What is the DES?

The universal DataEntrySystem (DES) was developed by the "Verein für Computergenealogie" to transcribe and record structured sources in a database and make them searchable. With the unique entry window, a single data set can be identified and transcribed directly on the source by means of a small input mask. Each transcribed data set can be found worldwide via the DES search immediately after saving.

Source documents transcribed so far include mainly

• military sources such as various lists of casualties or missing persons
• historical address books
• police registers and similar sources
• civil and church registers

However, any other source containing structured data can be transcribed. Here as an example in German an excerpt from the reports of the Association of Laboratory Directors.