10 Steps for Finding Your Family Tree Online

From cemetery transcriptions to census records, millions of genealogy resources have been posted online in recent years, making the Internet a popular first stop in researching family roots. And with good reason. No matter what you want to learn about your family tree, there is a pretty good chance you can dig up at least some of it on the Internet. Its not quite as simple as finding a database that contains all of the information on your ancestors and downloading it, however. Ancestor hunting is actually much more exciting than that! The trick is learning how to use the myriad of tools and databases that the Internet provides to find facts and dates on your ancestors, and then going beyond that to fill in the stories of the lives they lived. While each family search is different, I often find myself following the same basic steps when beginning to research a new family tree online. As I search, I also keep a research log noting the places Ive searched, the information I find (or didnt find), and a source citation for each piece of information that I find. The search is fun, but less so the second time if you  forget where youve  looked  and end up having to do  it all over again! Begin with Obituaries Since family tree searches generally work their way back in time from the present, searching out information on recently deceased relatives is a good place to start your family tree quest. Obituaries can be a gold mine for information on family units, including siblings, parents, spouses, and even cousins, as well as the date of birth and death and place of burial. Obituary notices may also help lead you to living relatives who can provide further information on your family tree. There are several large obituary search engines online which can make the search a bit easier, but if you know the town where your relatives lived you will often have better luck searching the obituary archive (when available online) of the local paper. If you arent sure of the name of the local paper for that community, a search for newspaper and the city, town or county name in your favorite search engine will often get you there. Be sure to search out obituaries for siblings and cousins as well as your di rect ancestors. Dig Into Death Indexes Since death records are usually the most recent record created for a deceased individual, they are often the easiest place to begin your search. Death records are also less restricted than most records by privacy laws. While monetary restrictions and privacy concerns mean that the majority of death records are not yet available online, many online death indexes are available through both official and volunteer sources. Try one of these major databases and indexes of   online death records, or do a Google search for death records plus the name of the county or state in which your ancestors lived. If youre researching American ancestors, the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) contains details of more than 77 million deaths reported to the SSA since about 1962. You can search the SSDI for free through  several online sources. Details listed in the SSDI generally include the name, date of birth and death, zip code of last residence, and social security number for each listed individu al. Further information can be obtained by requesting a copy of the individuals   Social Security Application. Check Out the Cemetery Continuing the search for death records, online cemetery transcriptions are another huge resource for information on your ancestors. Volunteers from around the world have traipsed through thousands of cemeteries, posting names, dates, and even photos. Some larger public cemeteries provide their own online index to burials. Here are a number of free   cemetery search databases  online which compile links to online cemetery transcriptions. RootsWebs country, state, and county sites are another great source for links to online cemetery transcriptions, or you can try a search for your familys surname plus cemetery plus location in your favorite Internet search engine. Locate Clues in the Census Once youve used your personal knowledge and online death records to trace your family tree back to people who lived around the beginning of the twentieth century, census records can provide a treasure trove of information on the family. Census records in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and many other countries are available online -- some for free and some through subscription access. In the United States, for example, you can often find living and recently deceased family members listed with their parents in the 1940 federal census, the most recent census year open to the public. From there, you can trace the family back through previous censuses, often adding a generation or more to the family tree. Census takers werent very good at spelling and families arent always listed where you expect them, so you may want to try some of these search tips for census success. Go On Location By this point, youve probably managed to narrow down the search to a particular town or county. Nows the time to head to the source for more detailed information. My first stop is usually the county specific Web sites at USGenWeb, or their counterparts at WorldGenWeb - depending upon your country of interest. There you may find newspaper