Vitagene transfer issue

[jackienc81]

On May 22, 2018 I paid for the family finder feature on vitagene, which allowed Family tree DNA to have access to my raw data on vitagene so it could be transferred over to FTDNA and give me family finder- match results. This was supposed to take 24 hours. There was some kind of error in the transfer. I still can’t see any results. I was wanting to buy more features and upgrades on family tree DNA but how can I even consider if it can’t even give me current results I already paid for. Anyways has anyone else had this issue? How long did it take for your issue to get resolved? Or did you just get a refund?

[Anass]

I have sent my sample and recieved by FTDNA on 25-May , batched 28-May
And i got my FF result yestarday !

Did you call them by phone or open ticket ?

[jackienc81]

I reported the issue online and by phone. Still no results. The last call I found out that it had me as a male, so they fixed it and changed it as female and said that maybe that was part of the problem. But still no results. My main issue is I can’t buy more features, services, or upgrade until this issue is resolved. The longer it takes, I question if I should even pay for more features.

[KATM]

Since you can access the FTDNA account, you must have received a kit number and password from FTDNA. When you log in to your FTDNA account and click on the orange link in the left column, "Complete Order History," does it show a Family Finder test has been ordered, and is in process? Or that a transfer happened on May 22? There is also usually a link above the "Order History" list, to click on for the status of pending tests. There should be an estimated date of completion there, but since your transfer was supposed to take 24 hours, you did the right thing by contacting FTDNA.

One important point: unless the agreement between FTDNA and Vitagene somehow allows the transfer of your actual DNA sample, you will not be able to order any tests until you get a testing kit from FTDNA and mail in your DNA sample to them. They will send you a kit when you order any test. You can probably order a test now, since you already have an account. The current sale is for Y-DNA tests, so since you are female, you won't miss anything when the current sale ends later today. And as a female, your only remaining testing option is an mtDNA test (aside from some "Factoid" tests, which are "curiosity tests for gene variants").

I can't find any mention of Vitagene in the FTDNA Learning Center, so I'm not sure how it's handled. Is your raw data file sent to FTDNA when you are logged in to Vitagene? I don't see Vitagene listed on FTDNA's page for Autosomal Transfers, so they must have a unique arrangement. I've read that this transfer agreement started in April of this year, so it's fairly new.

When did you phone FTDNA and submit your Customer Support request? For the latter, did you get a support request ID number? I've had it take from 48 hours to over a week to get a response sometimes, depending upon the volume of help requests they are dealing with.

[jackienc81]

Vitagene told me this:

This is the exact reply from vitagene when I asked them about the issues>>>>>>
This is very uncommon and something that will need to be fixed by Family Tree DNA not Vitagene because we do not have any access to their system in order for us to provide you with their service. You do not need to upload your DNA file, to their system. They are our partner and you gave them access to your file when you placed your order through your Vitagene dashboard. Please contact FTDNA with any issues you have be having with your FTDNA account.

[jackienc81]

Order history attached

See photo of order history

[jackienc81]

support request ID numbers

Yes I received support ID number on May 26th, 2018 and another time on June 4th, 2018. Not sure which days I called, but I know I called atleast 3 times all together.

[KATM]

I'm not familiar with how Vitagene's partnership with FTDNA works, and I can't find mentions of how the partnership works on either the Vitagenes or FTDNA websites.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you appear to have taken a test via Vitagenes, sending a DNA sample to them, and possibly it has already been processed and you've received a Vitagenes report. You then ordered the Family Finder test, for which Vitagenes told you

You do not need to upload your DNA file, to their system. They are our partner and you gave them access to your file when you placed your order through your Vitagene dashboard.

My speculations: I think your actual Vitagene results "file" my not have enough of the same markers as the Family Finder tests uses, and so is not compatible with it. Therefore, FTDNA actually needs to access your DNA sample, one way or another, to do any further tests. They can access your sample by:
1. FTDNA being the lab that processes, or at least stores, the DNA samples sent to Vitagenes (I don't know if this is the case or not)
or
2. FTDNA will need to send out a new kit to you to get a DNA sample

It's probably the first of those two possibilities, based on how FTDNA used to be the company that processed National Geographic's Geno tests (but is not anymore). If they already have access to your DNA sample, it should be easy to use it to do the Family Finder test. But somewhere there is a glitch in getting your Family Finder test started.

Since you heard back from Customer Support on May 26th and June 4th, did either of those messages address your issue, or were they just automated replies to let you know they received your request? I hope they were for the same Request ID number. Try sending them a follow-up email, with the Request ID in the subject line, early this coming week.

If someone else has experience or knowledge with this process of transferring from Vitagene to FTDNA, I hope they'll comment here.

[jackienc81]

The suppor I.D. Numbers I received were the automatic confirmation replies, and yes the numbers were different. Also, I did not know I should have entered in the original ID number from the first report in to the subject line of the second report I made.

Apparently the partnership between the two companies is fairly new according to this link:
VITAGENE & FTDNA JOIN FORCES

[jackienc81]

Yes I originally took a dna test with Vitagene

I took a dna test with vitagene first. Then when my results became available, vitagen offered me the FTDNA FAMILY FINDER FEATURE. I clicked on it to pay for the feature. I was charged for it and I paid for it. However, when I click on my order history with FTDNA, it list my order as a free vitagene transfer. So I assume the money I paid went to vitagene instead of FTDNA.

[jackienc81]

KATM

BY THE WAY Thanks for your input and support KATM