Some of Bill's Picks from RootsTech

As a retiree, I have been able to watch nearly 40 sessions of RootsTech over the past 2 weeks.
Each person's picks will depend on their own needs and interests, 

Some of Bill's picks from RootsTech 2025:

You’ve Got This! Tried and Tested Ideas for Ward Temple and Family History Success (21 minutes)
This class centers on encouragement and help for those with ward temple and family history callings.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/youve-got-this-tried-and-tested-ideas-for-ward-temple-and-family-history-success

Family History Consultants - Changing the Paradigm (Start with Christ.)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/family-history-consultants-changing-the-paradigm

Family Discovery Day Live Session | RootsTech 2025 Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Sister Kathy Andersen and President Jeffrey R Holland tell some of their own family stories.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/rootstech-2025-family-discovery-day-live-session

Combine Multiple DNA Test Types (How atDNA+YDNA+mtDNA+atDNA=More Answers!)
(I found this highly entertaining and probably the clearest explanation ever of the different types of DNA tests.)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/combine-multiple-dna-test-types-how-atdna-ydna-mtdna-atdna-more-answers

The Getting Started series by BYU seemed aimed at professional research, but good overall. (There are 7 parts.)

Mining the Census, Are You Finding Every Clue? Part 2 (Part 2 has lots of good general tips.)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/mining-the-census-are-you-finding-every-clue-part-2

What's New at FamilySearch for Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/whats-new-at-familysearch-for-members-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints

FamilySearch Global and Tech Forum 2025 (All the latest tech for geeks)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/familysearch-global-and-tech-forum-2025

Family History Department Leadership Roundtable with Elder Kevin S. Hamilton (This was a live Q&A session.)
The panel explained why temple ordinances can only be reserved now for our own relatives.
It was mentioned that during the past year, 8.7 million people have registered to use FamilySearch, of whom 98% are NOT members of the Church. So don't be afraid to invite non-member friends and relatives.
Temple appointments are preferred. Many temples reserve some of their seating capacity for those who come without an appointment. Temples in areas with small populations of members can only operate by appointment.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/family-history-department-leadership-roundtable-with-elder-kevin-s-hamilton

And of course ... Tree Integrity: Protecting Your Research in Family Tree
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/tree-integrity-protecting-your-research-in-familytree

Which sessions were your favorites? And what did you learn from them?

New Improved Merge Experience (courtesy of RootsTech)

I have done a lot of merging. It is often needed, but I appreciate the need for caution. A bad merge can make a big mess. Sometimes the very best answer is "Not a match." But not always. 

Deciding When to Merge
To what extent do the following things match?
Names, places (are they less than 10 miles apart?), dates, relationships (do they have the same children?)
Note that information on the children is normally more detailed than information on the parents. Are the children of the possible duplicates born in the same place in the same time period?

If they fail these tests, I would mark them as "not a match". If they pass these tests I would merge them.
If it is unclear, I would seek guidance through prayer, which tends to result in "not a match".

A BIG UPDATE:
I tried out the new Improved Merge Experience, announced in RootsTech.
See the explanation and the buttons at www.familysearch.org/labs
And take a look at this 10-minute video of me learning to use the new process.
Maybe try it with some of your "possible duplicates".
https://youtu.be/F9tRBHqbfiY

Correcting a Bad Merge
Recently I discovered that my 2xGGPs were incorrectly merged with a different couple with the same names living 30 miles away, in the next county. As I studied the Sources and the Changes log, I could see what had happened, and how I could separate the records of the two families. The Undo Merge option was unavailable, but I could RESTORE the people deleted by the merge, and then move children to the correct parents, and detach sources that referred to the wrong people. 
I made a 26-minute video demonstrating the main parts of the process. If you suspect relationship errors in your part of the family tree, start with an analysis of the Sources and Changes. Include prayer in your decision. More research may be needed. If you decide to proceed, this video may help. https://youtu.be/kWB6aAbBZbw

Correcting Data Errors in Family Tree
Correcting factual errors is usually super easy. (Click the pencil icon, replace the incorrect data, and Save.)
Correcting relationship errors is more complex but this video may help.

This video by Aimee Cross may also be helpful. To Merge or UnMerge, that is the question (FamilySearch Tutorial)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V99HfzeBts

Removing other users' tags in Memories

 In the "Tree Integrity: Protecting Your Research in Family Tree" session in RootsTech, I saw the following posts in the chat:

"I found that a person with ill intentions posted records in Memories and the records were totally incorrect, but I found that only the person who posts in Memories can delete them. So here I am stuck with records posted that are not correct and I can not have them removed. All that I can do is make a comment that it is not correct information." ...

"Incorrect Memories has that glitch... only person who entered info can delete the info... I too have that problem... but why? If anyone can edit and merge why not have that ability go in all categories? Hmmm."

I suggested this solution in the chat:

"In the tagging/edit screen, you should see a paperclip icon that will allow you to detach the tag from someone in a memory uploaded by someone else."

Today I received a thank you message.

"Thanks, the directions on how to delete an unwanted Memory post by someone else on your account worked .  Thanks so much to Bill Buchanan's post."

Please use this in only extreme cases. We do not want vigilantes wildly un-tagging memories they consider "unneeded", "unflattering" or whatever. But if you are 100% sure that the memory is not for that person, FamilySearch does provide a way to un-tag it. And please provide a clear reason statement.