RootsTech 2026 starts March 5th. I have 28 Priority 1 sessions on my list, two days off from the job that pays the bills, and a system that keeps me from drowning in the chaos. Scheduling RootsTech sessions is the foundation of my entire conference experience – and this post walks through exactly how I do it, from the first click to the final color code.
If you missed last week’s post, I wrote about why I chose virtual attendance again this year – and why it was a deliberate, strategic decision, not a consolation prize. You can catch up here: [See: “Why Attending RootsTech 2026 Virtually Is the Right Move Right Now“].
The Tool at the Center: My Google Calendar
My system for scheduling RootsTech sessions starts with Google Calendar. I maintain a dedicated calendar just for RootsTech – completely separate from my work calendar or personal life. Every session I intend to watch gets its own event, including a direct link to the session page. I add that link while I’m already on the page, which saves me from hunting for it later when the conference is live and time is short.
Color coding does the heavy lifting here:
- Yellow: Priority 1 sessions – my must-watch list
- Tomato red: In-person only sessions – I track these anyway, because sometimes they get recorded or show up later in another format
- Lavender: Second, third, or alternate choice sessions for time slots with conflicts
This matters more than it might seem. I schedule every session I’m even remotely interested in, not just my top choices. If I change my mind at the last minute about a session, I don’t want to go hunting for the link mid-conference. It’s already on the calendar, ready to go.
The Airtable Layer
Alongside the calendar, I maintain an Airtable base that tracks every session I’ve added. Once a session goes on the calendar, I mark it as added in Airtable. Each session record also carries an attachment: the syllabus, downloaded directly from the session page while I’m already there.
The syllabi get saved in two places – attached to the Airtable record and filed into a dedicated RootsTech folder on my laptop, organized into subfolders for Online and In Person sessions.
Downloading the syllabus immediately saves time later. When the conference is live, I want to be watching sessions, not downloading files. And this system supports year-long educational tracking.
The Syllabus Review Pass
Once the calendar is complete and the syllabi are downloaded, I do a review pass through all of them. This step catches things I wouldn’t catch otherwise:
- Sessions that cover material I’ve already studied in the past year
- Sessions that address the same topic as another conference I’m attending in person (this year, I’ll cross-reference against the Ohio Genealogical Society calendar, since that’s my only in-person conference in 2026)
- Sessions that turn out to be a better or worse fit than the title suggested
This review sometimes changes my Priority 1 list. A session that looked essential on paper might move to lavender once I read the syllabus carefully. Or a session I ranked as a second choice might jump to yellow. I’d rather make those calls before the conference opens than on the fly.
When Sessions Fall at 1:30 AM
A few sessions on my list fall in the middle of the night for my time zone – a reliable reminder that RootsTech is a global event. I keep those sessions on the calendar right up until Day 1, just in case a session gets moved or rescheduled. If it stays at 1:30 AM, I’ll catch it on replay and reschedule it to a reasonable hour. But I want it tracked either way.
Why I Take Two Days Off Work for RootsTech
I take Thursday and Friday off from my regular job. Every year. Without exception.
If I try to squeeze RootsTech into lunch breaks and evenings, I’ll spend the next three months watching replays I never quite finish. Taking those days off means I’m present while the conference is live, I’m taking notes I’ll actually act on, and I’m not perpetually behind.
My Day-by-Day Schedule
Here’s where my 28 Priority 1 sessions land after all that work scheduling RootsTech sessions across three days.
Wednesday, March 4 – Early Release
RootsTech opens with a small set of sessions available before the main conference begins. I’ll start there.
- How to Use the FamilySearch Research Wiki – Danielle Batson
- Considering Location When Researching Your Ancestors – Davina Wilcock
Thursday, March 5 – Day 1
Day 1 is the heaviest day on my schedule. Thirteen sessions are on my Priority 1 list, and several of them overlap – which is why the color-coded calendar exists.
A quick note on timing: the first two sessions on my Day 1 list fall at 1:30 AM and 3:30 AM EST. I keep them on the schedule until the conference opens – just in case something shifts – but realistically, those are replay sessions. I’ll reschedule them to a civilized hour once Day 1 is underway. It’s a small but reliable reminder that RootsTech serves a global audience, and not every time slot was designed with Ohio in mind.
