Does this "How to" instruction manual for citations look accurate?

Ideas
1

Using Gramps 6.0.8 on Windows 10

I have been playing around with Gemini AI, trying to get a sort of “How to” manual for entering data from some of the most common websites, so that I can refer to it as I am filling out my citations.
I’m not a fan of AI, especially for Artistic endeavors… but I wanted to see what it could do for this kind of data entry.

After playing with it for awhile, this is what I came up with for Census forms found on Family Search. Please tell me what you think, and what you think the AI and I got wrong.

:classical_building: Step 1: Set Up the Repository (Do Once per Website)

Logs the website hosting the record collections.

  1. Go to Repositories in the Gramps sidebar and click the + (Add) button.

  2. Fill out the general information:

    • Name: FamilySearch

    • Type: Web site

  3. Click the Internet tab at the bottom, click Add, and enter the base URL: https://www.familysearch.org

  4. Click OK to save.

:books: Step 2: Create the Source (Do Once per Census Year/Country)

Represents the broad, overarching census collection.

  1. Go to Sources in the sidebar and click the + (Add) button.

  2. Fill out the standard publication metadata:

    • Title: United States Census, 1900

    • Author: United States. Bureau of the Census

    • Publication info: Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration

  3. Click the Repositories tab at the bottom of the Source window.

  4. Click the Share/Link button (the green plus/chain link icon) and select FamilySearch from your list.

  5. In the Repository Reference popup box that appears, fill out the source-specific location fields:

    • Call Number: United States Census, 1900

    • Media Type: Select Electronic from the dropdown menu.

  6. Click OK on the reference box, and OK to save the Source.

:pushpin: Step 3: Create the Citation (Do for Each Household Page)

Points directly to the exact page, line, and image where your family appears.

  1. Open the main Person window for the head of household (e.g., James Smith).

  2. Go to their Sources tab, click + (Add), and select your broad census Source (United States Census, 1900).

  3. Fill out the core citation location data:

    • Volume/Page: Use a standardized [SURNAME, Given] prefix followed by the explicit physical geography.

      • Standard Template: [SURNAME, Head’s Given Name] - [State], [County] Co., [Township/City], ED [Number], Sheet [Number]

      • Your Example: [SMITH, James] - MO, Clay Co., Washington Twp, ED 29, Sheet 4B

    • Date: Enter the year of the census or the exact day the census taker visited the home (e.g., 1900 or 4 Jun 1900).

  4. Click the Attributes tab at the bottom of the Citation window to add digital tracking numbers:

    • Click + (Add) → Key: DGS Number → Value: 004118771

    • Click + (Add) → Key: Image Number → Value: 390

  5. Click OK to save the citation details.

:hammer_and_wrench: Step 4: Handle Data Problems & Paste the FamilySearch Citation (Notes Tab)

This is where you combine the provided citation text, permanent links, and misspelled name notes.

  1. In the Citation window, click the Notes tab at the bottom and click + (Add).

  2. Set the note type to Source/Citation note.

  3. Copy and paste your comprehensive data tracking block, including the exact verbatim text provided by FamilySearch:

  • -– REPOSITORY PROVIDED CITATION —

  • “Clay, Missouri, United States records,” images, FamilySearch ( FamilySearch.org : Aug 26, 2026), image 390 of 409; United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Image Group Number: 004118771

  • -– PERMANENT ID MAPPING —

  • ARK ID: ark:/61903/1:1:M3C4-5M5

  • Direct Link: https://familysearch.org

  • -– TRANSCRIPTION VARIATIONS —

  • - Head of household James Smith is recorded under the standard historical abbreviation “Jas”.

  • - Family member Lottie is misspelled/indexed as “Lallie”.

  1. Click OK to save the note.

:framed_picture: Step 5: Download and Attach the Media

Keeps your evidence safe on your hard drive, completely independent of the internet.

  1. Download the census page image file from FamilySearch to your computer.

  2. Rename the file immediately using a standardized, searchable format that matches your database:

    • Example: Census_1900_US_MO_Clay_WashingtonTwp_ED29_DGS_004118771_Img_390.jpg

  3. Move the file into your main genealogy media folder.

  4. Back in your Gramps Citation window, click the Media tab at the bottom.

  5. Click + (Add), click the folder icon next to File Path, and select your renamed image file.

  6. Set the Title of the media object to match your file layout: 1900 US Census - Clay Co., MO - James Smith Household. Click OK.

:busts_in_silhouette: Step 6: Link the “Lallie” Typo to Lottie (Alternative Name)

Maintains data clarity without polluting her real name profile.

