Without traditional information associated with submissions, DNA analysis is extremely limited. It is key to have the first two or three generations after the oldest proven ancestor. The traditional documentation must be well proven as well. Speculation should be included but should be clearly labeled as speculation. If traditional documentation is submitted as well proven that is actually incorrect, the analysis of DNA submissions will be polluted as well. Sometimes what is believed to be solid connections will be proven false by DNA. If DNA evidence does not match traditional documentation, then alternative connections will be presented based on DNA evidence. The administrators retain the right to modify submitted documentation if DNA evidence supports these changes. There are three primary methods to submit your traditional documentation (use any method or combination of methods):

1) Send an e-mail directly to the admin (using the format described below)
2) Submit a GEDCOM file to the Family Tree DNA site (details shown below)
3) Upload your DNA marker values to Y-Search and submit a GEDCOM at the Y-Search web site (details shown below)

Submit Family Tree directly to project admin

This is probably the best method as the GEDCOM file does not contain all information that is useful for the analysis of your submission. DNA analysis requires knowing more about the children and grandchildren of oldest proven ancestors. Also, key information about submission numbers, Y-Search IDs and web sites that give more detail about the line are important as well. Only the ancestry of the donor require matching traditional documentation. Traditional documentation about lines that have no supporting DNA evidence is not the goal of this project. The ancestry of the sponsor is not important as it does not represent the DNA of the donor. Submissions are not limited to Family Tree DNA testing but they are preferred due to the breadth of testing available and compatibility of markers being tested. Only one page (sometimes two pages) is required to fully document the line of the donor (look at many family trees to see what information is included and how the information is organized). Below is a list of information to include in your Family History summary:

1) List only direct "all male" ancestors of the DNA donor only (not the sponsor)
2) Include all sons oldest proven ancestor (if case other submissions are required)
2) Also include all grandsons oldest proven ancestor (if few sons are known)
4) The first three oldest generations are critical to DNA analysis
5) Indicate oldest well proven ancestor by clearly labeling that ancestor as such
6) Feel free to add one or two additional generations of speculated ancestry (clearly label as speculative to avoid confusion and pollute DNA analysis)
7) Include birth, marriage and death dates primarily
8) Include details of geography of each event (add unique events if other significant geographies are known, ie. resided at Talbot County, GA, 1835)
9) Fully document all male ancestors of donor born before 1910
10) Descendants born after 1910 – show only relationship to donor (list as donor, father of donor or grandfather of donor - the number of generations is important to analysis)
11) Include any web links that document line in detail
12) Include description of any paper-based publications that are known
13) Include Y-Search ID (if one has been created)
14) Include name of testing company if not FTDNA or FTDNA submission number

Submit Family Tree at Family Tree DNA web site

Family Tree DNA allows all submissions to upload a GEDCOM file of their ancestry. This file is not limited to just to the all-male line of the donor. Just log into the Family Tree DNA web site (use your submission number as the ID and your password). Once logged into FTDNA, select the link User Preferences under MyAccount section. You either import a GEDCOM or you can also load one surname at a time (and enter multiple entries for the same surname and change the geography each time). The GEDCOM file allows much more detail about your family history and is preferred. The GEDCOM file is file that can be generated by almost all genealogical software programs.

Submit Family Tree at Y-Search web site

The Y-Search web site also allows you to upload your DNA marker values from the Family Tree DNA web site. You can only upload from FTDNA once, so wait until all markers are analyzed before uploading. After the initial upload, you can still manually log into the Y-Search web site and add more marker values. After you have uploaded your marker values from FTDNA web site to the Y-Search web site, the Y-Search screen also has another GEDCOM upload option. This database open to anyone who is interested in DNA and includes many submissions from other testing companies. I highly urge tha all submissions to upload their DNA marker values to the Y-Search databased for widest exposure to the genealogical community.