Robin, I keep my DNA match investigations separate from TMG, only noting in TMG (flag) if any of of "my lot" have tested, and what sort of test they took. Close matches, or matches that prove a brickwall will sometimes have more data held but mostly as source info with notes as to why a relationship conclusion was reached. This is for atDNA yDNA I handle completely within TMG - using SecondSite to produce my surnames project yDNA tables. I do however use RootsMagic as my atDNA analysis/DNA Match database extensively. Warning: I am a DNA and genie addict and I really mean "extensively".<g> That way I can use the ability to connect from RMagic to FamilySearch/MyHeritage/FindMyPast and Ancestry  to build up/check the trees of the matches, keep track of pedigrees of matches, immediately see (via colour coding of test takers) if anyone down a line has tested etc. FWIW the name of the match I normally enter as best I can eg if there's a tree attached you can usually infer a surname. I add the ancestry username into the nickname field on RM, their GEDMatch id / kit number if available into the Suffix I do have a DNAMatch custom fact/tag for matching groups of interest with those matching at the same spot attached as shares aka witnesses where I have roles set up for the different match predicted relationships (eg FTDNA1-2, 23andme5th, Anc4-6) bewteen the test taker and the match The description of the fact contains eg Chr 01P/050 LIH/name1/name2/ which tells me that I'm the test taker (the LIH) this group is on my paternal chromosome 1 (the 01P) start position 50 mbp with the names being the closer matches to help me identify the group further and the notes show anything I know about  the MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestors) so far identified between any members of the group I keep the profile info provided by a match in their DNA tag (comes standard with RM) eg surname/location lists, "about", haplogroups and also keep the contact info, including links to their online trees in the address info. The source for the person's existence in the database contains the summary match details to the test taker that brought them to my attention, usually the summary of the match from FTDNA FamilyFinder Match screen, the Ancestry/MyHeritage/23andme match details. I also use RM's groups (TMG Focus groups equivalent, sort of) to be able to  quickly find eg tested descendants of family y, a cluster of Ancestry testers that connect somehow being worked on, those matches likely to crack brickwall xyz..... This has all been refined over several years and works really well _*for me*_, in conjunction with my personal mySQL database with all the downloaded segment/match data from the testing companies plus additional data added as I analyse the data. GenomeMatePro does the same sort of thing,  and has support and documentation <g> If a rellie pops up as a DNA match and they aren't already in TMG, they get added with the necessary connected branches with normal sources etc and the dnatestee flag set appropriately but all the speculative rellies are all completely separate. Lorna Henderson http://LornaHen.com On 19/12/17 01:12, Robin Kaspar wrote: > I would like to start a discussion about how to use TMG, not as an analysis tool because of course it isn’t designed for that, but as an organizational and management tool for DNA matches. > > I have watched the presentation by John Clark to the Roots User Group of Arlington a month or so ago and I see how he uses it, although he hasn’t yet answered some questions I have. > > I have created a simplistic “DNA Match” tag in a first attempt to flag people in my database that I know for sure are matches. I’m not terribly imaginative, and I don’t know what kinds of details about the matches I should record in TMG. (Like do I only need to record cms and segments or do I need to record chromosome numbers and whatever else goes along with that?) I need to formulate a plan for TMG soon because like you, I’m getting new matches every week. I manage tests for my parents, children, husband, cousins. I need a solution that will work for their matches when they don’t also match me. > > What I think I want is a way to record matches for reference. Hence my DNA Match tag. But I also want to record matches for output in narrative reports so I might need another tag for that. Or maybe it doesn’t have to be complicated and I can just add Roles and Sentences to my tag. I probably should have a custom report to list these people so that I can keep track of them (and I have a lot of this in an Excel spreadsheet, so TMG wouldn’t be my only documentation). > > I would appreciate some ideas about how you’ve solved this and how it works for you. What tags have you set up? What roles/sentences have you set up for output? > > I have one specific question right off the bat: Let’s say I have a close match who is not in my database (I can tell that because of their tree). I want to add him/her but they don’t use their real name on Ancestry. It seems that I can use the “other name” field to record their username until I know what their real name is. Can I also record their real name in that name tag or will I have to have another name tag for that when the time comes? > > Thanks for all your help! > > Robin in Short Pump > The TMG archive is found here: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index/TMG/ > Instructions on how to subscribe to TMG: http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Software/TMG.html > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message