Profile Comparison Worksheet
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When you think two profiles might be the same person, use this form to review them systematically, so you don't merge them when you shouldn't. Enter each type of fact, with each profile's version of it in its own column. Once the table is complete, examine each row and make an Agree/Differ decision, leaving both boxes empty where the answer is undetermined. The Final Conclusion and summary shouldn't be started until the review is complete.
Versions — The form has two versions which can be selected from the Version list above the form: the Fillable version, filled in on screen, and the Print blank version, a blank copy for filling in by hand.
Printing — Print opens the browser's print window, where the form can be printed or saved as a PDF instead.
Continuation pages — When more entries are needed beyond the first page, a continuation page provides more space. In the Fillable version, "Add a page" at the bottom of the form adds another, with the names and profile IDs carried over from the first. For a page filled in by hand, choose Print blank under Version and Continuation under Page, then print it as many times as needed.
Page no. — A page number line can be added to a single sheet.
A Profile Comparison Worksheet lays out facts from two profiles side by side so they can be evaluated to determine whether they represent the same person or two different people. It can be used to help decide whether two profiles should be merged or kept separate. Comparing the identifying details the two profiles hold helps reveal information that agrees, differs, or remains uncertain.
Name — A person is named in full, with a woman's birth surname (maiden name) rather than a married one. The birth surname connects her to her parents' family and to the records made before her marriage.
Profile ID — A profile ID can be whatever identifier the researcher chooses: the ID a family tree or database gives a person's profile, such as a FamilySearch ID, or one from the researcher's own numbering system. A consistent system across a body of research gives the same person the same ID on every form. The ID ties the form to one specific person where a name alone could fit several, and makes that person quick to find again.
The objective identifies the question, problem, or reason for the research or analysis. It provides context for the work and helps focus the evaluation of the information and evidence being considered. Recording the objective preserves what the research or analysis was intended to address, which can be especially useful when returning to the work later and the original question or purpose is no longer clear.
Fact names the kind of information in its row: names, births, deaths, marriages, other events, relatives, residences, occupations, education, military service, appearance, physical conditions, or any other detail that helps tell one person from another. Keeping one fact to a row lets each be judged on its own.
Each row can be marked as agreeing or differing; with neither box marked, the comparison is still undetermined. Information that appears different may point to two different people, or it may be the same information recorded or displayed in different ways, such as a nickname instead of a full name, or a county instead of a specific city. Information that appears the same can mislead in the other direction: two people can share a name, a birth year or a place and still be different people.
Next steps and notes provide a summary of the work and its current status. They may include what was researched or analyzed, what was determined, what remains unresolved, the conclusion reached, and questions or ideas for further research. This gives a quick overview, making it easier to return to later without having to review the entire form again.
An identifier for a specific form. The same identifier goes on every page of the form, so pages that become separated can be put back together, and another form can refer to it.
The prefix is unique to each type of form. The rest, up to four characters, is chosen by the researcher and can be numbers, letters, or both. Combining letters with numbers allows more forms to be referenced with fewer characters. Each Quick Reference chart carries a fixed identifier instead, such as "QRC-C2", which names the chart itself and has nothing to fill in.