Changes Coming to Matching Thresholds for Family Tree DNA's Family Finder Test

Family Tree DNA

Earlier this week Family Tree DNA announced it will soon be changing its FamilyFinder (autosomal DNA) matching threshold levels. This change will likely cause some changes in your match list.

Several genealogy/genetic bloggers have covered what this change will likely mean for FamilyFinder test kit holders. See The Genetic Genealogist, DNAeXplained, and The Legal Genealogist.

If you are curious about how this change effects you, then make sure you download either a CSV or Excel file of your Match List AND in your Chromosome Browser download ALL matches to an Excel (CSV) file. You will need to do this for every FamilyFinder test kit that you manage since each test you manage is accessed individually. Downloading this information now will give you something to compare to after the change.

Both of these tasks are really simple to do.

First, sign into one of your FamilyFinder test kits. At your welcome/dashboard you'll see your "Matches" and your "Chromosome Browser."

Image 1:  Your Family Tree DNA FamilyFinder Dashboard

To download your Match List:
From your Welcome/Dashboard, click on Matches. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click on either the orange "CSV" or orange "Excel" button. Both buttons download the same information. The difference is the file type -- a CSV file that can be opened or imported in a variety of programs or a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file. Don't worry it does download ALL of your Matches not just that page's ten matches.

Image 2:  Scroll to the bottom of your match list to find the download buttons. (Note: I have blurred info for privacy.)

The information preserved by the Match List download includes each match's: Full Name; First name; Middle Name; Last Name; Match Date; Relationship Range; Suggested Relationship; Shared cM (centimorgans); Longest Block (of cM); Known Relationship (if you have added this); Email; Ancestral Surnames; Y-DNA Haplogroup (if tested); mtDNA Haplogroup (if tested); and Notes (if you have typed anything into the notes for that match.)

So if you lose any matches that do not meet the coming new match threshold, at least you have the contact information saved. Yes, autosomal DNA is best for closer generations but I have found matches with more distant cousins (proved by paper trails) and I want to preserve that DNA information in case those matches disappear. I am also curious as to how this threshold change effects certain matches.

To download your Chromosome Browser ALL Matches:
From your Welcome/Dashboard, click on Chromosome Browser (see Image 2 above) which is where you see how your test and up to five other tests match on each chromosome graphically. At the top of the Chromosome Browser page are two download options. Use the one on the right to download an Excel (CSV) file for ALL of your Matches.

Image 3:  Two download Options for the Chromosome Browser: just the Compared Matches or ALL Matches

The Chromosome Browser download file contains seven columns of data:  Name (test kit person); Match Name; Chromosome (number); Start Location; End Location; Centimorgans; Matching SNPS. This is the spreadsheet version of the chromosome graphic.

To download your Chromosome Browser Comparisons:
If you have several matches (your own tests or other match tests) that you would like to compare, you can select those (up to five at a time) and compare them in the Chromosome Browser. You can then download the Chromosome Browser data for just these compared matches. Doing this can save you time extracting the same data from your All Matches download file.

To compare matches in the Chromosome browser, go to your match list and click on the "Show Full View" at the top of your match list. This opens up another information line (see Image 2) for each match. 

Image 4:  Click on Show Full View to see additional information for each match. See second image above.

Then go through your match list and click on the "Compare in Chromosome browser" for those matches (up to five) you want to compare. A list of select matches appears at the top of the page. When you are done selecting, click on the blue "compare" arrow. 

Image 5:  When done selecting matches to compare, click on the blue arrow. (Note: I have blurred info for privacy.)

At the chromosome browser you will see a graphic representation of where on each chromosome your selected matches match your test. You can download just the information for these selected matches using the download option on the left. (See Image 3 above.)

You can also add matches to compare directly in the Chromosome Browser using the filter list but all you will see is the match name. To see your notes or other details you have to go to your match list.

Image 6:  Family Tree DNA Chromosome Browser

Besides doing a comparison of the four tests I manage to each other and downloading that Chromosome Match information, I also did some comparisons with match tests of some cousins that share some surnames I have been working on in particular. In downloading this information and saving comparison matches, I think I may have made a realization/discovery that I had missed before. 

It happened when I was comparing some screen shots I took of a couple different chromosome browser graphic comparisons. (That's another idea, take screen shots of your chromosome browser graphics. It is really just for visual reference since the image is often too small or must be done in two sections and does not contain specific data points.) I then did another chromosome browser comparison mixing a couple match tests from each of the first two comparisons so I could see them at one time in one chromosome graphic. That new comparison data was downloaded and the graphic image saved too.

I will have to submit some questions to FTDNA to find out if I am seeing what I think I am seeing correctly. If I am, it is happy dance time. Now I am really anxious for a cousin to take and send in her FamilyFinder test for processing. (No pressure cuz', I know you are taking care of it.)

This would be why AncestryDNA needs a chromosome browser.

Oh, and while you are saving data/information did you remember to download your autosomal DNA data file after receiving your results if you tested directly with Family Tree DNA? If you didn't, now would be a good time. I would take a screen shot of your ethnicity mix too for good measure. I don't think that is changing at this time but it's good for reference without having to be connected to the internet.

The promised post about the Process of Searching for Land Patents will be coming. We had a new computer come into the house. It is not for me but as resident tech it falls to me to clean up and backup files on the old; install software and transfer files to the new. The sooner I get that done (I wrap up today), the sooner I get time to do what I need to do. Thanks for your patience. In the meantime, I hope you find this post useful.

©2016 All Rights Reserved, goneresearching. All text and photos in this post are copyrighted & owned by me (goneresearching) unless indicated otherwise. No republication (commercial or non-commercial) without prior permission. You may share (tell others) of this blog as long as you give credit and link to this site (not by downloading or copying any post). Thank you.

Back in September 2014, I wrote a post on our experience with "the wait" for various DNA tests from two of the DNA/Genealogy testing companies. I had delayed making that post so I could include "the wait" for an autosomal transfer from Ancestry to FamilyTree DNA.

Very recently, FamilyTree DNA made a change in its autosomal transfer option for FamilyFinder. Prior to this an autosomal transfer from AncestryDNA or from 23andMe (V3 chip tests prior to December 2013) cost $69 at regular price.

Now FamilyTree DNA is offering an autosomal transfer for free. Information on FamilyTree DNA's own website is surprisingly lacking about what you get for free. So from what I can tell from other sources and from my own experience, here is the deal.

For free, you get to upload your raw DNA data and after it is processed you get to see your first 20 closest matches. Essentially it is a look at what is behind the curtain. [Note: After uploading one test at about 4 p.m. on a Friday, it said I should have results in one hour. I imagine FamilyTreeDNA might be a little busy today. It has just passed one hour and my results are not in yet. (I'll let you know how long it really took in the comments for this post or in a follow-up post.)]

Now you don't have a lot of options of doing anything with these matches. You can't contact the matches, see their trees, you see your own results in the chromosome browser (which Ancestry does not offer) but I believe you can not do any comparisons with those 20 matches. You also do not get to learn your ethnicity mix based on FamilyTree DNA's recipe for determining ethnic ancestry.

But once you have your transfer results, for $39 you can unlock your test and have the complete FamilyFinder experience: that is see all your additional matches, have the ability to contact your matches, do comparisons in the chromosome browser, view your matches' trees if they have one and see your ethnicity mix as per FamilyTree DNA.

But there is also the option of referring four friends (who have had their DNA tested at Ancestry or 23andMe) to upload their autosomal DNA data with a special link created for you that will unlock your full FamilyFinder test for free once you have four friends use that link when they upload their data.

So essentially, FamilyTree DNA has cut the price of an autosomal transfer from $69 to $39. And has given an option to possibly get a fully unlocked transfer for free with a referral program.

(Hint: So that your friends (a.k.a. cousins) use your link, do not pick them all from the same surname that way they too might be able to get their test unlocked for free also. You can also refer just a friend-friend that you know has done autosomal testing.)

Here are some blogs the deal a lot with genealogy and using DNA testing. Most of them have some information on the latest DNA conference, this new offer from FamilyTree DNA and coming changes to your AncestryDNA match results.

The Genetic Genealogist by Blaine Bettinger
Kitty Cooper's Blog by Kitty Cooper
The Legal Genealogist by Judy G. Russell
DNA eXplained  by Roberta Estes


NOTE: Just to be clear, no person or company asked me to write this or payed me to do so. It is something I saw and thought others may be interested in knowing too.

Is it Done Yet? Our Experience with DNA Testing at Ancestry.com and FamilyTree DNA

As noted in an earlier post, Ancestry.com's retirement of its Y-DNA and mtDNA testing at the beginning of June 2014 prompted us to get off our butts and actually perform and mail in the various DNA tests we had purchased that were still valid. (We had one Y-DNA and one mtDNA test from Ancestry.com that had not been performed/processed at the time of the retirement announcement and these were refunded to us.)

At that time, I thought I would keep track of the tests' progress and give a run-down of what we experienced between the two companies involved -- Ancestry.com and FamilyTree DNA -- since we performed and mailed in the tests at the same time. I delayed making this post a bit longer to include our experience with an autosomal transfer order.

So what tests did we do?
We had two AncestryDNA (autosomal) tests purchased prior to the Ancestry.com retirement announcement. (Note: AncestryDNA, the autosomal test, was not retired by Ancestry.com just the Y-DNA and mtDNA tests.) One test was purchased in 2013 and the other in 2014. I also had an mtDNA test purchased in March 2014 with an FamilyFinder (autosomal) upgrade purchased in June 2014. All of these tests were purchased on sale.

At the end of this August, I ordered one Autosomal Transfer from FamilyTree DNA. This allowed me to upload the raw DNA data from another company's compatible test (AncestryDNA in this case) to a FamilyTree DNA FamilyFinder test. Shockingly, I purchased this transfer at regular price and not at a sale price.

So from the time of purchase to the time of results this is what we experienced.

Test	AncestryDNA (autosomal) the newer kit - Me  Spit Tube with pre-paid box for return to Utah	AncestryDNA (autosomal) the older kit - Sister Spit Tube with pre-paid padded envelope for return to Utah	FamilyTreeDNA (mtDNA and Autosomal Upgrade) - Mom Swabs with padded envelope for return (not pre-paid) to Texas	Autosomal Transfer from AncestryDNA to FamilyTreeDNA Family Finder - Sister No physical test, just uploaded raw data that I downloaded from AncestryDNA
Purchased Test	April 27, 2014	Jan 6, 2013	Tues., April 1, 2014	Fri., August 29, 2014*
Shipped	April 30, 2014 (3 days after order)	Jan 11, 2013 (5 days after order)	Wed., April 2, 2014 (1 day after order)	n/a
Purchased Upgrade (no test kit sent/uses swabs from first test)	n/a	n/a	Tues., June 17, 2014	n/a
Took Test	Tues., June 24, 2014	Tues., June 24, 2014	Tues., June 24, 2014	n/a
Activated Test Online	Wed., June 25, 2014	Wed., June 25, 2014	n/a	n/a
Postal Mailed Test	Wed., June 25, 2014	Wed., June 25, 2014	Wed., June 25, 2014	Fri., August 29, 2014 (technically, I uploaded the data it was not postal mailed)
Received Test / Email Confirmation of Receipt	Thurs., July 3, 2014 (I saw by signing in) Email: Thurs., July 3, 2014 3:30 p.m. Expect results in 6-8 weeks [est. Aug 14 – Aug 28]   (0 day – start counting or 8 days from mailing)	Thurs., July 10, 2014 Email: Thurs., July 10, 2014 5:40 p.m. Expect results in 6-8 weeks [est. Aug 21 – Sep 4] [Note: email received after I sent email at 4:36 p.m. regarding “missing test”] (0 day – start counting or 15 days from mailing)	Thurs., July 3, 2014 (I saw by signing in) Email: Thurs., July 3, 2014 9 p.m. (0 day – start counting or 8 days from mailing)	No email received other than confirmation of sale email which had no directions on how to proceed next.  Note: From a prior phone call to customer service in regards to a couple things, I learned that autosomal transfers results generally take 3-4 business days
Received by Lab	n/a	n/a	Wed., July 9, 2014 (6 days from test received or 14 days from mailing)	Fri., August 29, 2014
Batch Assigned	n/a	n/a	Thurs., July 10, 2014 Family Finder 3-4 weeks [est. July 31 – Aug 7] mtDNA full seq. (HVR1, HVR2, and mtDNA coding region) 6-8 weeks [est. Aug 21 – Sep 4] (0 day – start counting or 7 days from test received or 15 days from mailing)	n/a
Processing Test	Thurs., July 3, 2014 ?begun	Thurs., July 10, 2014 ?begun	Thurs., July 10, 2014	Mon., Sept. 1, 2014 (noticed 1:25 am) (technically said Sent) (0 day – start counting or 3 days from uploading)
Results Arrived	Fri., July 18, 2014 found results on My DNA Page at 10:38 p.m. (email found later was sent at 10:21 p.m.)   AncestryDNA (16 days from test received or 24 days from mailing) [approx. 2 weeks + 2 days or approx. 3 weeks + 3 days]	Mon., July 28, 2014 email found later was apparently sent at 5:27 p.m., found email about 6:45 p.m)   AncestryDNA (19 days from test received or 34 days from mailing) [approx. 2 weeks + 5 days or approx. weeks + 6 days]	Thurs., July 31, 2014 FamilyFinder (found 2:35 p.m. by logging in) [email arrived 9:11 p.m.] Mon., Aug. 18, 2014 mtDNA (found 9:40 p.m. by logging in) [email arrived 10:44 p.m.] FamilyFinder (21 days from batching or 28 days from receiving) or 36 days from mailing) [approx. 3 weeks or approx. 4 weeks or approx. 5 weeks + 1 day] mtDNA (39 days from batching or 46 days from receiving) or 54 days from mailing) [approx. 5 weeks + 4 days or approx. 6 weeks + 4 days or approx. 7 weeks + 5 day]	Fri., Sept. 5, 2014 (noticed around 12 p.m.) [email arrived 9:12 p.m.] Autosomal Transfer to FamilyFinder* (4 days from “Sent” to process or 7 days from uploading) *Obviously, this was started late on the Friday before the holiday weekend so the time from uploading reflects this.

So how long did it take?
As far as the return postal mail time, based on two of the test kits (one from Ancestry.com, one from FamilyTree DNA) there was no difference in mail time. I'm not sure if the delay with the older AncestryDNA test came from the post office's end or from Ancestry.com's end with kit intake. (Ancestry changed its test kit packaging.) I never got an answer from Ancestry.com's DNA customer service with regards to the delay. The results just magically appeared one hour after I sent in the query about the missing test.

As far as the time it took to receive results from when the company received/batched the test, despite the one AncestryDNA test going AWOL for one week both AncestryDNA test results were returned well before the 6 – 8 week estimate. The FamilyFinder test results from FamilyTree DNA also came in on time as did the mtDNA test results. Though both companies start their estimated time “clocks” when a test is received or batched, I have included the timing from mailing because I have a feeling that is how some will perceive the length of their wait for results.

With the autosomal transfer, there likely was a delay due to the time I ordered the transfer (late afternoon on a Friday) and that it was the start of a holiday weekend. Though the data was sent to processing by the wee hours of Monday morning (the holiday.) From that point it was 4 business days so I'm considering this delivered as promised.

Of course if there is a really a good sale and if a lot of those tests are performed and turned in promptly it may take longer than a company’s normal estimated time until results are received.

So what did I find out? 
I'll do a short post about my first look at the results next.

©2014, goneresearching. All text and photos in this post are copyrighted & owned by me (goneresearching) unless indicated otherwise. No republication (commercial or non-commercial) without prior permission. You may share (tell others) of this blog as long as you give credit and link to this site (not by downloading or copying any post). Thank you.

Update on: Thank You Ancestry.com for a Simple and Uncomplicated Refund

This is an update to my post on July 4th, "Thank You Ancestry.com for a Simple and Uncomplicated Refund for my Non-Processed Y-DNA and mtDNA Tests."

Ancestry.com's retired test kits for Y-DNA and mtDNA.

It's July 14th. The refund from Ancestry.com for my unused Y-DNA and mtDNA tests did not make my latest credit card statement so I was contemplating calling the card company to see if the refund had arrived after the statement was sent out.

But no need to do so. 

Today's postal mail contained a check from Ancestry.com (written on July 10th) for the complete price I paid for both tests and the sales tax I paid. So the only thing I lost was $6.19 -- the cost of postage. I can deal with that.

Thank you, Ancestry.com.

We may not like that you exited the Y-DNA and mtDNA marketplace, but in our case your decision got our butts in gear. Our other tests are performed, mailed and being processed as I write. We have autosomal tests at both Ancestry.com and FamilyTree DNA. It will be interesting to see how the ethnicity reports of the two companies compare. I'm not expecting anything surprising or exotic though I do have a couple unknowns in Dad's side of the tree in the only non-German branch.

Hey, FamilyTree DNA how about a sale on the entry Y-DNA tests sometime this year? I may have the money now but I really like a deal.

Save Money on an AncestryDNA Test -- If You Access the Correct Page it Only Costs $49

I discovered this deal tonight July 11, 2014, while checking on the status of an AncestryDNA test that did not arrive at the same time as the other I mailed on the same day. Now, I don't know how long it has been this way or how long it will last.

If you've been thinking about taking an autosomal DNA test it seems Ancestry.com has lowered the price -- if you find the right page on its website.

If you are signed into Ancestry.com and click on the order button for an AncestryDNA test on either the DNA page or the Store page, you will see that the price of the AncestryDNA test is $99, the regular price.

BUT I discovered a different page when I signed out of my account while on my DNA page. After signing out, a page with lots of information on the AncestryDNA test came up but this page says the AncestryDNA test is now ... $49. That is a $50 savings from the regular price. I tried again to bring this page up without signing into Ancestry.com and I was able to get to it again.

At the Ancestry.com splash page do not sign in, click the Search at the top to bring up the traditional home page then click on the DNA tab and surprise the AncestryDNA information page with the $49 appears again!

Now if you click the order button from the informational page (where it says $49), it brings up a Create a Free Account page. BUT if you already have an Ancestry.com membership or user id, just click on the "Sign in here" which is in small type just under the Create A Free Account headline. Once you are signed in, you are taken to an order page and the price is .... $49.

I don't know if this is a marketing test or a foreshadowing of a change in the regular price.

You can save even more by using the free DNA shipping code -- FREESHIPDNA -- from RetailMeNot which is good until February 1, 2015. (This is the expiration date of the free shipping for DNA offer. I do not know how long this lower price on AncestryDNA will last.)

OF COURSE, you have to decide for yourself how you feel about Ancestry.com's commitment to DNA testing in light of its recent exit from Y-DNA and mtDNA testing.

I had two previously purchased AncestryDNA tests from before the June announcement which I finally preformed and mailed in for processing. I also have two equivalent tests (FamilyFinder) from FamilyTree DNA also purchased prior to the June announcement.

