By default, Pedigree Forge files have the extension “.ped”, which is short for Pedigree.
Files can be re-opened using the “Open” item on the “File” menu; Recent files are stored in the “Recent Files” list, also located on the “File” menu.
Pedigree Forge offers a "Database mode" for users working with larger files—see later in the guide for more information.
You should choose a folder on your computer where you want to save your project. For most users, this will be somewhere in their documents folders. It is recommended that you have a folder for each Pedigree Forge project, as this will help you organise files that belong with it, like source documents.
Once you have saved your file for the first time, Pedigree Forge will automatically create a saved backup every 2 minutes. This is useful in case your computer crashes since you last saved the file manually. Note: the auto saved copy is only used if the program shut down unexpectedly. If you exited the program normally, but without saving your work, then any changes will be lost.
By default, you will also be prompted to create a backup of your file when you exit Pedigree Forge. This is useful for longer term backups.