Tutorial: Creating Your First Watch

Creating Your First Watch: Complete Tutorial

This tutorial walks you through adding your first person to monitor, with tips for maximum accuracy.

What You'll Learn

• How to access the Add Watch form
• Required vs optional fields
• Best practices for accuracy
• What happens after you create a watch

Step 1: Access the Add Watch Form

There are three ways to add a watch:

Option A: Dashboard Button

1. Go to your Dashboard
2. Click the green "Add Watch" button
3. The form will open

Option B: Watches Page

1. Navigate to Watches in the sidebar
2. Click "+ Add Watch" in the top right
3. The form will open

Option C: Keyboard Shortcut

• Press "N" anywhere in the app
• The Add Watch form opens immediately

Step 2: Enter Basic Information

Required Fields

First Name (Required)

• Enter the person's legal first name
• We automatically check nicknames (John = Johnny, Jack, etc.)

Last Name (Required)

• Enter the exact last name
• Must match exactly for a match to occur

Optional but Recommended

Middle Name

• Helps distinguish common names
• If unknown, leave blank (no penalty)

Step 3: Add Location Details

Location is the #1 factor for reducing false matches.

State (Highly Recommended)

1. Click the State dropdown
2. Select the state where the person lives/lived
3. You can add secondary states later

City (Optional but Helpful)

• Further narrows search results
• Great for common names in large states

County (Optional)

• Useful for rural areas
• Some obituaries list county instead of city

Step 4: Add Optional Identifiers

These fields significantly improve match accuracy:

Approximate Age

• Enter an age range if known
• Helps filter out people with same name but different age

Known Relatives

• Obituaries often mention family members
• Great for common names
• Example: Mary Smith (spouse), James Smith (son)

Maiden Name (if applicable)

• Important for married women
• We check both names

Step 5: Review and Submit

1. Review all entered information
2. Check the summary preview
3. Click "Start Monitoring"

What Happens Next:

• Watch is created immediately
• Scanning begins within minutes
• You'll see it on your Watches page
• Notifications are enabled by default

Example: Adding a Watch

Let's walk through a real example:

Scenario

You need to monitor "John William Smith" who lives in Cleveland, Ohio and is approximately 78 years old.

Filled Form:

• First Name: John
• Middle Name: William
• Last Name: Smith
• State: Ohio
• City: Cleveland
• Approximate Age: 75-80
• Relatives: Mary Smith (wife)

Result:

• High-precision monitoring
• Low false positive rate
• Instant notification when matched

Common Mistakes to Avoid

After Creating Your Watch

Your watch is now active! Here's what to expect:

1. Immediate scanning - We start checking sources right away
2. 24/7 monitoring - Scans run continuously
3. Email notification - When a match is found
4. SMS alert - If you've enabled text messages

Next Steps

• Tutorial: Reviewing Matches
• Tutorial: Editing a Watch
• Understanding Match Scores