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Mastering Family Tree Maker - September 2026
Regular price
$125.00
September 30, 2026 3PM EDT
From First Install to Finished Family History
Stop treating Family Tree Maker like a glorified digital filing cabinet.
Most genealogists barely scratch the surface of the software, wasting years fighting features instead of letting them do the heavy lifting. In this hands-on course, you'll learn to use Family Tree Maker like a seasoned professional.
This live, three-hour session is designed to immerse you in a hands-on learning experience. Led by genealogy expert Shannon Combs-Bennett, you’ll benefit from:
- Expert Guidance: Learn directly from a renowned genealogy professional.
- Practical Handouts: Access downloadable resources to enhance your learning.
Q&A: Get your questions answered during the live session and through our exclusive online forum for one week, ensuring all your questions are answered and you receive personalized guidance as you apply what you've learned.
What You’ll Learn:
- Build a Bulletproof Foundation: Master file setup, foolproof backups, and clean data entry designed to handle thousands of ancestors without collapsing into chaos.
- Master Evidence & Sources: Link real documents, manage media without bloating your file, and use color-coding, filters, and research notes to stay organized.
- Conquer Hints & Syncing: Seamlessly integrate Ancestry and FamilySearch while learning how to critically evaluate hints before adding them to your tree.
- Share Your Legacy: Transform raw data into stunning charts, reports, and published family history books that your relatives will actually read.
By the end of this course you'll be able to:
- Bulletproof Your Research: Install, configure, and back up your files like a pro so your years of work are never lost.
- Standardize Data Entry: Use clean naming, date, and place conventions to keep your tree accurate, searchable, and compatible with others.
- Source with Confidence: Attach rigorous citations and evaluate evidence quality to build a credible, defensible family tree.
- Manage Media Efficiently: Organize photos and documents seamlessly without bloating, slowing down, or breaking your file.
- Conquer Hints Safely: Master Ancestry and FamilySearch syncing, hints, and matching tools while avoiding disastrous bad merges.
- Control Large Trees: Use color-coding, smart filters, tasks, and notes to stay completely organized as your tree grows past thousands of people.
- Publish Your Legacy: Turn raw data into stunning charts, reports, and family history books for relatives to cherish.
- Troubleshoot Like an Expert: Quickly diagnose and fix sync errors, duplicate profiles, and broken media links.
Whether you are launching your very first tree or looking to finally master software you've used for years, you'll walk away with a streamlined, confident system that works.
Experience Interactive Learning with an Expert
Shannon Combs-Bennett, PhD, QG, FSAScot, is a genealogist, educator, and award-winning author who is passionate about helping researchers build family histories that stand the test of time. She completed her MSc in Genealogical, Heraldic, and Paleographic Studies at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, where she later earned her PhD in History and Genealogical Studies.
A Qualified Genealogist (QG) and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Shannon has spent over a decade teaching genealogical research and methodology to audiences ranging from local societies to international conferences. A familiar face at Family Tree University, she has taught numerous courses on source citation and sound research practice.
Her book Genealogy Basics In 30 Minutes received a Benjamin Franklin Silver Award. Shannon is known for making complex topics accessible and practical for genealogists at every level.
Regular price
$125.00
September 30, 2026 3PM EDT
From First Install to Finished Family History
Stop treating Family Tree Maker like a glorified digital filing cabinet.
Most genealogists barely scratch the surface of the software, wasting years fighting features instead of letting them do the heavy lifting. In this hands-on course, you'll learn to use Family Tree Maker like a seasoned professional.
This live, three-hour session is designed to immerse you in a hands-on learning experience. Led by genealogy expert Shannon Combs-Bennett, you’ll benefit from:
- Expert Guidance: Learn directly from a renowned genealogy professional.
- Practical Handouts: Access downloadable resources to enhance your learning.
Q&A: Get your questions answered during the live session and through our exclusive online forum for one week, ensuring all your questions are answered and you receive personalized guidance as you apply what you've learned.
What You’ll Learn:
- Build a Bulletproof Foundation: Master file setup, foolproof backups, and clean data entry designed to handle thousands of ancestors without collapsing into chaos.
- Master Evidence & Sources: Link real documents, manage media without bloating your file, and use color-coding, filters, and research notes to stay organized.
- Conquer Hints & Syncing: Seamlessly integrate Ancestry and FamilySearch while learning how to critically evaluate hints before adding them to your tree.
- Share Your Legacy: Transform raw data into stunning charts, reports, and published family history books that your relatives will actually read.
By the end of this course you'll be able to:
- Bulletproof Your Research: Install, configure, and back up your files like a pro so your years of work are never lost.
- Standardize Data Entry: Use clean naming, date, and place conventions to keep your tree accurate, searchable, and compatible with others.
- Source with Confidence: Attach rigorous citations and evaluate evidence quality to build a credible, defensible family tree.
- Manage Media Efficiently: Organize photos and documents seamlessly without bloating, slowing down, or breaking your file.
- Conquer Hints Safely: Master Ancestry and FamilySearch syncing, hints, and matching tools while avoiding disastrous bad merges.
- Control Large Trees: Use color-coding, smart filters, tasks, and notes to stay completely organized as your tree grows past thousands of people.
- Publish Your Legacy: Turn raw data into stunning charts, reports, and family history books for relatives to cherish.
- Troubleshoot Like an Expert: Quickly diagnose and fix sync errors, duplicate profiles, and broken media links.
Whether you are launching your very first tree or looking to finally master software you've used for years, you'll walk away with a streamlined, confident system that works.
Experience Interactive Learning with an Expert
Shannon Combs-Bennett, PhD, QG, FSAScot, is a genealogist, educator, and award-winning author who is passionate about helping researchers build family histories that stand the test of time. She completed her MSc in Genealogical, Heraldic, and Paleographic Studies at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, where she later earned her PhD in History and Genealogical Studies.
A Qualified Genealogist (QG) and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Shannon has spent over a decade teaching genealogical research and methodology to audiences ranging from local societies to international conferences. A familiar face at Family Tree University, she has taught numerous courses on source citation and sound research practice.
Her book Genealogy Basics In 30 Minutes received a Benjamin Franklin Silver Award. Shannon is known for making complex topics accessible and practical for genealogists at every level.