Genealogy software makes it very simple to enter and keep track of all of your information. It also makes it easier to share information – you can usually print off different genealogy forms or generate a GEDCOM file and send it to another researcher in minutes.

With so many software programs to pick from, deciding on the best software package for you may feel intimidating. Genealogy software packages include a broad range of options, such as how they format data, the sorts of charts they generate, their capacity to help you organise your research, and the ability to save additional material such as pictures and scanned documents.

Entire books have been published on how to choose the best genealogy application, but it all comes down to what is best for you. Making a list of your criteria and then trying out the programs that appear to fulfil those requirements is the best method to pick the correct application.

Keep the following in mind when you compile your list of requirements:

What do you intend to do with your information? Some family historians want to construct magnificent wall-sized trees, some want to add photographs, music, and video, while others are searching for a simple application that can store names, dates, and events.

Do you intend to share your findings with other family historians online? Some of the major genealogy companies allow you to submit your family tree data online directly from your computer program.

Will you wish to use the information you submit to create a book? Some software packages have more features for printing family history books than others.

What types of charts and reports do you want your program to be able to generate?

How eager are you to put in the effort to learn all of the program’s features? If you are often frustrated and dislike reading instruction manuals, you may want to forego the fancy software package in favour of a somewhat simpler application with which you can rapidly become acquainted.