Family Tree Maker TreeSync to go Offline Effective Wednesday!

Post date: Mar 28, 2017 2:24:33 AM

In case you missed it, and it would have been very easy to have missed, Ancestry.com will discontinue TreeSync effective midnight Utah time on Wednesday 29 March 2017.

If you use Family Tree Maker (FTM), and if you synchronize your tree with the Ancestry website (this is done via "TreeSync"), please read this!

As of this time, Ancestry plans to discontinue TreeSync as of midnight (Utah time) this Wednesday 29 March 2017!

If you purchased a copy of FTM 2014 or earlier from Ancestry, then this Wednesday will be the last time that you will be able to synchronize your tree with the Ancestry.com Website. If you purchased your version of FTM 2014 or 2014.1 from Software Mackiev then I think that you have less to worry about.

As you may recall, Ancestry sold future development and support for the FTM software to Software Mackiev (Mackiev) last year. Since then, I have found the support available from Mackiev to be exceptionally lacking in both quality and accessibility.

Mackiev will be introducing FTM 2017 on Friday (31 March 2017). This new version will have a new synchronizing feature called "FamilySync", which will allow you to synchronize your tree between FTM and Ancestry.com.

This means that no trees will be synchronized with Ancestry between 29 March and 31 March. That's right! Not only will they not be running both services in parallel for any period of time, they will not be running either for a period of 2 days. They will then be releasing something that does not appear to have been tested in a live environment.

This also means that, if you would like to continue synchronizing your tree after this date, you will need to upgrade your software to FTM 20217 and then to import your tree in to FTM 2017.

Ancestry posted an obscure blog about this 9 days in advance of the termination of TreeSync, and Mackiev users via email only 5 days in advance of the end of TreeSync!

I have not been very impressed by the way that this upcoming transition from TreeSync to FamilySync is being handled. My personal feeling is that the lack of advance warning combined with the lack of parallel operation, what appears to be an inadequately tested product and lacking customer support is a recipe for disaster.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that this WILL be a disaster. I do acknowledge that there exists the possibility that the switch over will go without a hitch. To be safe, however, I do recommend that you be prepared for the possibility that you may not be able to properly synchronize your tree(s) for at least several days after the 29th, so get it done before then if at all possible. I also recommend that you backup your tree throughout this process.

If you would like help with your genealogy, contact Ancestors & Cousins today.