Friday, June 19, 2009

By July 2009 NFS to replace IGI

Yesterday FamilySearch announced to users of the New FamilySearch (NFS) that all temples in Idaho and Utah will record ordinances using the new FamilySearch System by the end of July 2009. Because all temples outside the Orient will be using NFS, no further temple ordinance information will be added to the International Genealogical Index (IGI).

“Because of this, members [of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] should use the new FamilySearch site to view and verify the latest ordinance information,” states Help Center document 107347, which is only available to users logged into NFS. “Members who have registered in the existing FamilySearch.org site will be given access to register in the new FamilySearch system.”

Also because of the total switch-over to NFS, temples will not accept TempleReady floppies except in extenuating circumstances. Instead of taking a TempleReady disk to the temple, patrons take a Family Ordinance Request (FOR), which is a sheet of paper with a bar-code.

However, some members in Utah and Idaho will only be given read-only access to NFS for several months. For such members, the temple submission process will require these steps:

  1. Research and identify ancestors as normal.
  2. Use New FamilySearch to check what ordinances have already been done.
  3. Use TempleReady to prepare a submission file.
  4. Have a family history consultant in your ward or family history center (FHC) convert the TempleReady file to an FOR. For this step, you will need your membership record number.

Family history consultants should be warned that converting a TempleReady file to an FOR does not check for duplicates, as some of the prompts imply. Last Wednesday at my FHC a patron accidentally brought in a TempleReady file for a family that he had submitted earlier in the day. NFS accepted the file without complaint.

After reading the announcement, I felt unclear on several points:

  • When will members who have registered in the existing FamilySearch.org site be given access to register in the NFS site? Now? As their temple goes live? At the end of July?
  • What determines who gets full-access versus who gets read-only access? System load?
  • Will all members who have registered in the existing Family FamilySearch.org get full access?
  • When will members who have not registered in the existing FamilySearch.org get to use NFS?

In the Timpanogos temple district, members are already required to take FORs to the temple, even though only consultants have access to NFS.

  • Is this true in other Idaho/Utah temples?
  • Is there a place in the Help Center we can go to see a list or a schedule showing when that requirement starts at the remaining Idaho and Utah temples?
  • Members in the Timpanogos temple district must have a family history consultant do the duplication check for them since only consultants currently have NFS access. Will that continue to be the case for some stakes after the end of July?

If I get any answers, I’ll pass them on. Stay tuned…

P.S. Draper and Idaho Falls consultants received notice yesterday that they now have NFS access. Watch for the latest news at “Temple Districts Using New FamilySearch.”

8 comments:

  1. I was able to register today (Bountiful) but can see my pedigree only and not my husband's. I tried to register him but was denied. There are no temple icons, so I assume my registration is read only.

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  2. OK - I read your post again and now I'm thinking I was able to register because I already had a user name to see ordinances on the IGI. ?

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  3. I'm in the Jordan River district and, after reading this, tried to register again, was successful, and have full access. Very, very cool stuff...

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  4. Members who have registered in the existing FamilySearch.org site be given access to register in the NFS site as their temple district and stake goes live.
    Will all members who have registered in the existing Family FamilySearch.org get full access? No, only as their temple district/stake go live.
    When will members who have not registered in the existing FamilySearch.org get to use NFS?
    They are two separate registration processes. Again, members will have to re-register with nFS regardless of whether they are registered in FamilySearch.org or not; that access will come only as their temple district/stake are rolled out.

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  5. Hmm, I have to disagree a bit with the previous comment since my stake has not gone live yet. Despite this fact, I was able to register today and have full access--those who live in a stake that has not gone live yet may want to try and register--nothing to be lost!

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  6. Bryan,

    Just to quantify your experience...

    * Had you previously registered as a consultant, leader, or other genealogy calling?
    * Had you previously registered on the old FamilySearch.org?
    * How do you know you have full access rather than read-only access?
    * Are you in the Highland stake?

    Thanks,
    -- The Insider

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  7. I'm registered on both the old and new site, I have been on the old site for years, and am registered as a consultant as well (current LDS calling).

    This morning I checked, and the dialog box mentioned in this article did not show.

    Also, Renee Zamora is reporting that that there are some other things going on regarding the switchover from TempleReady to nFS, especially regarding checking for duplicates where members do not have access yet but consultants do.

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  8. I've been trying to get into NFS today, but it won't let me register. I'm in the Jordan River Temple District. A member of my ward was able to register last week. At first he had read only access. He contacted someone and now has full privilages. He is not a priesthood leader nor is he a family history consultant. Was there an access hole last week that has been closed? He has since tried to register his wife and cannot do so. I have some names I want to clear and really want to use NFS to clear them. I find it hard to wait for them to bring all of the Jordon River district on line. Is it being done stake by stake?

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