Do you need help with your Family Tree Maker? Do you want to know how to print a certain chart? Or why a field isn’t showing where it should? How to customise fields, or why the little green leaf is shaking … or any number of other queries.

This is not a post that will answer your specific queries*, but rather one that introduces you to all the wonderful resources that are available to users to help you learn and use the program to its full potential.

*** BOOKS ***

UTP0371So You Are Totally New to Family Tree Maker
printed book
ebook
Available as both a printed book and an ebook, this guide book covers the absolute basics that will help  users get up and running, even if you have little computer knowledge.

The book will takes users through installation, registration, activating your Ancestry.com subscription, followed by an introduction to creating or importing files. It also introduces new users to the eight workspaces within the program with enough simple explanation to start using it.

So for everyone who is just starting out on Family Tree Maker with FTM 2012, FTM 2014 or FTM for Mac 2 or FTM for Mac 3, this is a book for you!.

UTP0372Opening the Doors to Family Tree Maker: or How to Enter Your Information Correctly
printed book
ebook
For everyone who is just starting out with Family Tree Maker with FTM 2012, FTM 2014 or FTM for Mac 3, this is a useful book for you!

It takes users through the various data entry ‘doors’ in Family Tree Maker encouraging them to focus on correct data entry so that the program can deliver the best outcome and output to the user.

 

 

 

*** BLOGS ***

About Family Tree Maker
http://aboutfamilytreemaker.blogspot.nl/
“I am a long time user of Family Tree Maker software. It is the only genealogy software I know and use. This blog is here because FTM does a horrid job of communicating with their users and is far worse at allowing their users to communicate with them. Perhaps my posts here and your comments will convince them to vastly improve their interaction with users of their software. But I doubt it.”

Ancestry > Family Tree Maker
http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/category/products/ftm/
Ancestry’s own blog, as you would expect does maker mention of Family tree maker from time to time. So clicking on the FTM tag bring sup all those relevant posts.

 

FTM User blog

Family Tree Maker User
http://ftmuser.blogspot.com
Russ Worthington (aka Cousin Russ) has been a user of FTM since version 3, and seems to know everything there is to know about the program. He shares his knowledge of the program with other via his blog, and his You Tube channel.

Geneamusings > Family Tree Maker
http://www.geneamusings.com/search/label/FamilyTreeMaker
Randy Seaver uses and reviews a number of genealogy software programs, with FTM being one of them. His blog is not dedicated to FTM, but he does have a tag which allows you to find all relevant posts.

 

 

*** FAQ HELPS ***

Ancestry’s Learning Centre  
http://www.ancestry.com/cs/HelpAndAdviceUS

Be sure to check out the Learning Centre on the Ancestry website. There is a lot of useful information relating to FTM here.

Ancestry Knowledge Base

Ancestry’s Knowledge Base
http://help.ancestry.com/app/home
Ancestry Knowledge Base (or online help centre) is one to check out as well. Type in your program version or query, and see what comes up. Just putting in the phrase Family Tree Maker brings up over 700 entries

Family Tree Maker Learning Centre
http://www.familytreemaker.com/Learn
In the learning center, you’ll find a variety of resources to help you learn how to use Family Tree Maker and connect with family historians who share your interests. Watch the webinars and tutorials, check out the quick start guide and more.

 

*** MAILING LISTS, MESSAGE BOARDS & FORUMS ***

Family Tree Maker Message Board
http://boards.ancestry.com/topics.software.famtreemaker/mb.ashx
The FTM Message Board seem to be the place to get answers quickest. It is incredibly active, and is monitored by people who know the program incredibly well.

Genealogy.com Forums > Family Tree Maker
http://www.genealogy.com/forum/general/topics/using/
A useful place to look for answers if you are having problems. There are currently over 10,000 entries in this “Useange and How To Use Family Tree Maker” forum.

GenealogyWise > Family Tree Maker Fans
http://www.genealogywise.com/group/familytreemakerusers
The GenealogyWise forum is another place to put your query out there, if you’ve looked for an answer to your problem and can’t find any results.

RootsWeb FTM Mailing List
http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Software/FTM.html
A mailing list primarily for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Family Tree Maker genealogy software program.

RootsWeb FTM 2008 HELP Mailing List
http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Software/FTM-2008-HELP.html
A mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding Family Tree Maker (FTM) 2008 and later editions of this genealogy software program including help in learning how to use the interface and discussion of problems encountered.

RootsWeb FTM HELP Mailing List
http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Software/FTM-HELP.html
A mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Family Tree Maker genealogy software program.

RootsWeb FTM MAC Mailing List
http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Software/FTM-MAC.html
A mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Family Tree Maker genealogy software program for Apple Mac.

RootsWeb FTM TECH Mailing List
http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Software/FTM-TECH.html
For advanced discussions on FTM.

 

*** SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES & GROUPS ***

FTM Google+ Community

Cousin Russ Genealogy Community
https://plus.google.com/communities/101683277795967472268
Created in support of the DearMYRTLE’s Genealogy Community and a Community for Family Tree Maker Users.

Family Tree Maker Adelaide Users Group
https://www.facebook.com/FamilyTreeMakerAdelaideUserGroup?ref=br_rs
The Adelaide FTM User Group in South Australia meets once a month at Salisbury.

Family Tree Maker
https://www.facebook.com/groups/188753991174368/
This group is set up to discuss thoughts, ideas and problems associated with genealogy.

Family Tree Maker 2014 Users
https://www.facebook.com/groups/612548515558308/
This is a group for users of Family Tree Maker 2014 to discussion issues with and how they use FTM 2014.

Family Tree Maker Tech Support
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Family-Tree-Maker-Tech-Support/139006359447925?fref=ts
Do you have a problem with Family Tree Maker? As a former tech support person for Banner Blue, ask your questions and I’ll see if I can help! Thanks!

*** YOUTUBE ***

YouTube Ancestry

Ancestry.com 
https://www.youtube.com/user/AncestryCom
The obvious place to go to for FTM help on YouTube is to the Ancestry.com YouTube Channel. They do have many short videos on FTM, as well as a heap relating to the Ancestry website. Browse through to see what they offer.

YouTube > Family Tree Maker 2014
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22family+tree+maker+2014%22
While Ancestry videos on FTM are good, if you search for “Family Tree Maker 2014” on YouTube you’ll find over 1200 videos there. So that is a good place to look if you want some help.

 

*** TECH SUPPORT ***

If you still need help, you can always contact Ancestry’s Tech Support team.

Australia
1-800-251-838 (toll free)
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm AEST
Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm AEST
                        ———–
Canada*
1-800-958-9073 (toll free)
*We do not offer French support on weekends.
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm ET
Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm ET
                        ———–
Ireland
1800-303-664 (toll free)
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm GMT
Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm GMT
                        ———–
New Zealand
0-800-442-100 (toll free)
Monday – Friday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm NZST
Saturday – Sunday: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm NZST
                        ———–
Sweden
020-091 0203 (toll free)
Monday – Friday: 10:00 am – 17:00 CET
Saturday – Sunday: Closed
                        ———–
United Kingdom
0800-404-9723 (toll free)
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm GMT
Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm GMT
                        ———–

United States (Contiguous 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii)
1-800-ANCESTRY (262-3787) (toll free)
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm ET
Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm ET