  1. Open Lottie’s main Person window.

  2. In the Names section at the bottom of her general tab, click + (Add) to add an alternative name.

  3. Set the Name Type dropdown to Also Known As or Spelling Variation.

  4. Type the misspelled name (Lallie) into the Given Name field.

  5. Click the Sources tab inside this alternative name window, click Share/Link, and select the exact [SMITH, James] - MO, Clay Co… citation you just built.

  6. Click OK out of both windows to save.

:counterclockwise_arrows_button: Step 7: Share with the Rest of the Family

Saves time by reusing the citation for everyone else in the house.

  1. Open the next family member’s profile (e.g., the wife or children).

  2. Go to their Sources tab, click Share/Link (the chain link icon), and select your [SMITH, James] - MO, Clay Co… citation from the list.

  3. If their name was spelled correctly on the census, you are finished! If their name had an alternate error, repeat Step 6 to link an alternative name to this shared citation.

Back to me (Ken) now.
That’s what I came up with, after much prompting and fine tuning. I was trying to make sure that I don’t skip steps, and that it can be easily transferred via GEDCOM file.
What do you think?

2

Have you looked at the Forms addon it might give you some ideas.
phil

3

I have added it, but I have yet to figure out how to use it. I have looked at the Wiki, but I’m still at a loss. Keep in mind, I have only been using Gramps for about 2 months now. I have 124 people in my tree.

4

You might want to push FamilySearch back on your targets.

Gramps 6.1 will have an API connection to the FamilySearch service, direct push and poll will be supported. So no manual transcription or superficial scraping necessary.

A server host with the middleware has been established by @SourceAirbender … and many volunteers are impatiently awaiting the opening of the gates.

5

Hi @Kenopolis, it sounds like you’re attaching the citations to people rather than events. I think most users would create an event for each census/household combination, attach the citation to the event, and then share the event with each person who was present in the household at that time.

You can make your sources and citations as “wide” or as “deep” as you like. Your current approach is on the “deep” end of the spectrum, meaning you will have relatively few sources and relatively many citations (nothing inherently wrong with that). Other users might create, for a given census year, a separate source for each state, or even county. What everyone will agree on is that you should do “whatever works for you”.

But how to know what works for you? I recommend (1) documenting your intended approach (which you’ve already started to do), (2) use it to enter a variety of data, and (3) look at all of the views and reports in Gramps to see if you like it. You might also want to export a GEDCOM file if you intend to post your data elsewhere, to make sure it will look the way you want it to on those places.

Here’s an example of what works for me, but probably not others: I don’t bother renaming files that I download. I leave the cryptic names as is, glad that they are already unique. If I want to look at a particular census page image, I just pull up the person’s census event in Gramps and look at the file attached to the citation, rather than hunting through my computer files.

6

Re: the Gramps 6.1 Update. That sounds like it could make things much easier, but I have found that there are a lot of errors on Family Search, so I hope it is to upload one documented event at a time, with all the necessary citations, rather than to simply upload everything for a person. I’ll be following that.
Thanks!

7

In Regards to the Census, I actually create one event for the Head of Household, then I use the Clipboard to add the same event to each person in the household. (saw it on one of the video turorials)

I primarily add citations to events, but When I discover a new person from a document, I will add the citation to the person, as well as the corresponding event. Or if I learn the full middle name, for example, then I will add another Citation to the person.

Does this practice create confusing reports? I have not yet run any. I don’t feel that I’m ready for that just yet. However I want to make sure that if and when I create a GEDCOM file to share or move my research, all the info comes out clean, and anyone can verify my findings.

Oh, I have to have standardized image names. It would drive me crazy. Especially if I want to zoom in.

Side note. I have discovered potential family members on the same page of a census, but a different household. I might have to rename the citation to fit both families, and I have no idea how I’ll handle that at the moment.

8

What I do
Example 1881 UK Census Citation
Normally
PRO Ref RG11 Piece 5360, Folio 19, Page 32

If to 2 or more Households
PRO Ref RG11 Piece 5360, Folio 19, Page 32, SchNo 3
PRO Ref RG11 Piece 5360, Folio 19, Page 32, SchNo 7
etc where SchNo or Household or Family No is an extra
phil

9

Kenneth

With regards images when you download from Ancestry or FindMyPast you
get unique filenames so I leave them as is FamilySearch is poor they all
come down as “image.jpg” so you have to give them a unique name of your own.
Transcriptions I usually do not keep, preferring original images the
website transcriptions often are inaccurate look at the number of
corrections on Ancestry. What is GRAMPS for if you are not inputting
what you believe to be the correct transcription using your local
knowledge and family history.
FamilySearch is becoming of less use for images because in a lot of
cases they say “not available” go to FindMyPast, Find a Grave etc etc so
why use Family Search in the first place (except that it is free).

Big tip start a tree and play with it until you are happy in what you
are doing then start on your proper tree. Or as is usually the case
start your tree then create one for messing with
phil