By now you've seen the pop-up, read the blog post at https://www.geni.com/blog/geni-adds-dna-to-the-world-family-tree-39... and bought the plush toys (okay, I made that last part up... there are no plush toys). But you're sure to have questions, and we have answers!
We've been toiling away at this feature for over a year and we're excited to finally integrate DNA results into Geni. It's not perfect on Day 1 but "incremental improvement" is our unofficial motto (we had to drop "do it for the condors" after an unfortunate mountain-climbing incident) and it only gets better from here. So let's have it -- tell us your thoughts, your concerns, your dreams...
We've started a new section of our Knowledge Base on help.geni.com for DNA-related topics: http://help.geni.com/forums/23100967-DNA
I am excited about this feature, BUT I keep getting the CONFLICT arrow popping up and it says that my father and myself do not match each other here on Geni. Now before you say I am an NPE, just know that my tests on AncestryDNA and FTDNA show parent/child relationship, sharing 3384.06 (FTNDA).
I match my mom here fine (green check match), but for some reason, my dad's DNA and his sister I am not showing as a match, I get the CONFLICT triangle.
I have disconnected from FTDNA and reconnected. No change.
I uploaded my AncestryDNA raw data and no change.
Not sure what is going on? Time needed maybe?
Private User and Private if you've had your Autosomal DNA tested with AncestryDNA or 23andMe, you have two choices:
1. Do a transfer through FamilyTree DNA and then link that account -- more information at https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/imports/transfer-autosomal-ance...
2. Download your raw autosomal data from Ancestry / 23andMe and upload it to Geni at https://www.geni.com/dna-tests/upload_autosomal
The first option will cost $39 unless you can recruit 4 friends to also transfer their autosomal DNA, but you will be able to transfer your results to Geni as soon as the transfer process is complete at FTDNA.
The second option is free but we're still working on the pieces we need to match Autosomal DNA between providers -- meaning you may end up waiting a month or more while we put those tools in place.
2nd question. It is not clear how to attach DNA results for FTDNA tests outside of your own.
I attempted to attach results for my grandmother. I have access to the account at FTDNA, but when I clicked on the link in Geni I was already logged into my account at FTDNA. This just showed me the page that said I was already connected.
So I logged out of FTDNA, then clicked on the link in Geni to try again. Logged into my grandmother's FTDNA account, hit the connect option. This prompted me to allow a connection from my grandmother's FTDNA account to my own account.
At this point I wasn't sure that was what should happen and cancelled it.
It certainly complicates matters that FTDNA treats each kit as a different account and has no way to share access across accounts.
Mike Stangel I decided to detach all of the tests from Geni and start over. That worked and now I have green check marks and NO Conflicts.
Make sure that you are logged into the FTDNA profile of the person on Geni that you will be uploading their DNA too.
Leanne M (Volunteer Curator - Australia) 🇦🇺 I manage several and only have one geni login. If you are transferring FTDNA tests, just make sure you are logged into the FTDNA DNA account that matches the Geni profile you will be attaching. You cannot choose or change during the process.
Private User I'm glad you got it worked out. Yes, there seems to be some difficulty keeping the FTDNA logins sorted out while connecting family members. From our testing I don't think it's a bug, just more of a clumsy process.
Which, Jonathan Scott Krengel I'm sure you'll agree. It DOES work, but you have to remember two things:
1. Initiate the connection from the Geni profile that you want the DNA posted to (on the DNA tab, the top green box that says "Has <relative's name> already taken a DNA test? If you have access to his/her DNA test results, use our simple and error-free one-click process to transfer those DNA results from Family Tree DNA to Geni"
2. MAKE SURE you a are logged into the right FTDNA account when you're taken to their site. If not, log out of FTDNA, then go back to the Geni profile for your relative and start the process over again.
Jonathan Scott Krengel It seems likely that the reason you got the Y-DNA in the email is because someone else's DNA got posted to your profile. I know it's frustrating, but I would disconnect them all and do it all over again. :-/ See http://help.geni.com/entries/100286707-What-if-I-ve-linked-a-Family...
Leanne M (Volunteer Curator - Australia) 🇦🇺 you do not need to create a Geni login for your relatives. As long as you have full edit permission on their profile, you can initiate the FTDNA connection from the DNA tab of THEIR profile. See http://help.geni.com/entries/100286127-How-do-I-link-Family-Tree-DN...
For Ancestry, you can either do an FTDNA Transfer or use our autosomal uploader (also on the profile DNA tab) -- see my reply above, to Jules Fausto Mendonça de Sá.
As far as privacy goes, do not upload DNA results if you don't have permission to do so, from your relatives. If they are living it's preferable to have them join Geni so they can manage their own privacy settings at https://www.geni.com/account_settings/profile_privacy
Nope, All attempts to connect any testing resulted in an Email indicating Y-DNA results were propagated.
First I attached mine. at and mt testing only. Email included Y-DNA propagated information.
Then, I attempted to attach my grandmother's data. (The bad attachment to my own profile). Grandma was only tested with atDNA. That too resulted in an email with Y-DNA propagation information.
Then to fix the bad attachment I cleared both connections. On the 2nd connection to my profile (3rd overall), I again received email indicating Y-DNA propagation.
On the redo with my Grandma ( Which worked.... I think the trick is that if you accidentally do it signed into the wrong FTDNA profile something "sticks" even after you log out ) I didn't receive any Y-DNA propagation, but did receive mtDNA propagation information in the email even tho Grandma's test was only atDNA.
Jonathan Scott Krengel we're propagating Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA up the tree 10 generations, then back down. There's no hard rule on this -- especially with how slowly mt-DNA mutates, we could surely get away with propagating farther. We'll start conservatively, though, and see whether we get incongruous interactions at that 10-generation limit. If it all melds together well, we'll look at expanding.
Hi Michael, I have full permission for the dna and to manage their accounts - they are fairly old and do not use computers much and would really not cope with GENI even though it is one of the best user friendly systems I have come across.
They are very interested in the results - just not up to doing the work themselves.
I sent email to all the people whose kits I manage or who are relatives who I have kit numbers / passwords for, offering to upload for them and explaining how they could upload for themselves. I also contacted some of my closer DNA matches with the same offer / explanation.
I also would not upload without explicit permission. The only exceptions were my son and my mother who have given me blanket permission already.