abstracts, published county histories, biographies, family trees, and other transcribed records, as well as surname queries and other information posted by fellow researchers. You may have already come across some of these sites in your search for cemetery records, but now that youve learned more about your ancestors, you can dig even deeper. Visit the Library In the spirit of location, my next step in the family hunt is to visit the Web sites for local libraries and historical and genealogical societies in the area in which my ancestor lived. Often you can find links to these organizations through the locality-specific genealogical sites mentioned in step 5. Once there, look for a link labeled genealogy or   family history to learn about the available resources for genealogical research in the area. You may find online indexes, abstracts, or other published genealogical records. Most libraries will also offer  online searching  of their library catalog. While most local and  family history books  arent available for online reading, many may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Search Message Boards Many great nuggets of family history information are exchanged and shared via message boards, groups, and mailing lists. Searching the archives of the lists and groups which pertain to your surnames and areas of interest may yield obituaries, family histories, and other pieces of the genealogy puzzle. Not all of these archived messages can be found via traditional search engines, however, necessitating manual searching of any lists of interest.  RootsWebs genealogy mailing lists  and message boards  include searchable archives, as do most genealogy-related organizations using  Yahoo Groups  or  Google Groups. Some may require you to join (free) before searching the archived messages Ferret Out Family Trees Hopefully, by this point, youve found enough names, dates, and other facts to help you distinguish your ancestors from others of the same name -- making it a good time to turn to the family research already done by others. Thousands of family tree have been published online, the majority of them included in one or more of these Top 10 Pedigree Databases. Be warned, however.  Many online family trees  are basically works in progress and may or may not be correct. Be sure to  verify the validity of a family tree  before incorporating it into your own family tree, and  cite the source of the information  in case you find conflicting data as your research progresses. Search for Specialized Resources Based on what youve learned about your ancestors, now you can search out more  specialized genealogical information. Databases, histories, and other genealogical records may be found online which focus on military service, occupations, fraternal organizations, or school or church membership. Stop by the Subscription Sites By this point youve exhausted many of the free online genealogy resources. If youre still having trouble finding information on your family, it may be time to tackle the pay-for-use genealogy databases. Through these sites you can access a wide variety of indexed databases and original images, ranging from the  digitized WWI Draft Registration records  at  Ancestry.com  to the birth, marriage, and death records available online from  Scotlands People. Some sites operate on a pay-per-download basis, charging only for the documents you actually view, while others require a subscription for unlimited access. Check for a free trial or free search feature before plunking down your money!

Walt Disney The Man Behind These Characters, And The...

ALMOST EVERYONE KNOWS THE CHARACTERS OF MICKEY MOUSE, MINNIE MOUSE, AND DONALD DUCK. WALT DISNEY WAS THE MAN BEHIND THESE CHARACTERS AND MANY MORE. A BOY BORN IN CHICAGO, IL AND MADE HIS WAY TO HOLLYWOOD, CA CREATED MANY OF THE GREATEST CARTOON CHARACTERS AND BROUGHT FAIRY TALES TO LIFE. THE DISNEY NAME IS KNOWN NOT ONLY FOR CARTOONS BUT MOVIES, TELEVISION, RADIO, AND THE CREATION OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST AMUSEMENT PARKS. WALT WAS BORN IN CHICAGO, IL IN 1901, ONE OF FIVE CHILDREN, 4 BOYS AND 1 GIRL. BY 1906 HIS FAMILY HAD MOVED TO A FARM IN MISSOURI. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT WALT BECAME INTERESTED IN DRAWING. AT THE AGE OF 7 HE WAS SELLING HIS FIRST DRAWINGS TO HIS NEIGHBORS. WHEN WALT WAS AROUND 9, HIS FATHER WAS TO ILL TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THE FARM SO THE FAMILY MOVED TO KANSAS CITY WHERE HIS FATHER HAD A PAPER ROUTE. WALT’S FIRST JOB WAS DELIVERING THE PAPER FOR HIS FATHER. BY THE TIME WALT WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL HIS FAMILY HAD MOVED BACK TO CHICAGO. HE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN SCHOOL EXCEPT FOR CREATING CARTOONS THAT HIS SCHOOL’S NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED. AT THE AGE OF 17 WALT ATTEMPTED TO ENLIST IN THE MILITARY BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE HE WAS TOO YOUNG. HE JOINED THE RED CROSS AND SPENT A YEAR DRIVING AN AMBULANCE WHILE OVERSEAS. WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE STATES, HE RETURNED TO KANSAS CITY WHERE HE DECIDED THAT HE WANTED TO BE AN ARTIST. WALT OPENED HIS FIRST STUDIO LAUGH-O-GRAM FILMS IN KANSAS CITY. THE STUDIO FAILED DUE TO A BAD BUSINESS DEAL. IN THEShow MoreRelatedWalt Disney : The Greatest Animation Studios1481 