CD-ROMPRODUCTS

 

The PeopleFinder series of CD-ROM-based investigative software products provides the User with

access to data files containing the Name, Address, Telephone Number and Date of Birth of the majority

of adults in the United States- all cross-referenced and searchable by any field. Some PeopleFinder

products contain additional vital data, such as driver license records.

 

The PeopleFinder series has been designed to be as user-friendly and as cost-efficient as possible.

There are no "meters" or "expiration dates" programmed into any PeopleFinder disc, and so there

are no limits of any kind placed on the number of times that you can use a PeopleFinder product.

 

We believe that the PeopleFinder User Interface software has been designed as logically and intuitively

as possible. This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) file has been prepared to assist the PeopleFinder

user with searching tips and shortcuts.

 

It is recommended that this FAQ file be printed for convenient future availability.

 

To read a duplicate of this Help file at any time, press the "F-1" function key from the main input screen

of any PeopleFinder CD-ROM.

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

IMPORTANT USER TIP: Many PeopleFinder CD-ROM products are divided into two or more

CD-ROM discs. When searching, please be certain to process your search through all of the

appropriate CD-ROMs in the set.

 

The disc that is in your CD drive when you perform a search (i.e., when you press or select the

"Accept" button) is the disc that will be searched. You may manually eject the CD and insert

another CD from the set BEFORE you have performed your search (i.e., BEFORE you have

pressed "Accept").

 

DO NOT EJECT THE DISC WHILE VIEWING A RECORD PREVIEW LIST, VIEWING

A COMPLETE RECORD OR LINK, OR A DEMOGRAPHICS REPORT.

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

MENU NAVIGATION :

 

 

The PeopleFinder User Interface software supports use of the Page Up-Page Down keys, the

"arrow" keys, the Tab key, the Return and Enter keys, and any IBM-compatible mouse or trackball.

 

Use of a color monitor with the PeopleFinder CD-ROMs is recommended, and allows the User to

take advantage of the colored highlighting features programmed into the PeopleFinder User Interface.

 

PeopleFinder software is an "enhanced" program, designed for maximum speed, and will run on any IBM-compatible computer operating with a 386 processor, or better.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: If your machine is running under a 286 processor, or similar, you must use the

"...286.EXE" program to run PeopleFinder on your computer. (Example: when using PeopleFinder

Texas, type: "TEX286" instead of "TEX", and press Enter.) This will allow PeopleFinder discs to run

on your 286 processor nearly as fast as on a newer machine.

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

 

USING THE PEOPLEFINDER SEARCH MENU :

 

 

The "TRACE" Menu:

 

 

All data contained in PeopleFinder discs is accessed through the "TRACE" menu.

 

There are a number of different choices available for TRACE request input:

 

 

"Person" (allows tracing by full or partial subject Name and/or D.O.B.) (shortcut: "F-3" function key)

 

USER TIP: It is possible to input a "range" of year(s) of birth, instead of a complete date of birth. (DOB).

Example: entering "67-77" in the "YY" (YEAR) field searches for a person believed to be in his/her 20s.

 

USER TIP: If the PeopleFinder multi-CD set that you are using is separated by alphabetical surnames,

remember to search the People Finder CD-ROM disc containing the correct surname for your subject.

If the surname is unknown, be sure to search each People Finder CD-ROM disc in the set.

 

USER TIP: Using the wildcard feature when entering data in the Surname field (eg.: "TYLER*" )

will ensure that you will retrieve all variations of that Surname, including "TYLER JR", "TYLER SR"

"TYLER-JOHNSON", etc. See below for a more detailed explanation of Wildcard searching.

 

 

"Location" (allows tracing by full or partial address ; provides a list of all persons shown cross-

referenced with the address) (shortcut: "F-4" function key)

 

USER TIP: It is possible to input a "range" of street numbers, instead of a specific location.

(Example: entering "10-20" in the House Number field and "MAIN ST*" for the Street Address

will identify all residents of "MAIN ST" (or "MAIN STREET") having house numbers such as

"10","14","18",etc)

 

USER TIP: If the PeopleFinder multi-CD set that you are using is separated by geographical region,

remember to search the People Finder CD-ROM disc for the appropriate region.

 

IMPORTANT USER TIP: It is strongly recommended that you use the Wildcard feature for

the Street Name field. See below for an explanation.

 

 

"Telephone" (allows tracing of a telephone number) (shortcut: "F-5" function key)

 

Note: There is no wildcard searching permitted when tracing a telephone number.)

 

 

IMPORTANT USER TIP: When running a "Location" trace, you MUST use a wildcard search if you

do not know if the input address is a "Street","Avenue", "Lane", etc.

 

(Example: "WILSON*" will match "WILSON", "WILSON ST", WILSON STREET", "WILSONDALE

PARK", etc. Even when the street type is known, it is suggested that you invoke the Wildcard feature to

accommodate possible variation in the database itself. If your target is listed under "WILSON STREET", and

you input a search for "WILSON ST", the record will not be found. However, using the Wildcard feature,

and inputing a search for "WILSON*" (note the asterisk), will return the desired record.

