Ancestry DNA matches - What to do next?

So, your Ancestry DNA test has come back, and you are faced with a heap of matches - what next?

Firstly, open Chrome and install the Snavely Ancestry DNA helper extension at the link below,
this enables more functionality from your results.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ancestrydna-helper/hjflmfphflaeehhpdiggobllgffelfee

Secondly, download your raw dna data file - on your DNA start page
https://www.ancestry.com.au/dna/
you will see a cog on the right hand side of the screen labelled Settings.
Click here, and click on download raw DNA data.

You can then upload this to the free website Gedmatch.
 https://www.gedmatch.com
You will need to register an account, and click on AncestryDNA.com under File Uploads.
This will enable further analysis of your data, but we will return to this later.

Now, return to the Ancestry DNA start page, and click on View All DNA Matches.
They are organised in order of closest relationship by default.

First look at any Hints you may have by clicking on the Hints button with the green leaf, you will only get these if Ancestry thinks two people are identical, one from your tree and one from the matched tree.
Now, return back to the matches page.
You will notice that many matches have no trees, very small trees or private trees.
Many people have actually taken the DNA test for other reasons than family history, and are not interested in matches, or they have not linked their tree to the results. For the time being ignore these matches.

Now, let's look at the matches with trees, starting at the top.
Click on View Match
You will see two or three tabs:
1) Pedigree and Surnames (this is the default)
2) Shared matches (if there are any)
3) Map and Locations

After an initial glance at the common names, unless you have a really rare name I find most of the time it is easier to start via the Map and Locations tab.

At the top right of the map is a little black square with a white box marked inside, click this to open a larger screen. Now zoom in to the areas you are interested in.
Your family will be shown in blue, your matches' family in orange, and where you both have people in the same location these are shown in green.

When you click on a green marker, you will first see your ancestor's in that location, and secondly your matches' ancestors. Blue shows only yours, and orange only theirs. By looking around at the surnames, dates and places, this may give you an idea of how you may be connected.

By clicking on a name and the View Details  , this will pop up the family and from there you can click on View Full Tree.
Then, you can start researching further to see if you can extend your tree so that you find a link.

There is no "filing system" for your matches, and you will soon get lost, so just above the tabs and below the Predicted Relationship is a Notepad icon - type yourself a note in here and click Save.
You can use the Star button as a toggle for yourself as well.

Of some use is the information on the Predicted Relationship Confidence, there is a little "i" button, clicking this will show you an "estimate" of how much DNA you share, unfortunately Ancestry use an algorithm to calculate this figure, and apart from inaccuracies it does not show the size of segments shared, nor the locations, which is where Gedmatch comes in (detail shown in the right picture).

The more of your matches that have uploaded to Gedmatch the better as it gives a far better indication of the strength and location of the relationship.

Meanwhile keep going through your matches trying to find links, to contact a tree owner it has been found that the best way is to click on the owners name and then use the orange Contact button, rather than the send message button on the previous page, for some reason Ancestry appears to get glitches in their messaging system and the orange button appears to be more reliable. However, be prepared for a lack of response of about 80% :( You will be able to see how long the tree owner has been a member of ancestry and when they were last online, this may give you an indication about the chance of a reply.

Once you get to 5-8th cousins the link is quite distant, and can involve way too much work on the off chance of finding a precarious connection. I only look at these if they come up in a search or shared matches.

Lastly a couple of handy downloads:
7th generation template here http://www.genealogyjunkie.net/downloads.html 
X-DNA chart here http://www.genie1.com.au/blog/63-x-dna

Any questions, anything I missed, please let me know.
Gedmatch next!