How to hand a genealogy archive over to a client

Choose a starting person and three useful items: a source, a family photograph and a short summary of what the research establishes. Explain the open questions and where the originals came from.

In a fictional delivery for the Martin family, the starting task might be: “Open Rosa’s profile, find the arrival record, then read why the identification remains uncertain.” This gives the client a concrete way to check their understanding.

1. Check names, dates, source references and access restrictions against the agreed scope.
2. Clearly separate confirmed conclusions, provisional interpretations and unresolved questions.
3. Agree who should own the archive and what continued professional access is expected.
4. Prepare an independent export and confirm that its files open before delivery.

As the eligible Professional portfolio owner and family owner, open the client family’s billing settings and find “Hand off this vault.” Check the client email carefully before creating it: the action sends a private email when delivery is available.

The client receives a 14-day link, signs in with the intended verified email and reviews the transfer before accepting. The offer states whether a complimentary, nonrenewing Family year is included. Current eligibility and plan limits are checked when the offer is accepted.

If the recipient is wrong, cancel the pending handoff before creating another. If email delivery fails, the creation screen provides a private link to copy. Treat that link as private correspondence.

A sent link is still pending. Check the handoff status for acceptance, then ask the client to open their archive, find the agreed source and download a copy. Review family membership and continuing access after transfer. Acceptance cannot be undone with the pending-handoff cancel action.

Record any unresolved delivery questions in your own engagement notes. Our Story’s richer brief, issue, report and client-review workflows are pilot features; use them only where enabled.

Keep the full exported folder, the explanation of research limits and an inventory of the physical originals. An owner export may contain sensitive or owner-only material; app audience labels do not restrict a downloaded file.

A GEDCOM is useful for transferring supported tree data. Keep the complete archive as well, because GEDCOM alone does not preserve the full document, memory and review context.