 7.5 be released?

As we've previously announced, 7.5 is still on track to be released before the end of the year. We've made great progress and have completed the software certification requirements for Access certification. We're putting the final touches on the next phase of software certification right now. Stay tuned here for the official release announcements.

How to prepare for Legacy 7.5

Even if 7.5 were released today, nobody should begin using the new FamilySearch integration tools without first performing some clean-up and standardization techniques in their Legacy family file. We will begin to publish these suggestions in upcoming Legacy News articles.

The Sneak Peek

Click on the image below for a sneak peek of one of the FamilySearch integration screens.

Yeah, I know. Sorry for the blurred-out sections. Stay tuned....