My Day 1 sessions include:
- Timelines for Genealogy: A Powerful Research Tool – Janet Few
- Demystifying the AGBI – Tricia Seguine
- It’s Just an Index: Finding the Images of Records Online – Poland – Benjamin Fieldstein and co-presenter
- Notarial Records in Poland (Replay) – Dawid Walendzowski and Anna Wiernicka
- The GPS in Practice – Angela Packer McGhie
- Untangling the Darling Web – Bonnie Wade Mucia
- General Session 1 – Marlee Matlin, Steve Roc., and others
- Social & Civic Clubs – Melissa Barker
- When Nothing Found Means Something – Diana Elder
- Which Date Is Right? Solving Birthdate Conflicts Through Genealogical Analysis – Carolyn Ladd
- DNA Evidence Analysis with AI – Nicole Dyer
- Good Genealogists Don’t Guess – Kathryn Moore
- Practical Digital Strategies for Family Histories – Andrew Redfern
The Poland records sessions speak directly to my ongoing Knysz family research. The proof and GPS sessions align with where I’m taking my practice in 2026. I’ll be watching those closely.
I’m especially looking forward to The GPS in Practice session from Angela Packer McGhie and Diana Elder’s session When Nothing Found Means Something. They’re both such great speakers and teach in a way that I learn more easily. And I’m really hoping that Nicole Dyer’s DNA Evidence Analysis with AI session can help me take big chunks out of all three of my 2026 projects – they’re all DNA reliant! Her 22 page(!) syllabus is already amazing.. the session should be even better!
Friday, March 6 – Day 2
Day 2 leans heavily into DNA, proof arguments, and research methodology – exactly the areas I’m prioritizing this year.
- Finding Substitutes for Vital Records – Peggy L. Lauritzen
- Avoiding Research Pitfalls – Jana Greenhalgh
- Cards, Clevises, and Calomel: What Probate Files Can Reveal about Our Ancestors – Nancy Peters
- Using Autosomal DNA Analysis to Identify an Ancestor’s Likely Parents – Alice Childs
- Planning and Organizing Research Findings for Tough Problems – Kate Townsend, CG
- From Discovery to Proof: Crafting a Genealogical Proof Argument – Stephanie O’Connell
- New Ancestor Connector: Part 1 – The Tool – Kristy Wheelwright Taylor
- New Ancestor Connector: Part 2 – The Research – Kristy Thieme
- Unveiling Hidden Branches: A Genetic Study of George Washington’s Extended Family Tree – Sherman McRae
The DNA sessions on Days 1 and 2 are especially timely. I’m actively working on three DNA-focused projects in 2026, and I need every methodological edge I can find. From Discovery to Proof: Crafting a Genealogical Proof Argument is also high on my list – building that skill strengthens every research project I take on, regardless of whether I pursue formal certification this year.
Saturday, March 7 – Day 3
Day 3 is smaller but focused. Five sessions, nearly all Advanced/Professional level.
- DNA Analysis Methodology – Karen Stanbary
- Seeking the Identity of Unknown Parents – Dana Palmer
- Question Everything: Sharpen Evaluation, Avoid Assumptions, & Clarify Your Writing – Kelley Conner Lear
- From RootsTech to Real Life: Turning Your Notes into Practical Steps – Matt Armstrong & Kari Robbins
- The GPS in Practice (Replay) – Angela Packer McGhie
Ending the conference with The GPS in Practice replay – whether I caught the live session on Day 1 or not – feels right. It’s a fitting close to three days built around the same goal: doing this work better.
After RootsTech: Closing the Loop
The system doesn’t stop when the conference ends. Once a session is complete, I change the calendar event to green. Scheduling RootsTech sessions doesn’t end when the conference does – any sessions I didn’t catch live get rescheduled to new calendar dates if they’ve been recorded, so they stay on my radar and actually get watched.
The in-person-only sessions that were never recorded get removed from the calendar. But they don’t disappear entirely. I keep them in Airtable as sessions to watch for throughout the rest of the year. Many presenters offer the same or a very similar session through Legacy Family Tree Webinars or a genealogical society. If they do, I want to know about it.
Only the sessions I’ve actually completed stay on the calendar permanently. That’s by design. The calendar doubles as my year-long educational hours tracker – and that’s a whole other post waiting to be written.
The secret really is simple: build the system before the conference opens, and the conference takes care of itself.
Happy RootsTech 2026!
Join the RootsTech Ride Along
This post is part of the RootsTech Ride Along, a collaboration between Geneabloggers and Projectkin that encourages members to share blogs, vlogs, and opinion pieces throughout RootsTech at RideAlongPartners.org.
I’ll be posting here throughout the conference as part of the Ride Along – and yes, proudly as a card-carrying member of the Bunny Slipper Brigade. That’s what we call the virtual attendees who experience every session from the comfort of home, bunny slippers optional but enthusiastically encouraged.
If you’re participating in the Ride Along too, come find me. The more the merrier – slippers welcome.
How do you approach scheduling RootsTech sessions – do you have a system, or are you more spontaneous? Drop a comment below – I’d love to compare notes!
This post is part of an ongoing RootsTech 2026 series on Our Growing Family Tree.
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