Words   |  6 PagesThrough his creation of his many acclaimed theatrical films, space exploration videos, and Walt Disney World, Walt Disney explored the world of animation and built the foundation for the family entertainment business; he also exchanged his animation and film techniques and styles with the world, and encountered many obstacles in his journey becoming one of the most well-known and inspiring person in the world; Walt Disney Animation Studios, founded by Disney, is the greatest animation studios toRead MoreA Report On Google Doodle850 Words   |  4 PagesBurning Man festival in Nevada. They had originally placed a stick man figure behind the second â€Å"o† in the word Google. This was for a comical message saying that the workers were out of the office. Although the first doo dle as quite simple, the idea would spark something that would carry until this very day in age. 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Walt Disney imagined what people thought to be the impossible and created a Disney empire that was made up of cartoons, movies, amusement parks, and much more entertainment. To think if Walt Disney never shared his visions with the world, there would be no animation, amusement parks, Mickey Mouse, or any classic Disney movies like Snow White, Mary Poppins, or Beauty and the BeastRead MoreWhy Do Dreams Come True?1712 Words   |  7 Pagesknows the name â€Å"Disney†, but where does it come from? Who was the intelligent and imaginative person who had the desire and heart to create this entertainment empire? The man was Walt Disney. Through a long road of rewrites, rejections, and reconstructions, Disney created a new look for the entertainment in America. It all started with one little cartoon mouse, originally named Mortimer Mouse, but later changed to a more recognizable name of Mickey Mouse. Not only did Walt Disney create Mickey MouseRead MoreFilm Analysis : Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs1372 Words   |  6 Pagessimple, and often foolish stories. Animation is more than just cartoons moving around in a scene. Behind some of these productions a whole genre of cinema was created and perfected. Some even helped establish foundations for cinema production. Among them, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Toy Story can be singled out as the most influential. It may be said that music, CGI, depth, color, secondary characters and depth in animation started because of these two movies. Two completely different films causedRead MoreEssay on From Delicate Damsels to Strong Self-Starters978 Words   |  4 PagesYoung girls from all over the world idolize the princesses created by Walt Disney. The Walt Disney Company (also known as Disney) is a mass media corporation founded by Walt Disney that is known for the creation of widely known and loved animated films, many of which in clude greatly admired princesses. The popularity of these princesses reached such a height that Disney created a franchise featuring various female heroines from several of Disney’s successful films. Society’s views on gender rolesRead MoreComic Books And Its Impact On Society1631 Words   |  7 PagesComic books has being one of the most popular segments of art and communication since it was created. During Human History, the comics were adapted to each time events. It is possible to notice not only in the creation of Captain America in the 40’s to support the soldiers in the World War II but also the attack to the World Trade Center Building in 2001. 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Understanding Abuse Free Essays

string(247) " in residential care including being under the care of a local authority with one case that rose to prominence being the Pindown Inquiry in 1991 concerning the use of a system referred to as Pindown in children’s homes in Staffordshire England\." Recent periods of social progress and development have seen many concepts and constructs receive widespread attention to what can be described as negative behaviours and one concept and area in particular to receive this attention is abuse. Any response to find a solution to a problem whilst remaining effective and appropriate can experience various complications as there can be an inability to provide a clear and detailed definition of what it actually constitutes, provision of evidence that remains compelling and substantial and taking on board the cultural, social and political considerations and factors that are relevant to the society pertinent to the discussion will receive complications. This lack of clearness in its debate has led to the development of additional descriptions alongside abuse such as psychological maltreatment (Garbino, GuttmanSeeley, 1986), further confusing the issue and its resolution but in spite of this confusion their has been much learned from what attempts have been made in the exploration and analysis of abuse and this discussion will try to identify different types of abuse,expain why particular groups or individuals may be vulnerable ,its differing contexts,risk factors associated and ensure the impact of cultural and social factors on the range of abuse is analysed thoroughly. We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding Abuse or any similar topic only for you Order Now Abuse is the weapon of the vulgar† (Samuel Griswold Goodrich) Abuse is a term that