Numbering system

[J Smith]

Newbie here and apologies if this has been discussed before. I have just imported all my data onto Reunion and before I start.... is there a correct method to number individuals? Where do you start and am I too late to start this now. Thanks!

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

Re: Numbering system

Newbie here and apologies if this has been discussed before. I have just imported all my data onto Reunion and before I start.... is there a correct method to number individuals? Where do you start and am I too late to start this now. Thanks!

You should recognize that it doesn't matter what Person ID is assigned to people when you enter them into Reunion. You have no control over which ID is assigned, and that's just fine.
Reunion assigns these numbers as needed, and if any "holes" in the numbering occur (say from deleting people) the holes are filled automatically. On the other hand, it's sort of convenient for you to be number 1. You can manage by either entering yourself first, then importing everyone else, and merging both your entries into number 1, or by deleting person 1, entering yourself, and then re-entering the person you deleted who was formerly number 1.

However, you will encounter other numbering systems that are important. Ahnentafel numbers, or ancestor numbers are a way of numbering a person's ancestors so that you know from their number their exact relationship to the source person. There is an explanation in the users manual if you search for "Ancestor Numbering".

Some people assign their own ID numbers to people in the "User ID" field. I think this is mostly useful if you are preserving numbers assigned elsewhere, say in a lineage book.