A source template tells RootsMagic how to write a footnote, short footnote, or bibliography entry. It uses names in square brackets, such as [Title], to show where to put the information you enter. The instructions here are for making or changing templates; you do not need to learn them to enter a source.

RootsMagic 12 includes 18 built-in templates based on Evidence Explained, 4th edition. Older built-in templates used by an existing database are retained as user-defined templates. A converted database can therefore contain more than the new built-in set.

Choose the right kind of change

To correct a book title or page number, edit the source or citation. To change how a template writes references for all sources using it, edit the template. To change an existing source between Free Form and a template, use Change source template. Choose the task that matches what you want to change.

Built-in templates cannot be edited directly. Copy one to create a user-defined template when you need a variation, then give the copy a distinctive name. See Creating a source template and User Source Templates.

Source information and citation details

Choose which information belongs to the whole source and which can differ between citations. For a book, the author and title belong in source fields. A page number belongs in a detail field, so you can cite different pages without entering the book again.

Use Template language reference for field and formatting syntax, and Using a source template for template-construction examples. Test the footnote, short footnote, and bibliography with both complete and partially filled sample data before using a custom template widely.