Find Data Entry Dates

[Susan Park]

Isn't there a way to find the actual date I entered someone's information? I've been through this forum and also the Reunion help files and haven't found it yet. Did I just imagine that I've seen such information before? Or is it possible and I just don't remember how I did it? Thanks.

[SGilbert]

To my understanding, Reunion only keeps tabs on the last time you modified that person's info.

[alan]

Susan,
Yes there is a way.
Go to Reunion Preferences > Family View > Default > Couple > Under Couple Buttons > +add Field > and drop down to select "changed date"

Alan

[Susan Freas Rogers]

Alan, I believe Susan is not asking HOW to see a changed date. She wants to know if there's an answer to the question, "When did I first add this person to my Family File?"

I've asked this question before on this forum and was disappointed to learn that no, there's no way to tell when you first put someone in the Family File UNLESS you have a good enough memory to remember that you have never, not once, made a change to the person's record since you first entered them. If you know that, then you CAN look at the "changed date" and be confident that that's when you first created the person's record.

But of course, that's ridiculous, no one could remember that and in any case, the whole point of having a genealogy database is to be able to add data to a person's record over time, so the "changed date" will be changing every time you do that.

I consider the lack of a Date Record Created capability as a major failing in an otherwise outstanding product. There have been quite a few times that I've asked myself, "Gee, when did I add THIS person to my database?" but alas, no way to know that reliably.

A workaround would be to create our own field "Date Record Created" and then remember to put the current date in that field Every.Single.Time we enter a new person, but what a waste of time that would be. Computers were invented to insert the date for us automatically.

Sorry if this sounds crabby, this coronavirus quarantine is getting to me.

[Paul Reitz]

Susan, agree wholeheartedly, so I did exactly what you outlined: add an events field called "Date added".

Plus, by locating it as the top line of all events, when the events field is first opened, the insertion point is already in the correct location. Just add today's date, then tab to the birth date field, and continue.

It can become a mechanical memory process. Besides giving a metric of family file growth, it has the added benefit of drilling in today's date so I know what day it is!!!

But I agree, it would be nice if Reunion could eliminate tedium instead of adding it.

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

Just add today's date, then tab to the birth date field, and continue.

or just typing "today" may be easier than remembering and typing the date.

[kyuck]

or just typing "today" may be easier than remembering and typing the date.

WOW! That's great Dennis. I didn't know that was possible. 84 years old and you can learn something every day! ;-)

[Susan Freas Rogers]

Paul, I like your workaround and will implement it thanks.

Dennis, at first I thought you were being facetious and just making a joke to lighten our locked-down day. Then I saw Kevan's remark, tried typing "today" and voila! Auto-insert today's date. Never knew that, thanks.