GenSmarts Trial

GenSmarts allows users to import family trees from popular ancestry research programs and then analyzes the data to give users further research ideas. Although many of the suggestions may be things that users have already tried, the program has the potential to provide clues in their research that they hadn't already considered.

The program's interface is not entirely intuitive, but it opens with a welcome wizard and has a comprehensive built-in Help file, as well as links to online tutorials demonstrating the program's features. We decided to try the program with a family tree that we had previously created using Ancestry.com. The file was easy to import, and GenSmarts immediately went to work analyzing our data and making suggestions. GenSmarts hypothesizes missing information based on what's already known. For example, the program estimated the marriage date of one family member based on the birth date of the family member and his spouse. Obviously, this is not going to provide exact results, but it does give users something to go on if they're otherwise stumped. The program then provides suggestions for records that may be of use, such as census, marriage, and death records.

Although the program functioned well, it didn't provide us with anything we hadn't already investigated on Ancestry.com. Still, family tree research can be frustrating, and any potential tool is worth a try. GenSmarts has a 30-day trial and also limitations on search results and printing. It installs easily but leaves a folder behind upon removal. We recommend this program to anyone who's looking for additional leads while doing genealogy research.