relates itself to any deliberate calculated damaging or deteremental behaviour purposefully used to damage or harm an individual or group and can occur when a person misuses ormistreats another group or individual without any interest in their worth,dignity or well-being. It can be seen as a behaviour where the abuser is interested in the exertion of power and control over the individual and be prepared to manipulate or exploit the individual involved into submission or obedience to their will. In recent decades it has been described in various forms but the main categories to contemplate are Physical,Emotional,Sexual and neglectful and a recently highlighted phenomena of Institutional abuse,that has led to greater awareness and debate. Physical abuse was the earliest form of abuse thought to have come under public consideration in the 1960’s and was believed to be linked to child abuse until child sexual cases started to come to prominence with the Cleveland cases in 1987(Corby,B,Child abuse,1993,p86) and has been defined as â€Å"hitting,shaking,throwing,poisoning,burning or scalding,drowning,suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of or deliberately causes the ill-health to a child they are looking after. This situation is commonly described using terms such as fictitious illness by proxy or â€Å"Munchausen Syndrome by proxy†(Dept of Health,1995:5). This definition can be seen to as quite specific but does not provide any suggestions as to when such actions are deemed grave to authorise intervention and prevention of such behaviours and although it has various forms it can be the most visible, having damaging and long lasting effects. Emotional abuse and neglect has been defined according to the Dept of Health as â€Å"the persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development†(Dept of Health,1999:5-6) and relates itself to malicious †parental behaviour that damages a child’s self-esteem,degrades a sense of achievement,diminishes a sense of belonging and stands in the way of healthy,vigorous and happy development. Emotional abuse has been described as an overtly rejecting behaviour of carers on the one hand or as passive neglect on the other†(Iwaniec,D,Child care in Practice,1994). As a separate form of abuse it was only recognised by legislation in the United Kingdom in the 1980’s although it did receive recognition in the United States since 1977. Attempts have been made to define emotional abuse and neglect in a general way and five damaging behaviours have been levelled by Garbino,Guttman and Seeley(1986) as rejecting,isolating,terrorising,ignoring and corrupting with these actions being a concerted attack by an adult on a child’s development of self and social competence only being described as overtly abusive,painful and developmentally and cognitively damaging. Such behaviour can be seen as an act of commission or omission occuring â€Å"when meaningful adults are unable to provide necessary nuturance,stimulation,encouragement and protection to the child at various stages of development which inhibits his optimal functioning†(Whiting,1976). Sexual abuse in relation to children has been described as â€Å"involving,forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activites whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activites may involve physical contact,including penetrative(e. g rape or buggery) and non-penetrative acts. They may also include non-contact activites such as involving children in looking at or in the production of pornographic material,or watching sexual activites or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways†(Dept of Health,1996,6). This description of sexual abuse specifies that sexual abuse may not necessarily involve physical contact although there can be many other areas to be included when involving a definition such as what is the relation of the perpetrator of such acts and the definition put forward by Glasser and Frosh seems to be more comprehensive â€Å"Any child below the age of consent may be deemed to have been sexually abused when a sexually mature person has by design or by neglect of their usual societal or specific responsibilities in relation to the child,engaged or permitted the engagement of that child in any activity of a sexual nature which is intended to lead to the sexual gratification of the sexually mature person†(Glasser and Frosh,1988,5). This definition pertains to whether or not it involves genital or physical contact and whether or not there is a discernable harmful outcome in the short term. Child sexual abuse is a highly difficult problem and is far more commonplace than previously thought and also affects older as well as younger children(MacFarlaneWaterman,1986) although their is a greater degree of seriousness among practitioners about the urgency of intervention to protect children from such abuse. Another form of abuse that has received prominence in recent years is Institutional abuse that mainly involved children living in residential care including being under the care of a local authority with one case that rose to prominence being the Pindown Inquiry in 1991 concerning the use of a system referred to as Pindown in children’s homes in Staffordshire England. You read "Understanding Abuse" in category "Papers" The Inquiry outlined how methods of controlling children involved techniques that could be