How to Start Indexing Online for FamilySearch



Indexing is essential to making the world’s records searchable. At FamilySearch, hundreds of thousands of volunteer indexers, from around the world, have participated in transcribing valuable genealogical records and making them easily searchable online. Here’s how you can start indexing online for FamilySearch.

The first thing a person who is new to indexing for FamilySearch should do is take the guided tour. The information in the guided tour is also useful for people who have indexed for FamilySearch in the past, and who would like to start indexing again.

The next thing to do is find a Beginning Batch to index. There is a list of projects that are available to index. You can search for a Batch with a beginning difficulty level, and then click “start.” The beginning batches are a good way to learn how to index without feeling overwhelmed.

Each Batch comes with easy-to-read instructions that are specifically for that project. The instructions provide answers to common questions to help you get started indexing.

You can also get help from a section called Field Help (which appears directly above the data entry form.) Other help can come from your local family history consultant, or the Help Resources page in the FamilySearch Help Center.

FamilySearch has created two, very cute, cartoon videos that can help people understand more about indexing. There is a three minute video called “How It Works” and a two minute video called “Indexing is Vital for Research”.

In May of 2017, FamilySearch launched something that will make it easier for volunteers to get started indexing. FamilySearch has published its May 2017 list of historic record collections that are available for indexing.

FamilySearch started indexing in 1921. The digital revolution in the past seven years has made it easier for everyone to search online for important genealogy records (and to volunteer to index records that have not yet been digitized.)

In addition, FamilySearch has released web indexing, which enables volunteers to start indexing right in their browser. You don’t have to download, or install, anything in order to begin indexing. It appears that you will need to have a FamilySearch account in order to start indexing. All FamilySearch accounts are free. You do not have to pay for a subscription.

Related Articles at FamilySearch.com:

* FamilySearch Indexing Event Surpassed Goal

* Volunteers Index More Than 1 Million Freedman’s Bureau Records

* FamilySearch – Digitized

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