Up until now, I have put them in File Folders in my Thunderbird email program. Before I had this computer, I put them in File Folders in Outlook Express. Same with the three computers before that. Every time the computer failed, I lost all of my email files (no matter that I tried to copy it to the new computer...). Then I decided to create Microsoft word documents for each correspondent - and I did that hit and miss for a year or so, and then forgot to do it on a regular basis. Then I decided to save the email as an email file in a Correspondence file folder, and I did that for awhile.
I've decided to try to use the Correspondence List in RootsMagic 6. I can access it in the Lists > Correspondence List:
After clicking on the "Correspondence List" link, the list of items already in my Correspondence List opened:
The items are listed in alphabetical order by the "Description of Correspondence" item. Highlighting one of the items shows the description title, the type (mail or email), the date, the correspondent, the filename, and the details of the correspondence.
There are four buttons at the top of the screen above, for "Add," "Edit," "Delete" and "Print."
I wanted to add another email to the list, so I clicked on "add" and filled in the fields in the "Edit Correspondence" screen:
I used the Subject of the email as the "Description," selected "Email" from the "Type" dropdown list, selected "Received" from the "Sent or Received" dropdown list, and copied and pasted the text from the email into the "Detail" field.
Since the email was from a new correspondent to the list, I clicked on "Select Address..." button and added the person, and his email address, to the Address list.
When I was done, the "Correspondence List" had added the item:
While this Correspondence List is fairly easy to use, and enables a user to capture pretty much everything from an email (except attachments - perhaps a link to them in the computer file folder could be added?), I have some problems with it.
* The list is presented as alphabetical by the Description. Since I'm using the email subject as the description, I lose the continuity of one email thread. I could put the correspondents name first, I guess, and that would group a thread together. I could make all emails in a thread one item in the Correspondents list also.
* My preference would be to have another field for a Group (one or more surname, or a locality, or a methodology) so that I could put all of the Seaver emails into a Seaver group, all of the DNA emails in a DNA group, etc. They could mirror the folders in my email program.
The beauty of the Correspondence List is that a user can capture and keep all of their correspondence in their genealogy program, as long as they have a method to consistently title the description and add to the Correspondence List diligently. I don't know if the Correspondence List is exported to a GEDCOM file or if other programs can Import the correspondents list - i'll have to check that out!
To my thinking, this is a fairly good way to keep correspondence, but discipline to keep it current. It could be better if the user could add Groups to separate different topics.
How do you keep track of your genealogy correspondents and email? Are you using something similar to the RootsMagic Correspondence List? What suggestions do you have to improve the RootsMagic Correspondence List?
The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/07/using-correspondence-list-in-rootsmagic.html
copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver
