Introduction
If you are considering being a volunteer transcriber for the Forest of Dean
Parish Record Project, here is some information that that will give you a
summary of what software you will need and what we supply to help you.

We have many volunteers transcribers throughout the world as we cater for people
who live outside of the United Kingdom who would like to get involved.

Software for Data Entry
Gloucestershire Archives (formerly Gloucester Record Office) are allowing us to
photograph the original parish registers of the Forest of Dean, and so the main
source of data we have available for the project is imagery.

We also have a number of microfiche available which you can transcribe from.

Templates are available for data entry in the preferred format (Excel) for each
type of register. If volunteers do not have Excel available, other formats will
also be acceptable, including Lotus 1-2-3 and Approach; Microsoft Access and
Works spreadsheets. A list of column headings/field labels will be supplied for
anyone wishing to use these alternative formats.

Excel files are compatible and can be used with the free, open-source software
OpenOffice (Windows and Macintosh) and NeoOffice (Macintosh) programs.

Instructions, Guidance Notes and Templates
The transcribers instructions and templates have been kindly supplied to us by
the Gloucestershire Archives for use by people involved with the Forest of Dean
Parish Records Project.

Transcription Progress Overview
Parishes which have so far been transcribed and what parishes we have media
available for transcribing is all on our Progress Overview page.

First step in starting as a Volunteer Transcriber
If you have decided you would like to become a Volunteer Transcriber or require
additional information, you can contact Graham Davison the Project Co-Ordinator,
by going to our Contact Us page on the website and choosing the General Contact
form to send a message which I will redirect to him.