You would pick a county and a census year you would like to transcribe.  You would then coordinate your work with the State Census Coordinator and we would work together to assure that the work is being done properly.

Initially, data may be transcribed into Excel Spreadsheets, or into other spreadsheet types. (See Templates)

The Census Coordinator will then put the final touches on the data and then make sure it is published on the web.

or check the IAGenWeb county home page and see if there is a link to it from there. Errors do happen, and its best not to assume the status page is totally correct before investing time and money.

Basically, ALL of the data is transcribed, for a given census year.

Each column on the microfilm(s) is to be copied accurately into the database which the transcriber produces.

It will not work to enter transcribed data into any word processor which is programmed for Proportional Fonts. It will not permit consistent column-delimited results.

This is what might happen to the transcribed data if a "proportional font" is used:
LAST NAME      FIRST NAME         BIRTH PLACE
Jonson      Ole       Norway
Jonson      Bereth            Wisconsin

• Copy names exactly as indicated on the film -- no not add to, or shorten, them. Example: If the name is "Wm", do not extend it to "William".
• Questionable letters in a name should be indicated by an asterisk ( * ) Example: Johns*n - Blackb*** - ****field
• Place Titles such as: Jr. Jun. Sr. Dr. at the end of the persons first name(s) (e.g. William Jefferson jun. Garrett )
• The last word in the name field should be the proper surname. (e.g. Change Mc Farland to McFarland )
• For individuals with no last name, just leave the field blank; Examples names that have no surnames: Brother Ignatius and Sister Mary; American Indian Names; Servants; etc.....
• If there is no entry for a document field, leave the field blank. (e.g. if no age is given, do not change it to "0", just leave it blank.)

• Ditto Marks -- '' -- If the enumerator used ditto marks, replace the ditto marks with the intended information.
• Sex -- Enter as Upper Case one-letter Code -- M or F
• Age -- Enter a value: e.g., enter infant as 8/12 for 8 months.
• Enter an "X" to indicate Married, Att. School, Read/Write, Deaf, in Militia, voter, etc.

• Use to record additional information from Census Record in quotes, or your own comments without quotes.
• Enumeration Title Information, Enumeration date - Enumerator etc. can be entered on the Common Info tab of the file/spreadsheet.

• Use the stamped page number that the enumerator used. Use the handwritten number if a stamped number is not present.

• Partial -- enter what can be Read, and then use an asterisk to indicate missing letters. Example: Des Mo****
  Use a question mark (?) for letters of an indeterminate length.

• All other comments from the census document can be placed in the Common Info tab of the spreadsheet.

1. Transcribe from Ancestry.com digital images.
2. Transcribe directly from the microfilm to your computer, (preferably to a laptop).
3. Transcribe from Photocopies of the microfilm to your computer.
4. Transcibe from digital photgraphs taken of originals or microfilm.
5. Transcribe from a Video Tape of the microfilm to your computer.
6. Transcribe from the microfilm to an audio tape, and then to your computer.
7. Transcribe to intermediate paper forms, and then from that to your computer; but this is a lot of extra work and may produce additional errors.

• Send the completed files to the State Census Coordinator

1. Post a copy on your county IAGenWeb website.
2. Donate a copy to the Local Genealogy Society.
3. Donate a copy to the County Libraries.
4. Publish the transcription, or permit your local genealogy society to publish it.
5. Do all or none of the above.

• This various dramatically! About 50 to 150 individual records can be entered into your computer each hour. Typically you would only want to work maybe two to four hours per day, maximum.
• The length of time to complete a reel depends on the amount of film, or the actual number of individuals on the film.
• A Note of Caution: Please try to take 5-minute breaks every hour, or as needed, to help prevent becoming overly tired.

• To read difficult Microfilm use a yellow tinted transparent sheet. It enhances the print & takes out the gray tones.
• Go to http://amberskyline.com/treasuremaps/oldhand.html for a great tutorial on reading old handwriting. It has pictures and everything you might want.