Would a price drop like this sway me? Maybe. In essence I could test two people for what would be the regular price of one test. Normally a good sale on this test is about $79. Testing with Ancestry.com may be beneficial if you have a tree (public or private) on its website.

Am I considering purchasing an AncestryDNA test at this $49 price? Yes, but I have not decided to do so yet partly because I have to consider who to test and the potential benefit to my research. And I have to consider that with FamilyTree DNA if I order a FamilyFinder (autosomal) test I can order an upgrade test (a YDNA or mtDNA) in the future usually without having to perform another test on the person I had tested.

Many DNA/genealogy experts suggest testing with each company because not everyone tests with each company and you may find a match on one site but not the other. Of course, not everyone can afford to do so. This lower price might make it easier.

DNA testing -- each of the three types Y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal DNA -- has proven to be a beneficial tool for genealogists. You just have to learn and know how to apply it. 

NOTE: Just to be clear, no person or company asked me to write this or payed me to do so. It is something I discovered and thought others may be interested in knowing too. The opinions/purchase rationals I presented here are my own.

Thank you Ancestry.com for a Simple and Uncomplicated Refund for my Non-Processed Y-DNA and mtDNA Tests

At the beginning of this June, Ancestry.com announced that it was retiring several of the websites it had purchased over the years AND its Y-DNA and mtDNA testing (referred to as LegacyDNA). I do not know how many people were affected by this elimination of Y-DNA and mtDNA testing, but I was one of them. The way I was affected though was probably different than most.

Back in 2008 we had bought the tests (on sale) to test a sister and brother. For various reasons we had not been able to perform and mail in the tests. Last year, sometime in the Spring-time, I had called Ancestry.com's customer service to make sure the tests were still valid. Since we had not performed the tests and the DNA would be fresh, the representative said yes the tests were still okay to use. I had hoped to perform the test shortly after that but it was not to be.

Fast forward to this June's announcement. At first I was devastated. Now what do I do? But then I started thinking of it as: well, if we had actually done the tests we would now be scrambling to download the data and screen capture the matches/potential matches and trying to figure out how to best handle the situation.

Ancestry.com had a phone number on the FAQ page for the LegacyDNA to call if your LegacyDNA test had not been processed. I could not call immediately because we were headed out on vacation. Once we returned the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack occurred that Monday and I thought I would give Ancestry.com some time to deal with the situation. I ended up not calling the phone number until June 27.

Though I had a wait over five minutes for a representative, I was really surprised by the experience. I honestly thought I would have to argue to get any money back. But that was not the case.

What happened was me saying that I called regarding the retirement of the Y-DNA and mtDNA testing and that I had one test of each that had not been processed. The representative responded with something like, "and you would like a refund." She took some information, verified that I was me and what I paid for the tests and put me on hold to fill in the refund form. (Yes, I had a copy of my purchase confirmation sitting in front of me so I could verify when and how much I paid for each test.) When she came back on the line she explained the refund process and what she could tell me of the timing of how long it would take for a refund. It was that simple. No arguing and no attempt to keep the money by offering me something else instead of a refund.

So hopefully, sometime this week or so my credit card will receive the refund and I will not have to change/update this post into a bad experience. The representative did caution if they had a problem crediting the credit card that they would then issue a check which would lengthen the time to receive the refund.

I hope others in similar situations as me have a good experience also.

With this event happening, it prompted us to actually perform the various autosomal tests (from Ancestry and FamilyTree DNA) that we have purchased and mail them in. Earlier this year I got a great price on a full-sequence mt-DNA test from another company so we made sure to perform that one too. It will be interesting to see what differences in ethnic heritage there may be between the two companies and their autosomal tests.

Now if FamilyTree DNA would offer a sale on its entry or mid-point Y-DNA tests as a "Come Join Us" offer, things will continue to be looking up.