construed as sensory deprivation and solitary confinement, were used over a large period of time under the approval of the management of Staffordshire Social Services being only described as brutal in there approach. In the following years a glut of cases came to the fore and the Department of Health responded by instigating a general inquiry in the state of residential care that came to be known as the Utting report 1991,that provided a view on the conflicting sides in care homes good and bad and making a note of the need for greater vigilance and the development of greater measures to protect the safety of children in such places of care. In situations where abuse occurs different groups and individuals can be more vulnerable to abuse than others and the need for greater research into these cases will only help to develop a better understanding of abuse and its forms.. One grouping where abuse has gained significance and shown how a group can be more vulnerable is amongst elderly individuals in domiciliary and residential settings as â€Å"behind closed doors† can be more difficult to combat as contact between victims and services can be extremely limited. Elder abuse has probably been placed in the background in its significance to such abuse as child abuse but any form of abuse is not to be tolerated as each individual has a significant sense of worth and uniqueness in life though elder abuse is often an ignored and hidden problem in society as â€Å"The voice of older people is rarely heard by those who have responsibility for commissioning,regulating and inspecting services†(Fitzgerald,G,Action for Elder Abuse). In 2000 the Dept issued guidance(No Secrets) on the protection of vulnerable adults from abuse defining a vulnerable person as one â€Å"who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability,age or illness and who is or may be unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation†(No Secrets,paras2. 5-2. 6) and although this definition was not restricted to older people it has received criticism as it appeared to exclude those individuals who do not require community care but with no standard definition of Elder abuse in the United kingdom as the term has been imported from the United States one commonly used definition is â€Å"a single or repeated act of inappropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person†(House of Commons Health Commitee,Elder Abuse,Volume 1,2004,P5). Abuse exists when a lack of care from one person towards another is present in a relationship and the thought of predicting abuse or neglect is appealing because of its ability to be preventative and adults have a sense or obligation of care in may respects of life being held to be trustworthy in the application of that duty but the more responsible the relationship the higher the chance of abuse that can exist and parental care is one context that can be seen as the primary type of relationship where abuse can occur and what does or does not be held to be adequate care can be important when making decisions about the likelihood of abuse occurring. With the Childrens Act 1989 not giving any firm statement of intent on what can be deemed adequate care and broad ideas on what care should involve such as physical and emotional responses,health,protection and cognitive behavioural development, research and evidence can be crucial in reviewing contexts and the suggestion that particular c hildren can be determined for abuse with researchers interested in the dynamics of why particular children are susceptible. Predicting abuse by observing maternal responses to new born babies is an important feature of child protection with children who are seen as not wanted or the â€Å"wrong sex† by their parents at a greater risk(Roberts ,1980) but many parents often carry into life unresolved issues from their own childhood or present circumstances that have a substantial impact on their ability to form deep and lasting relationships with their children,†The undermining effect of a difficult child on parental functioning will be lessened when the parent has an abundance of personal psychological resources ,conversely an easy to rear child can compensate for limited personal resources on the part of the parent on maintaining parental effectiveness†(BelskyVondra,1989,188), therefore solid connections to parent or primary care giver is essential to the child’s development and growth. Parents who experience substance abuse,domestic violence or mental health issues can provide risk factors or damaging environments where children can be open to abuse and although not all parents with these experiences can be a risk to their children,their ability to provide adequate care can be limited and damaging. Substance misuse can result in a parents ability to erform basic parenting tasks(Kroll,2004) and be generative of chaotic environments and has come to focus in many families that are under child protection enquiries even during pregnancy and early development. Mental illness can also be seen as another factor relating to abuse ranging from a parents depression to psychotic or delusional violence that can result in fatal cases. The risks can be seen as greater if the parent shows hostility or aggression towards the child,ultimately becoming a target with many children taking on a caring role themselves as parenting can be in conflict and