When OnceRemoved is first launched, an authentication dialog box appears. It contains fields for the user name and password. These are the same values specified during the registration process. Once these values are entered into their appropriate fields (remember, they are case sensitive), clicking on the Authenticate button will validate the entries and either grant or deny access.

Presuming access is granted, the next display will be that of the OnceRemoved work area. This takes the form of a standard window containing two smaller windows. One of the smaller windows is a Genealogy work area and the other is a Clan work area. A toolbar stretches across the top. At this point, some definitions are in order. A OnceRemoved Genealogy is organized around the concept of a "Clan" which is simply a term denoting a group of people. A Genealogy is made up of one or more Clans, and a Clan is composed of one or more Persons. Usually, the members of a Clan are related by blood or perhaps adoption, but this is largely an arbitrary distinction. The Genealogy work area is the window space where Clans reside - more precisely, the markers that represent the Clans. Relationships between Clans are denoted by connecting lines. The Clan work area is the window where the actual members of the Clan are displayed (again, the markers representing the members). Here again, relationships between members (Persons) are denoted with connecting lines.

An empty Genealogy will, of course, have no Clans and consequently no Persons, so both of the above windows will be empty. The first order of business is to add a Clan by clicking on the toolbar button . This places OnceRemoved in "add Clan" mode. By moving the mouse into the Genealogy work area (which is the only place where this tool is effective), notice that the conventional shape of the mouse pointer (cursor) is replaced with . A single click will place a Clan marker at the spot pointed to by the cursor. Upon placement of the Clan, a data entry dialog appears. Fill in the fields of interest and click the Record button. At this point, notice that a tab has been added to the Clan work area window and labeled with the name of the Clan specified in the data entry dialog. OnceRemoved remains in "add Clan" mode until such time as a different toolbar item is selected. Consequently, multiple Clan markers can be placed onto the work area without revisiting the toolbar.

Now return to the toolbar and click on the "add Person" button . Move the mouse into the Clan work area (the new tabbed area described above) where the cursor will now appear as . A single click will place a Person marker at the spot pointed to by the cursor. Upon placement of the Person, a data entry dialog appears. Fill in the fields of interest and click the Record button. As with the "add Clan" mode, placing additional Persons is as simple as clicking open spots in any Clan work area. For sake of illustration, remain in the same Clan and repeat this step so that the Clan has two Person markers.

Now that there's a Clan with a couple of Person markers, click the toolbar button . Move the mouse into the Clan work area containing the two Person markers. The cursor now appears as . A single click will place a Union marker at the spot pointed to by the cursor. Upon placement of the Union, a data entry dialog appears. Fill in the fields of interest and click the Record button.

Finally, click and hold the mouse key on one of the Person markers, and move the mouse onto the Union marker just created. Upon release of the mouse key, a "participant" relationship line will be drawn from the Union to the Person marker. Repeat this step for the other Person marker. A Union (marriage?) of two Persons has just been recorded.

Please consult the remainder of the help topics for further guidance.