Expert Connect

Frequently Asked Questions

How it works
How much does it cost to sign up for Expert Connect?
What services are available through Expert Connect?
Who are these experts?
Are there experts outside of the United States?

Posting a project request
How do I post a new project request?
How will experts find my project postings?
How will I know when I receive bids on a project I’ve posted?
After I've posted my project, can I change it?
Do I have to award every project I post?

Paying experts for work
How much does each service cost?
How do I pay an expert?
What if the expert can’t find what I need?

Managing my project
How do I receive completed research?
Once I award a project, can the scope of the project be changed?
Will Ancestry.com publish my documents, photos and research reports on their website?
How can I contact Ancestry if I need help?

How much does it cost to sign up for Expert Connect?
There are no upfront costs or membership fees. It is absolutely free to browse expert profiles and post project requests through Expert Connect. You only pay once you decide to hire an expert for a particular research project or after you’ve received answers to a question. To understand how the fee structure works for each of the five services available through Expert Connect, click here or review the How it Works section of the Expert Connect website.

What services are available through Expert Connect?
Expert Connect will link you to experts who can help you with five types of services: Record Pickup, Local Photo, Ask an Expert, Record Lookup and Custom Research. Read our How It Works pages for complete descriptions of each service.

Who are these experts?
There are two types of independent experts available through Expert Connect: researchers and professionals. Anyone who exhibits a passion for genealogy and a history of helping others with simple research tasks (e.g., local archive searches or photography) may sign up to become a researcher. Researchers can provide Expert Connect’s Record Pickup and Local Photo services. Professionals, on the other hand, must possess advanced qualifications such as industry certifications, education, membership in professional associations and relevant experience. Professionals are able to offer all five of the Expert Connect services. To review the qualifications of any expert, click Find an Expert and browse through individual profiles.

Are there experts outside of the United States?
Yes there are. Expert Connect is creating a global network of family history experts who can help you with your family history research. Currently, there are experts available for hire in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The service will be expanding to more countries soon.

How do I post a new project request?
It’s simple. Click the Post a Project link and select which of the five services you want to start with. Follow the steps on the screen to describe the type of help you need. You can even review profiles and invite specific experts to bid on your project, answer your question or view your request. Then sit back and watch the worldwide network of experts go to work for you.

How will experts find my project postings?
Once you post your project request, hundreds of experts will be able to view it. The experts are continually monitoring the listings for projects that match their research specialties, but if you want specific experts to consider your project, you’ll also have the option of inviting them individually. Interested experts will be able to ask you clarifying questions through the message board or extend you a proposal for the work.

How will I know when I receive bids on a project I’ve posted?
When an expert bids on your project or submits an answer to your Ask An Expert question, you’ll be notified via email and online. Simply log in to your account, click on My Projects and click on the link for each project to view bids or answers you have received.

After I've posted my project, can I change it?
Once you’ve posted a project description, it cannot be changed. However, you can always use the message board to clarify your needs to the experts who are reviewing the request. If your research needs change dramatically from your original request, simply cancel the project and create a new one.

Do I have to award every project I post?
If the proposals you receive do not meet your needs, you are not obligated to award your project to an expert. However, before canceling your project, please consider how much time and effort each expert put into reviewing your request and providing a proposal. Frequent project postings that do not result in awards are subject to scrutiny by Expert Connect staff.

How much does each service cost?
It is absolutely free to browse expert profiles and post project requests through Expert Connect. You only pay when you decide to hire an expert for a particular project or after you receive answers to you Ask An Expert question. Ancestry.com does not set prices; all rates are determined by either the experts themselves or by you. Here’s a breakdown for you: For the simple and straightforward Record Pickup and Local Photo services, you’ll select an expert based on his or her location and their predetermined price. For the more customized Record Lookup and Custom Research services, individual experts will submit bids that are tailored to your project request, which should be as specific and detailed as possible. These bids are typically based on the expert’s hourly rate and the estimated number of hours your project will take. Experts for these services are paid for the time they invest in the research and not necessarily what their efforts uncover. For the above four services, you will be able to make an informed decision about whether to proceed and which expert to hire before you pay any money. The Ask an Expert service is unique as you set the price. When you post your question, you will decide what you’re willing to pay for an answer, then you award your money to the most useful answer you receive. For more information about how each service works, review the How it Works section of the Expert Connect website.

How do I pay an expert?
When you award a project to an expert, you’ll submit the funds for that project to be held in reserve by Ancestry.com. Your selected expert will be notified that you’ve funded the project and will begin working. Once the expert has finished the project and you verify the project is complete, Ancestry.com will release the funds to the expert. This process protects you by allowing you to confirm that the work meets the terms you and the expert both agreed to, and it protects experts by ensuring they’ll never work on a project that hasn’t been fully funded. You can fund a project using Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or Paypal. For more information about how and when an expert is paid, review the How it Works section of the Expert Connect website.

What if the expert can’t find what I need?
For services with specific deliverables, such as a Record Pickup or Local Photo, the expert will not be paid unless he or she locates and delivers the item in question. Thus, it is vital that you provide as much detail as possible about the exact location of the record or photo you need so that they can be successful in helping you. For Custom Research and Record Lookup, the experts tailor their bids based on their typical hourly rate and the estimated number of hours your project will take. In these cases, think of your hired professional as a “genealogy detective” who needs to be paid for his or her time, even if the records you hoped to uncover simply don’t exist or the results of the investigation don’t match your assumptions.

How do I receive completed research?
Every project you award will be listed in the My Projects section of the Expert Connect website, which provides an easy-to-navigate workspace where you can interact with the experts you hire. Completed research will most often be delivered to you through the electronic file exchange feature on each project’s Messages and Files tab, but you can also request that your expert mail hard copies of the finished project directly to you. Your hired expert will then go online and indicate that the project is complete, and you’ll be asked to confirm receipt of the research before your funds are released to the expert.

Once I award a project, can the scope of the project be changed?
While your hired expert is working on your research, one of you may stumble upon additional information that could require you to increase or decrease the scope (and thus the cost) of the project. Once you and your hired expert discuss the new expectations, the expert can go online and change the terms of the project. You’ll be required to review and confirm these changes before any modification is formally made. Then, if additional funds are required, you’ll be asked to increase the project reserve accordingly as part of your confirmation.

Will Ancestry.com publish my documents, photos and research reports on their consumer site?
Ancestry.com will not share the documents, photos or research reports your experts provide to you through Expert Connect. However, Ancestry.com does not restrict your use of the information.

How can I contact Ancestry.com if I need help?
If you need any assistance, please click here to email us. Or call 1-800-958-9122 between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm EST, Monday through Friday.

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