opposition. Another factor co-exis ting and overlapping with the factors previously discussed is domestic violence. Domestic violence is common and is seen usually in the context of the male exerting power over a female and a form of controlling behaviour with violence beginning even during pregnancy increasing in severity leading to a effect on emotional and psychosocial development. With a child being witness to such behaviour anxiety and stress can result in the childs having long term effect even when physical violence is not present. So although factors can emphasise a disposition to abuse the truth is never that clear and no single event or outcome can be determined and the likelihood is that factors such as those discussed are part of a complex context and set of circumstances beginning even long before the child is involved. Social factors can also have considerable effect on abuse and links have been made between male unemployment and the physical abuse of children(Gillham,1998) and the Department of Health has also conducted its own studies finding that 95 percent of children on protection registers are from poor families(Dept of Health,1995) with children from lower economic environments more likely to be abused(Lawson,2000),nevertheless it has been argued that child abuse cuts across all social class with lower classes more susceptible to come under government investigation because of their need for more government resources with this in mind â€Å"Child abuse is strongly related to class, inequality and poverty both in terms of prevelance and severity†¦ olving the problem requires a realignment of social policy which recognises the necessity of tackling the social,economic and cultural conditions associated with the abuse†(Parton,1985,175-176) â€Å"Abuse in the form of violence against women is a normal feature of patriarcial relations. It is a major vehicle that men use in controlling women,as such it is the norm not an aberration. The widespread incidence of child sexual abuse reveals the extent to which men are prepared to wield sexual violence as a major weapon in asserting their authority over women† (Dominelli,1986,p12) Abuse can be seen as a product of a particular culture and child rearing practices are different from time to place being influenced by religion,class,sexuality etc. Culturally approved practices â€Å"such as isolating infants and small children in rooms or beds of their own at night,making them wait for readily available food or allowing them to cry without immediate attending to their needs or desires would be at odds with the child rearing philosophies of most of the cultures discussed†(Korbin,1981,p4) need to be taken into consideration when defining are certain acts abusive but that does not mean that these ideas are not to be challenged. In the vast majority of abuse cases children or women can be seen to the victim and women have been subjected to horrendous acts and ordeals through out many cultures. The challenging of old ideas as an example can be seen in the context of the rape of women in Zimbabwe being traditionally remedied by the arrangement of the perpetrator to the victim in marriage. This act can be seen as seriously and psychologically wicked in its practice but it is an example of where outside support for change can b e directed. Other cultural practices such as circumsion and clitoridectomy should be seen as widely abusive acts (FinkelhorKorbin,1988) and as all abuse is seen in the context of power over the victim rape is another practice especially in the context of war,with the idea of dehumanising the victims leaving a state of fear,anger and hate having long term effects individually and collectively. Being able to differentiate between culturally normative and abusive behaviour without the fear of being seen as racist or stereotypical in approach can result in the protection of abusive individuals and many cases have seen elements of the failure to protect, such examples have included Tyra Henry(Lambeth,1987),Ailee Labonte(Newham Area child protection committee,2002) and Victoria Climbie(Laming,2003),so culture can be a significant factor in how abuse operates and is defined. â€Å"No one ever became depraved with suddenness† (Juvenal,AD c-60-c130) To conclude, further study and research needs to be paid into abuse, its characteristics and manifestations and greater clarification needs to be sought in many areas and inquiry within the context of abuse, peer relationships and the way they are experienced and handled having implications in how individuals relate to others in life as â€Å"Contemporaries increasingly seek one another as the primary sources of support, security and intimacy†(MuellerSilverman,1989,p583) so many factors need to be taken into account when in discussion but as stated earlier abuse is seen as the act of power over another individual or group so the last words belong to the great Carl Jung in that â€Å"Where love reigns ,there is no will to power and where power is all pervading,Love is absent. The one is but the shadow of the other† (Carl Gustav Jung ,1917,Gesammelte Werke,Vol. 7,Zurich,Rascheter-Verlag) How to cite Understanding Abuse, Papers

Advantages and Disadvantages of Sales Force Automation free essay sample