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

"Limit"-ing a Trace :

 

 

IMPORTANT USER TIP: Certain "PERSON" traces, especially surname-only traces using the

"wildcard" feature, might return a large and unmanageable number of records. For that reason, the

PeopleFinder software provides the User with a "LIMIT" feature, available from the "TRACE - PERSON"

screen. Invoking the "LIMIT" command allows the User to "limit" the search for a person to a specific

City and/or Zip Code and/or Street.

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

IMPORTANT USER TIP: It is possible to halt a search while it is still running. Simply press the

<Escape> (or <ESC>) key on your keyboard, and the search operation will stop. You will then be

provided with all of the records assembled to that point in the search.

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

"LINKS" to a Trace-d Record :

 

 

Once you have completed a Search, and selected ONE (1) specific record from the Record Preview

Screen, it is possible to "LINK" that selected record to other related records. This is one of the most

powerful features of the PeopleFinder software.

 

To invoke this feature, click on the "LINKS" button on the bottom of the "RECORD DISPLAY"

screen (or press the letter "L" on your keyboard).

 

You are able to identify LINKS between the record you have found, and other PeopleFinder records

that contain the same:

 

FULL NAME and CITY (Helps to identify address variations or multiple addresses.)

 

LAST NAME , STREET and ZIP CODE (Allows flexibility in locating persons living together.)

 

LAST NAME and CITY (Useful for identifying family members, or an individual using a

variety of given name(s).)

 

FIRST NAME and DOB (Useful for determining a female's "married" and "maiden" names.)

 

COMPLETE ADDRESS (Alert: this will return an EXACT address match, including

apartment, so use this LINK only for an exact match.)

 

TELEPHONE NUMBER (Can help to identify persons using the same telephone number.)

 

FULL NAME and DOB (Useful for developing multiple addresses for the same person.)

 

FULL NAME and ZIP (Can identify inadvertent address variations.)

 

LAST NAME and DOB (Useful for identifying a person using a variety of given name(s).)

 

LAST NAME and ZIP (Useful to provide a degree of flexibility in the search.)

 

STREET ADDRESS (More forgiving than "COMPLETE ADDRESS". Looks for other

people residing in the same building.)

 

STREET and ZIP CODE (An easy way to get a list of neighbors.)

 

 

 

To allow for the highest level of "on disc investigation", multiple levels of "LINK"-ing of

records is possible.

 

NOTE: "LINK"-ing across different discs of a multi-CD set is not supported.

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

"DEMOGRAPHICS" of a Trace-d Record :

 

 

Once you have completed a Search, and selected ONE (1) specific record from the Record Preview

Screen, it is possible to obtain the DEMOGRAPHICS for the address (Zip Code) cross-referenced

to that selected record.

 

To invoke this feature, click on the "DEMOGRAPHICS" button on the bottom of the "RECORD

DISPLAY" screen.

 

Included in the on-disc DEMOGRAPHICS report are: (area) population, number of males and females,

(area) racial compositions, average area income, and average area household value.

 

SOURCE NOTE: All "DEMOGRAPHICS" data contained in the PeopleFinder discs has been extracted

from updates to the most recent United States census. Although we have been able to provide demographic

data for the vast majority of locations, certain areas do not have figures calculated for them by the U.S.

Bureau of the Census, and therefore a request for DEMOGRAPHICS data for those few zip codes will

not return information.

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

The "OPTIONS" Menu:

 

 

For your convenience, the PeopleFinder discs can be modified by the User to display the preview

"Summary Screen" in a variety of formats :

 

"NAME, DOB, ADDR, CITY, STATE"

 

"NAME, ADDR, CITY, STATE, ZIP"

 

"NAME, DOB, PHONE, CITY, STATE, ZIP"

 

 

To select an output format, use the arrow keys, or your mouse, to highlight the preferred output,

and then select "OK".

 

 

IMPORTANT USER TIP: You must select a different output format BEFORE running a trace,

if you do not desire the default preview output format.

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

The "HELP" Menu:

 

 

The HELP Menu typically provides a menu interface to five (5) text files (although this may

vary slightly) :

 

"Register"

 

"PeopleFinder..."

 

"About The Wingate Group"

 

"Advanced Skiptracing"

 

"CD-ROM Products".

 

 

"Register" contains important information regarding discounts and special offers available to

registered users of the PeopleFinder software products. (If you are already a PeopleFinder

user, it is possible to register your ownership online, through this website.)

 

"PeopleFinder..." is similar to the FAQ file that you are currently viewing, and provides on-disc

help. It can be viewed at any time by pressing the "F-1" function key.

 

"About The Wingate Group" provides background information on the publisher of the

PeopleFinder CD-ROMs.

 

"Advanced Skiptracing" provides recommendations for investigative assistance and services, as

provided by Investigators recommended by The Wingate Group.

 

"CD-ROM Products" provides information about other "skip-tracing" software products. (A similar

file can be viewed on this website.)

 

 

Portions (c) 1998 - The Wingate Group. All rights reserved.

Publication on this website by permission.

 

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED BY THIS FAQ SHEET,

PLEASE SEND US ELECTRONIC MAIL. MOST QUESTIONS SENT VIA ELECTRONIC

MAIL RECEIVE A RESPONSE ON THE SAME DAY THAT THEY ARE RECEIVED.