How Do I Connect Date Formats in FTM

Family Tree Maker is a popular genealogy software developed to assist individuals in properly recording their family history. An important feature of having clear and clean records is a standard date format. Standard date formats not only make reports easier to read but also guarantee accuracy in data within reports and charts. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of managing and standardizing date formats in Family Tree Maker.

Understanding Date Formats in Family Tree Maker

Family Tree Maker allows users to select from multiple date formats based on their preferences and regional conventions. The most common formats are:

  • Day-Month-Year (e.g., 19 October 1995)
  • Month-Day-Year (e.g., October 19, 1995)
  • Year-Month-Day (e.g., 1995 October 19)
  • Abbreviated Format (e.g., 19 Oct 1995)

Using a standard format is helpful when keeping track of historical records effectively and avoiding variations in representation of data.

Steps to Set and Standardize Date Formats in Family Tree Maker

To maintain uniformity across all records, follow these steps to configure and connect date formats in FTM:

Step 1: Access Date Format Settings

  1. Open Family Tree Maker on the computer.
  2. Click on the Tools menu on the top toolbar.
  3. Select Options and look for the Dates section.

Step 2: Making the Preferred Date Format

  1. Select the preferred date format from within the Date Preferences section.
  2. Confirm that all entries going forward in the future observe the chosen format for consistency purposes.
  3. Click the Apply button to save the modification.

Step 3: Setting Existing Date Entries to the Chosen Format

In case dates were entered already in other formats, it’s important to ensure they are standard. You may do this through:

  • Performing a Data Consistency Check from within FTM to identify and correct inconsistencies.
  • Manual editing of date entries to conform to the selected format.
  • Applying the Find and Replace function to revise multiple date entries simultaneously.

Step 4: Exporting and Sharing Reports with Correct Date Formats

When creating reports, make sure the date format does not change:

  1. Click Publish and choose the report type you want.
  2. In Report Settings, confirm that the date format is set appropriately.
  3. Export the report in your desired format (PDF, CSV, RTF, HTML, or Image) with the selected date style maintained.

Conclusion

Having a consistent date format in Family Tree Maker makes it easier to record-keeping, reduces errors, and enhances readability among documents. Using these instructions, you can standardize all the date entries so that it will be easier to monitor family history and create professional-grade reports. Begin organizing your genealogy data today so you won’t have inconsistencies in the future!

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