The relationship network has been entered
As the number of members increases, duplicate individuals, incorrectly linked parents, or inconsistent branch affiliation may appear.
Get the relationships right before moving into book production
Lineage Proofreading
Lineage proofreading is not just about checking whether lines are connected. It checks whether each person is unique, whether relationships are consistent with dates and branch-line logic, and whether every key connection can be supported by evidence.
Applicable Scenarios
First determine the current stage of your materials
Projects with the same surname and the same number of people may require different working methods depending on the source materials and objectives. The following scenarios are suitable for starting with this service.
Preparing to revise and publish the genealogy
A reliable version of the lineage should be frozen before layout to reduce rework after printing.
Merging multiple sources
Old genealogies, spreadsheets, oral accounts, and online data conflict with one another, requiring a unified record of judgments.
Workflow
Every step leaves intermediate results that can be checked
We first confirm the scope and basis, then organize, verify, and sign off step by step, so that all issues are not left until the final round of revisions.
Establish unique personal identifiers
Do not use names as the sole criterion. Identify duplicate names and duplicate records by combining parents, spouses, place of birth, and dates.
Check relationship closure
Verify the two-way consistency of parents, spouses, and children, and investigate self-links, duplicate marriages, and isolated individuals.
Check chronological logic
Identify high-risk anomalies such as parents and children with inverted dates, excessively large generational gaps, or a death year earlier than a birth year.
Verify generation numbers and branch lines
Unify the definition of the founding ancestor, generation-number calculations, and branch-division nodes to prevent different branches from mixing generation counts.
Annotate special succession arrangements
Biological relationships and genealogical affiliations such as outgoing adoption, incoming adoption, and dual succession are stored separately; deleting the biological relationship is not used as a substitute for explanation.
Create evidence mapping
Link key relationships to old genealogy volumes and pages, documents, inscriptions, interviews, or confirmation records.
Tiered review and sign-off
Blocking issues must be resolved, items pending confirmation are discussed by the family, and advisory items may be retained with notes to form a confirmed version.
Delivery and acceptance
Deliver not only a book, but clear data and supporting evidence
| Deliverable | Contents | Acceptance Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Person deduplication list | Suspected duplicates, basis for distinguishing identical names, and merge recommendations | Keep original records |
| Relationship anomaly table | Incorrect links, missing links, loops, duplicate marriages, and isolated individuals | Tiered handling |
| Chronological logic report | Anomalies among birth, marriage and childbearing, migration, and birth/death dates | No automatic tampering |
| Special relationship table | Outgoing adoption, incoming adoption, adoption, stepparent relationships, and genealogical affiliation | Dual relationships are traceable |
| Evidence correspondence table | Source numbers corresponding to individuals and key relationships | Clear volume and page numbers |
| Signed-off lineage version | Resolved items, retained differing accounts, and confirmer records | For use in editing and layout |
Verification Principles
Automated rules are suitable for identifying anomalies, but not for drawing conclusions on behalf of the family. All automated prompts should return to the original materials and family confirmation. The system must retain the pre-edit data, the handler, and the handling time.
Preparation before starting
The clearer the preparation, the less rework the project will require
Recommended items to organize first
- Current latest member table or system-exported data
- Known founding ancestor, first migrating ancestor, and branch-division nodes
- Relevant volumes and pages from old genealogies and confirmation materials from each branch
- Explanations of special marriage, childbearing, adoption, or succession situations
- People who can represent each branch in the verification process
Things to avoid
- Automatically merge individuals based only on names
- Directly overwrite original data after the system detects an anomaly
- Use age rules to deny all special historical circumstances
- Publish the final lineage without confirmation from each branch
Frequently Asked Questions
Matters to clarify before deciding the project scope
How much can the system proofread automatically?
It can identify structural anomalies such as duplicates, loops, date conflicts, and missing relationships, but the authenticity of ancestral origins, identification of people with identical names, and differences in oral accounts still require evidence and human judgment.
Can errors found in an old genealogy be corrected directly?
Overwriting the original text is not recommended. The original old genealogy entry should be retained, with the basis and handling result explained in errata, notes, or fields for this revision.
Which father should an adopted-in family member be linked to?
Both the biological parents and the lineage succession relationship should be saved separately, and explained at the display level according to the editorial conventions. Do not keep only one set of relationships.
Can members still be added after proofreading is completed?
Yes, but a freeze point should be set for the version used for publication. Any additions or changes after freezing should go into the next batch, with version differences recorded.
Related entry points
Continue preparing materials or learn about other stages
First describe the current state of the materials, then determine the appropriate approach
For the initial consultation, you do not need to upload the complete genealogy books, identity documents, or private information of living family members. Please describe the scale, existing materials, and desired deliverables.