THE INDEX IS WRONG, NOW WE CAN EDIT IT

The FamilySearch Blog has posted an update on editing names on indexed records.

Editing Names on Indexed Records—FamilySearch Update

"Everyone can agree that indexed records make life easier. Instead of having to scroll through image after image to find information about your ancestor, you can use an index of searchable information to quickly find the person you’re looking for.

Unfortunately, indexing errors sometimes make the search process more difficult. Hard-to-read handwriting, damaged records, language barriers, and simple human error mean that no index is guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate. If you add the fact that sometimes the original documents had errors in the first place, it’s easy to see how complications seep in. Errors in the records or index can render the index useless for finding certain ancestors and can even cause a researcher to skip over important records. 

In the past, if you came across an incorrect index on FamilySearch, there wasn’t much you could do about it besides note down the error and perhaps grumble about it to yourself. That’s all changed now! With the newest update on FamilySearch, you can make corrections to names in the index—with the ability to edit other details in the entries coming soon. By editing the index, you can help other people locate records—and ancestors—they might not have been able to find otherwise.

When to Edit an Index

The purpose of editing an index is to enable other researchers to find their ancestors more effectively. There are two main scenarios where edits could be helpful—when records were indexed incorrectly and when the original records contained incorrect information.

How to Edit

The process of editing an index entry is simple. After searching for an ancestor on FamilySearch, look through the search results for a promising record, and click your ancestor’s name. A box will pop up with the indexed information on the left and the record document on the right. For indexes that are editable, you will notice the word Edit next to your ancestor’s name.

Keep in mind that your edits do not override the information already on FamilySearch. Instead, you add new information. The old indexed information remains. Now your change and the original information are both searchable. There could even be several edits to the same record, helping others to find their ancestors more easily. Please edit carefully, however, since multiple edits can also muddy the waters!

Now that you know how editing index entries works, it’s time to give it a try. Go to FamilySearch, and search for your ancestors. When you find incorrect information in the index, take a moment to carefully and thoughtfully make corrections. Your actions can help others have success in finding their ancestors.