Process

The step-by-step plan below describes the process from initial questioning to delivery of the end product.
If your question remains unanswered, please let me know.

Step 1: Genealogical question
You can of course ask your genealogical question by e-mail (info@cromberge.nl), via contact form or by phone (+31-(0)6-49801330). Take your time to think about a number of practical matters beforehand:

• Key question: What do you specifically want to know and what information do you already have?
• Research model: Which research model (lineage, genealogy, pedigree) is in line with your question?
• Scope: How far should the genealogical research go back in time?
• Execution: How should the end result be delivered, as a digital report or hardcover book?
• Budget: What budget is available for the assignment?
• Assignment: Do you grant the assignment entirely yourself or on behalf of others?
• Delivery of genealogical data: Do you have genealogical starting data ready for delivery?
• Delivery of family photos: Do you have digital family photos (this is optional) ready for delivery?

Step 2: Free quote
In response to your question, you will receive personal advice or a tailor-made quotation without obligation. Each application is assessed individually. The prices on the website serve as a guideline. The delivery time is on average one to six months, depending on the number of ongoing assignments and the processing time for externally requested information requests from archive institutions.

Step 3: Agreement
Take the time to study the offer carefully and ask questions if anything is unclear.
After your written agreement, the next steps will be initiated.

Step 4a: Delivery of data
Collect genealogical data from your own family circle about living and deceased relatives up to about three generations back. Sometimes a marriage certificate, family print or questioning other family members can provide some solution. Provide this information as completely as possible for the purpose of the investigation. A form is available as a download (Word) at the bottom of the website should you wish to use it. More information about the delivery of data can also be found on the last page of each product specification. For convenience, they are listed below:

• First names;
• Last name;
• Birthplace and date;
• Place and date of marriage;
• Place and date of death;
• Occupation (optional);
  
• Anecdote (optional);

Step 4b : Delivery of family photos (optional)
Collect and deliver sharp, representative, digital family photos to make the publication even more personal. For example, consider the family or wedding photo of your (grand)children, yourself, your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and/or great-great-grandparents. A form is available as a download (Word) at the bottom of the website should you wish to use it. You do not have to provide family photos immediately in the initial phase of the investigation. Provide the following information per photo so that an appropriate caption can be included in the publication:

• Depicted persons (who);
• Matter (what);
• Place of the photo (where);
• Dating of the photo (when);

Note: Pay extra attention to the requirements for submitting family photos:

• A scanned image with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) produces the sharpest result;
• Make sure the photos are scanned as straight as possible, with no curves;
• The file format may be jpg, tiff or pdf;
• A high-quality photo is at least 1 to several MBs in size. So don’t be stingy with MBs!;
• Do not compress the photos to avoid any loss of quality;
• Enlarge the photos one by one to check whether the quality is sufficient and avoid ‘blocks’;
• In short: You will literally see what you submit on paper;

The average number of photos that are usually submitted is between 5 and 15.
A surcharge applies if more than 20 photos have to be added to the publication.

Step 5: Genealogical research
On the basis of the data provided, further genealogical research is carried out in original, reliable archive sources made available by official archive and heritage institutions:

• Baptism, Marriage, and Burial Registers (before 1796/1811);
• Civil Registry (from 1796/1811);
• Population registers;
• Other archive sources;

During the genealogical research you will be kept informed of the progress every two to four weeks.Conversely, you are always free to ask for an update.

Step 6: Compile report
The research results are processed in a genealogy program to subsequently produce a report output, consisting of a title page, table of contents, introduction, listing of the found generations with source references (each generation usually counts one or two pages, if desired with the addition of your supplied family photos), index on personal names, distribution maps, column chart showing professions, address list of consulted archive services and a graphic family tree overview. More information about the content of the report can be found in the product specifications.

Step 7 : Payment
You will receive the (down payment) invoice based on the agreed quotation. The payment term is 14 days.
Delivery (steps 8 to 12) follows after receipt of payment.

Step 8 : Delivery of digital report and scans of record copies
You will receive revision A of the digital report for review and separate scans of the record copies by email.
If these files cannot be sent by e-mail due to their size, WeTransfer will be used for the file transfer.

Step 9 : Review of the digital report
You now have the opportunity to thoroughly review every page of the digital report and – if necessary – to make any desired changes known for revision in one go. You can do this by making a note in the PDF or by email listing the page number and the desired change. I strive to limit the number of revisions.

Additional tips about reviewing:

• Two people often see more than one;
• Consider also having the report reviewed by one or more family members;
• Take your time to review the report and let it sink in from time to time;
• Too much focus can backfire and you may be reading over something;
• Review the report a few days later with a new, clear view;
• Genealogical research is and remains human work, this also applies to reviewing;
• Collect all comments and submit them in one go (consolidated);

Additional information about the review process:

• If no changes are desired, then revision A is considered the final revision;
• If changes are desired, the revision update is first assessed on the amount of work;
• A small update (text, layout) will not be charged, a major update (extra photos, new information) will;
• The latter is regarded as ‘editorial additional work‘ and takes place on an hourly basis after consultation and your agreement;

It sometimes happens that after reviewing the report, a customer decides to expand the research scope. This is seen as ‘genealogical additional work‘ and also takes place on an hourly basis after consultation and your agreement. For example, it may be offered to conduct research in a block of one, two or four hours. An investigation can also be discontinued because further investigation is no longer possible.

Step 10 : Acceptance of the report
The following three stages are followed to establish your written acceptance of the report:

• Provisional agreement: You give a preliminary written agreement on the report;
• Weekly cooling-off period: You get a week’s cooling-off period;
• Final agreement: You give final written agreement to the report;

Note: Giving approval for the printing of a book is a decision that does not come your way every day.For this reason, I want to make sure that you support the content 100% and that you have been able to contribute 100% to the report. When in doubt, it is better to postpone printing a book for a while, because you have a digital version of the report.

Step 11 : Production of the hardcover book
The production of the hardcover book (printing and binding) will be started after final approval.

In the unlikely event that an identified ‘error’ has been overlooked after production, an ‘addendum‘ (which must be added) and/or a ‘corrigendum‘ (which must be corrected) is drawn up and sent. It is an insert that must be added to the book for accountability.

If you prefer to receive a new, corrected book, that is entirely your choice.
The order will then be placed again and the costs (number of books x € 50 or € 65 + postage) will be charged in full.

Step 12 : Shipment
The finished product will be sent to your home address by registered mail.
The track and trace code will be provided by email.
It is possible to order hardcover books afterwards.

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