I have used other "fill in the blanks" programs before, and I have also downloaded a multitude of blank forms from Web sites. However, I have never seen a genealogy forms program that has the power and flexibility of Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0. Genealogy Charts & Forms contains more than two hundred pre-designed forms that you can print or save to a file.

Genealogy Charts & Forms version 5.0 is available in two different versions. The Standard version is designed for the user that wishes only to print pre-designed forms, either as blank forms or as "fill in the forms from the keyboard" before printing them. Anyone who wishes to produce unique forms by modifying existing designs with background images or to create forms that look exactly like the original printed form they have acquired in their research will prefer the Gold Edition. The Gold Edition also will turn original documents into editable templates that you can use time and again.

I installed the software on my system and started with the 1880 U.S. Census forms. Once loaded, this form presents an on-screen image that looks much like the original Census forms of 1880. In fact, you can simply print the blank form, then take it to the library or archives and use it for manually transcribing data from the microfilm images of the 1880 U.S. Census. However, you can also enter data directly on your computer, typing in each entry in the proper field on the form. I wish the original enumerators had done this; some of them had handwriting as bad as mine!

I found that I could save the form, even with data already filled in. With the Gold Edition I could also modify the form as much as I wanted and then save the modified version to be used time and again. For instance, I added a column for "quality of image and penmanship." I can now use this form in my own future census forms transcriptions.

I read the list of two hundred included forms and found that they contained almost everything I could think of. Both the Standard Edition and the Gold Edition already include blank forms for use with all the U.S. Census records, Canadian Census Forms from 1841 through 1901, a Census Research Log, various "To-Do Lists," numerous samples of correspondence inquiries, various pedigree charts, family group sheets, a Cemetery Research Form, a Funeral Home Research Form, Will Abstract Form, Deed Abstract Form, Obituary Record Research Form, Military Service Record, Land Transaction Record, Land Tract Abstract Form, Pension Application Form, Immigration Record, Civil War Muster Rolls (five different types), War of 1812 Muster Rolls (two different types) and much more. A complete list of included forms is available on the company’s Web site. Of course, the Gold Edition allows you to create still more!

Trying to describe these forms is almost impossible. Words are inadequate to accurately portray the printouts. Luckily, Design Software’s Web site contains a variety of sample screen shots so that you can see them for yourself.

Both the Standard Edition and the Gold Edition include some nifty utilities. For instance, the program has a Soundex Code Generator. Just type in a surname, and up pops the correct Soundex code for that name. A Birth Date Calculator is also included. Simply press one key, and a Calendar for the current month and year is on your screen.

Genealogy Charts & Forms 5.0 supports custom paper sizes from 5" x 7" cards to 13" x 19" and even larger if your printer will support it. It could even print a form on a large plotter if you wanted. Support for A3, A4, B3, B4, etc. paper sizes has recently been added as well. You can specify form sizes in either inches or in centimeters. In fact, it is easy to switch from inches to centimeters and back again at any time.

Many of the included forms contain background images. The correspondence forms and ancestral charts with background images are especially impressive when printed on a color printer.

For simple printing or "filling in the blanks," the Standard Edition will suffice. However, those who want to modify forms or create their own will want the Gold Edition. This version allows you to design your own forms of any size on any paper. You have total control over the placement of all objects and their properties. This would include font color, font size, and much more.

Designing your own forms is not limited to genealogy. The Gold Edition can help you design editable (or blank) forms of any type. Adding images is a simple matter with this edition. Background images will enhance most any printed form or report. Multi-page forms can also be designed to your exact specifications. For example, Design Software used their own product to design the FAX order form that you fill out, print and then send to them via FAX.

Ever need or wish you could have an exact printed copy of an original form, such as a birth certificate? The Gold Edition will allow you to scan an original form and then lay that image on a blank form in the Forms Designer. You can lay editable fields directly on top of this original form and save your designed form to a template file. Now you have the original form that you can load into the Form Completion Editor and "fill in the blanks" for each new record. As you save each filled in form, you have an exact copy of the original form with information you can view, print or display any time you wish.

Design Software has also added a free file viewer to Charts & Forms Version 5.0. Anyone using the Gold Edition can create a chart and then e-mail it to another person or send it to them on floppy disk or CD-ROM. That person can then use the free File Viewer to view and print the new form. A copy of the free File Viewer is included with Charts & Forms version 5.0. You can legally copy this Viewer and give it to others. Anyone can download the free File Viewer from Design Software’s Web site as well. You can find it at: www.dhc.net/~design/cfviewer.htm.

Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0 is a 32-bit Windows application that requires Windows 95 or later to operate. Design Software, the producers of Genealogy Charts & Forms, reported that they tested the Standard Edition on a machine with only 16 megabytes of memory (RAM), and it ran fine. The Gold Edition also operated on the same system, but its speed was really poor. The company recommends at least a 300 MHz processor and a minimum of 48 megabytes of RAM memory to use the Gold Edition. All Windows computers sold these days will easily match those specifications although older systems may not.

Tom Waldie of Design Software is to be congratulated on this nice genealogy utility. I suspect that a lot of genealogists will consider purchasing Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0.

The big drawback to Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0 is its pricing. The program seems to be much more expensive than other genealogy utility programs. The various components are available directly from Design Software at the following prices:

Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0 File Viewer: FREE

Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0 Standard Edition: $89.95

Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0 Gold Edition: $169.95

I would suggest that you first download a working demo version of Genealogy Charts & Forms 5.0 before buying it. Take the demo for a "test drive," and then make up your own mind.

For more information about Genealogy Charts & Forms Version 5.0, to look at sample screen shots, to download the free File Viewer program, or to purchase either the Standard Edition or the Gold Edition online, go to: www.DesignSW.net/charts50.htm

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