Teresa

	Teresa's Filing System for TMG
	In April 2003, I decided to go through all my folders, and scan in all my original documents and get rid of all the index pages, and census pages (since I have them on CD) and clean up my filing cabinet a little. I also moved from filing folders to notebooks. The system is basically the same, it's just easier to move to a second folder now, since I use the folder name, and Deed, Will, Marriage, etc instead of Doe 1, Doe 2, Doe 3. Once you get the Doe folder, it's easy to go to the Marriage section, and then they are in numerical order by TMG source number. I think this will make it easier for other researchers to follow my system.	Created by Teresa Ghee Elliott. I use this system for filing sources and easily being able to retrieve them from TMG and my filing cabinet.
	First you will need the following for this system. File folders: I buy cheap ones (I have since moved to notebooks and sheet protectors. Changes to the system are in PINK) Research log: You can make your own, print from TMG (I'll explain later) or I use some that I got at a Genealogy class years ago. They are basically just colums to record data. I only put about 10-15 sources in a folder. I fill a notebook up and then start a second one. But I don't number them anymore. I use dividers and divide the notebooks into Deaths, Marriages, Wills, etc and then I can move the whole group.	<Note: If you use notebooks, you can still use my system. Just label your notebooks, and use that name in the FILE REFERENCE field.>
		First thing you need to do is label the file folders with each of the SURNAMES you are researching. To start you will need one folder for each surname. I use DOE (1), DOE (2), etc. Now if I need a second folder, I just move the dividers to the second folder, and I don't have to change the file reference. It will still say ELLIOTT-Wills.
	Staple the research log to the front of the file folder. This is where you will record the source number.
		Take your first document, and create a new source in TMG. This source number will go on the front on your research log. You will need to create a new SOURCE ELEMENT and call it SOURCE NUMBER. Put the TMG source number, or a number from your personal numbering system in this field. This will be the same number that will go on the research log. I also use the SOURCE ELEMENT, FILE REFERENCE to hold my file folder name. I changed FILE REFERENCE to be PERSONAL FILE FOLDER.
	I add the following to the full footnote filed of each source: Hereinafter cited as [SHORT TITLE]><: [FILE REFERENCE]><, [SOURCE NUMBER]> This now reads:Hereinafter cited as [SHORT TITLE]><: [PERSONAL FILE FOLDER]><, [SOURCE NUMBER]> And my short footnote is: [SHORT TITLE]><: [FILE REFERENCE]><, [SOURCE NUMBER]>
		This allows my sources to print John Doe, Deed: Doe 1, #1421. It now reads John Doe, Deed: Doe-Deeds, #1421.
	Once I have 10 sources attached to my handwritten research log, I go to the List of Sources and filter it for all sources with the FILE REFERENCE =Doe 1 and then have it print a list. This is my new Research log. I staple it to the front of the folder, and start a new folder called Doe 2.	<Note: I wanted my full footnote to print on my research log, so I copied the full footnote text to the bibliography field, and I use the bibliography report in the LOS. If you do this, you won't be able to print PROPER bibliographies.>
	<Note: I can also look at my footnotes. The folder and number will be at the end of each footnote.>	Now I want to find a source. All I have to do is go to the Master Source list, find the source and open it. There it will tell me to look in FILE REFERENCE Doe 1 and look for SOURCE NUMBER 1421. So I go to the filing cabinet, and pull out file folder Doe 1 and find source #1421 (I write the source number on the back of the document) and I have the source at hand. It's just that easy.
	A cousin with one of my reports can easily tell me which sources they want to see just by reading the footnote to me.