by Cathy Gilmore | Mar 25, 2017 | Features, Software
Updated 03.27.2017
March Software Updates:
- Upgrade to a Collaborative Archive to transform your archive into a destination where friends or family can help gather, index, and search—or simply enjoy reading family records. Invite unlimited people at no cost to them.
- Set your Collaborative Archives to public or private.
- Access your archive via your custom subdomain.
- Add an Archive Name and Description to help users identify and learn more about your archive.
- Start a crowdsource indexing by choosing a public collaborative archive. Jumpstart your indexing by allowing any Kindex user to transcribe and tag your records. Public archives also help others to discover and connect to your archive.
- New FAQ Page.
Learn more about Collaborative Archives and Public vs. Private Archives.
SIGN UP
What’s Next:
Guys, we’re pretty excited about these updates coming up next!
- Organize records into collections
- Batch record uploads
- Batch macro data tagging
Updated 02.05.2017
We are excited to announce the Release of Kindex 1.0 at RootsTech 2017. Here’s a rundown of recent software updates, new pricing, and what upcoming features you can look forward to.
Software Updates for the week of February 5th 2017
- Simplified record uploads
- Record tagging (names, dates, places)
- Archive search capabilities
- Kindex user accounts (no FamilySearch login requirement)
- Reserve your archive subdomain
- Simplified FamilySearch Memory imports
- Expanded fields for gathering record data
- New transcription text editor tools
- New Manage Archive tool with payment processing
New RootsTech Pricing
Don’t miss the chance to take advantage of special RootsTech pricing.
- Sign up for a free archive (up to 50 records)
- Add Unlimited records: $10/month
- Add Unlimited + Collaborative: $15/month or $150/year (Pre-Sale only*)
*Subdomains and collaborative features (invite tools and multiple user access to archives) will be available soon. Users will be notified when their subdomains are ready.
What’s Coming Soon
- Batch record uploads
- Access your archive via your custom subdomain
- Invite and collaborate with multiple users in your archive (users access free)
- Organize records into collections
- Write records to FamilySearch
- Improved record type filtering
- Download your complete archive to a CSV file
The Next Big Thing
- Kindex Projects (create custom indexing fields and tags for your archive)
- KinSnap mobile app development
- Custom home pages for collaborative archives
- Organize records into collections
- Earn indexing credits and pay less for your subscription
- Kindex-sponsored record gathering events
- Integration on FamilySearch.org
New Pages
by Cathy Gilmore | Jun 14, 2016 | RootsTech 2016, Software
Considering that Kindex has been in business less than a year, it is easy sometimes to get impatient with progress—especially when you are developing software. But Kimball and I have never lost sight of our goal: to build software that will enable individuals, families, and groups to rescue their primary sources. This rescue encompasses three steps:
- Gather
Gather, organizing, and digitizing primary sources (journals, letters, diaries, photos, audio, video, and heirlooms). Kindex is busy gathering and digitizing for numerous individuals and families.
- Index
Transcribe, tag, and review family records. This is where our software comes in. We are working hard to release MyKindex, the free, beta version of Kindex web software. Following that release will be KindexFamily and KindexArchive. These two account types will enable groups to manage transcription and tagging of their digitized records, as well as offer transcription crowdsourcing of their archive records.
- Share
With Kindex, sharing family records happens on many levels, including: printing source records and transcriptions, searching archive transcriptions, and using digitized records as sources in research and genealogy.
This summer will be a busy one for us. We are providing scanning and indexing services on-site at family reunions, digitizing several family archives, starting a new phase of software development, and ramping up fundraising efforts with backers and investors.
We appreciate your patience and support as we move forward. They say the first year in business is the hardest, and we can attest that this is true. But we are determined to be successful, as we believe to the core in our vision: to gather what is scattered, reveal what is hidden and find what is lost.
by Cathy Gilmore | Feb 5, 2016 | Uncategorized
We are in the thick of RootsTech and are frankly amazed at the encouraging support we have received from family historians here who are excited about our indexing product. Although we learned we will not be moving forward to the finals, we are amazed at the progress we’ve made in just four months! Let’s recap:
October, 2015
- Kimball Clark and Cathy Gilmore decide to form Kindex LLC and begin to sell the software and hosting to family organizations
November 2015
- Kindex uses bootstrap funds to begin software development
- We meet with FamilySearch for the first time to discuss the FamilySearch API. We are encouraged to enter the RootsTech Innovator Showdown
- Using props, clothing, furniture, and voice work from our own family members, we write a script and submit a video
December 2015
- Software development begins in earnest, amidst continual and improving iterations.
- Business models are explored and refined.
- Business plan and proforma drafted.
- Social media and content marketing begins.
- Meet again with FamilySearch to discuss API
January 2016
- We learn we are semifinalists in the Innovator Showdown.
- Kimball and Cathy spin the plates of marketing literature, wireframing, front end html and CSS, back-end project managing, preparing two booths for RootsTech, preparing the Innovator Showdown presentation, indexing our use case, writing social media content, selling our product to raise funds, looking for investors and backers, refining business models and pricing, and meeting with FamilySearch during API development.
Wednesday, February 3rd.
- The morning of the Innovator Showdown, Kindex becomes Family Search Certified
- Kindex competes in the RootsTech Innovator Showdown
- Kindex released Kindex Beta™, an MVP product with limited features
We are so thankful for the encouragement of our FamilySearch associates, especially Gordon Clarke, who enabled our certification. And, to the RootsTech Innovator Summit team who provide this great opportunity for startups like us. Without the ever-present deadline of February 3rd, 2016, we would not be where we are today.
To our supporters, Beta testers, and future users: thank you for catching our vision. Kindex Beta will introduce new features in the coming days and weeks, and we encourage your patience as we roll it out.
To the RootsTech Innovator Showdown team and GrowUtah: thank for providing us a springboard into something great.
And finally, a big thank you to our spouses and children, for their constant support and patience in our efforts to help other families find what is lost.

(l-r) Vladimir Canro (one of developers), Colleen Fitzpatrick (consultant), Cathy Gilmore, Kimball Clark.
by Cathy Gilmore | Jan 10, 2016 | RootsTech 2016, Software
We are excited to debut our indexing software at RootsTech 2016. Kindex is web software that will available for subscription purchase on a monthly or yearly basis. Stay tuned for details on subscription pricing and other Kindex services.
Through the Kindex™ web app, users create a “Kindex”—a living archive where anyone can contribute, index, and share family records. Families may establish a Kindex™ using FamilySearch account, which provides a foundation of family names for your Kindex™. As records are gathered and attached to family names, they can be indexed privately within families or released as public indexing projects. Our indexing tool employs a simple side-by-side user interface where the user enters indexes the record and applies tags. Once approved by a family administrator, completed indexing becomes accessible and searchable through tools such as search engines, Kindex™ and FamilySearch, and other family history partners. Within Kindex™, users may also read indexed records, attach them as FamilySearch Memories, search their content, share on social media, or print to paper or PDF.
For information on features and images of the software, see Build a Searchable Archive—one Record at a Time.