For research purposes, we want to data enter our names with consistent spellings, so the computer will be able to search and find all occurrences of a particular name.

However, one of the rules for recording genealogical information is that we should always enter the same spelling that was used in the original document.

CONFLICT

For example, in one document you have an ancestor with the name John Thompson. The same ancestor in another document is listed as Johan Thomsson. The same ancestor in another document was listed as Joh. Tomsn.

Another ancestor was named Eleanor Harford in one document and Nellie Arford in another.

Your Match and Merge feature wouldn't always recognize these names as being the same individual, but with accurate dating could possibly come up with the matches.