Managing sales is not difficult while a company is small. However, when sales start to grow, it is very hard to manage enlarged sales workflow as effectively as before. It is because the increasing number of sales tasks, the number of regions, customers and products. It is taxing for salespersons to handle sales grows without a special system for planning, tracking, analysing, reporting, and controlling all aspects of sales activity, projects and tasks. Therefore, various sales management systems are developed in order to order to assist sales force operation. Sales Force Automation systems (SFA) are sales management systems that record all the stages in a sales process. SFA tracks all contact that has been made with customers, the purpose of the contact, and any information that might be needed. This ensures that sales efforts would not be duplicated. This eliminates unnecessary procedures and the risk of irritating customers. SFA also includes a sales lead tracking system, sales forecasting, order management and product knowledge. 2. 0 Advantages of Sales Force Automation System (SFA) Technology is critical for success in selling and marketing today. When implemented strategically and effectively, it can provide a lot of benefits. The Internet is one of the ideal platforms for SFA. SFA systems have features where customers can customise the product to meet their required needs through online product building systems. This is becoming more and more popular in the IT industry, where consumers can customise various features. For instance: Dell computer offers optional product features and accessories for consumers. By adopting SFA, Dell’s sales operation becomes more efficient and thus operating cost can be minimised. Businesses which use the Customer relationship management (CRM) as a form of SFA strategy will benefit from it. CRM is a strategy where companies choose and manage the most valuable customer relationship (Ingram et al. 2006, p. 53). SFA as a CRM tool will help companies to effectively manage customer relationship provided there is a right direction and strategy. Customer relationship management is an example of a technology that can provide substantial business value for your sales and marketing functions (Stein 2006). SFA is also been used as a profit maximising tool. By investing in SFA, with proper sales force training; a company’s value will be increased and it will be a competitive advantage for the company. For instance: Marriott hotel adopts SFA to maximise its room occupancy in a way that it will bring most revenue to the hotel. Besides, SFA also helps the sales manager to safe time. Before, the sales manager had to do the analytic job manually and it could take up a whole day. Today, the sales manager can get the job done in less than an hour with the help of SFA. SFA has enabled the $9 billion company to extend its competitive advantage at a time when its competitors were struggling just to survive (Overby 2005). 3. 0 Disadvantages of Sales Force Automation System (SFA) However, SFA does have its disadvantages as well. If SFA systems are not adopted and properly integrated to all departments, there might be a lack of communication which could result in different departments contacting the same customer for the same purpose. In order to ease this risk, SFA must be fully integrated in all departments that deal with customer service management. Software that automates sales and marketing, also known as front-office functions, is being adopted by many firms today. However, the capability to measure its ROI is controversial. This is because the systems are not easy enough to use for salespeople with broadly ranging technical skill, a lack of real support and also proper financial support from the top management (Holt Radosevich 1998). CRM, on the other hand; will turn out to be disaster if the sales force is not properly guided. If the company’s messages are confusing and your marketing team is working without a plan, the company’s customer elationship will be worst off. Sales person are forced to spend some part of their day inputting information about their prospects into a CRM system, but without gaining any value from the process, they are going to get demotivated (Stein 2006). For instance: Toshibas PC business also took a light-handed approach when getting its salespeople to adopt CRM. Toshiba constantly improve the system to help convince their salespeople to use it. Toshiba also deployed a data entry group to populate the CRM database, rather than depending on salespeople to do it in their spare time (James 2003). Eventually, Toshiba spend more financial and human resources unnecessarily. In addition, there are certain products where personal contact is crucial. SFA dehumanised a sales process that is suppose to be personal. For example: industrial products. Therefore, SFA are not meant for B2B sales, but B2C sales like Dell computers and Louis Voitton purses. 4. 0 Conclusion In order to adapt to the rapid development of the technology nowadays, firms have to adopt SFA in order to stay competitive as SFA can create competitive advantage. However, proper governance should be give from the top management to the sales force in order to avoid any complication which will further affect the sales management process. Thus, efficiency can be optimised and avoid wastage of resources. Last but not least, application of SFA is only appropriate when the business only requires minimum personal contact with the buyers.