diff --git a/LiveSiteUpdatesNotes.txt b/LiveSiteUpdatesNotes.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ad2ae9dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LiveSiteUpdatesNotes.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+make sure that root individuals have same 'joinedwithcode' as 'code'
+
+User.all.each do |u|
+	u.generation = u.get_generation
+	u.save
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/helpers/users_helper.rb b/app/helpers/users_helper.rb
index 097ecdfb..a390eb83 100644
--- a/app/helpers/users_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/users_helper.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ module UsersHelper
       user['value'] = u.name
       user['profile'] = u.image.url(:square)
       user['mapCount'] = u.maps.count
+      user['generation'] = u.generation
       user['created_at'] = u.created_at.strftime("%m/%d/%Y")
       user['rtype'] = "mapper"
       
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index f0c1345f..3dea654b 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,22 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   def generate_code
     #generate a random 8 letter/digit code that they can use to invite people
 	  self.code = rand(36**8).to_s(36)
+
+    self.generation = self.get_generation
+  end
+
+  def get_generation
+    if self.joinedwithcode == self.code
+      # if your joinedwithcode equals your code you must be GEN 0
+      gen = 0
+    elsif self.generation
+      # if your generation has already been calculated then just return that value
+      gen = self.generation
+    else
+      # if your generation hasn't been calculated, base it off the
+      # generation of the person whose code you joined with + 1
+      gen = User.find_by_code(self.joinedwithcode).get_generation + 1
+    end
   end
   
   def settings
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/_templates.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/_templates.html.erb
index 25f4d024..00db4561 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/_templates.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/_templates.html.erb
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
           <p>Mapping since: {{created_at}}</p>
         </div>
         <div class="mapperGeneration">
-          <p>Generation: 1</p>
+          <p>Generation: {{generation}}</p>
         </div>
         <div class="mapCount">
           {{mapCount}}
diff --git a/db/migrate/20141121204712_add_generation_to_users.rb b/db/migrate/20141121204712_add_generation_to_users.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b31e2832
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20141121204712_add_generation_to_users.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddGenerationToUsers < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+  	add_column :users, :generation, :integer
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 606735d7..fc6b7335 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -1,134 +1,135 @@
-# encoding: UTF-8
-# This file is auto-generated from the current state of the database. Instead
-# of editing this file, please use the migrations feature of Active Record to
-# incrementally modify your database, and then regenerate this schema definition.
-#
-# Note that this schema.rb definition is the authoritative source for your
-# database schema. If you need to create the application database on another
-# system, you should be using db:schema:load, not running all the migrations
-# from scratch. The latter is a flawed and unsustainable approach (the more migrations
-# you'll amass, the slower it'll run and the greater likelihood for issues).
-#
-# It's strongly recommended to check this file into your version control system.
-
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20140930013020) do
-
-  create_table "in_metacode_sets", :force => true do |t|
-    t.integer  "metacode_id"
-    t.integer  "metacode_set_id"
-    t.datetime "created_at",      :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at",      :null => false
-  end
-
-  add_index "in_metacode_sets", ["metacode_id"], :name => "index_in_metacode_sets_on_metacode_id"
-  add_index "in_metacode_sets", ["metacode_set_id"], :name => "index_in_metacode_sets_on_metacode_set_id"
-
-  create_table "mappings", :force => true do |t|
-    t.text     "category"
-    t.integer  "xloc"
-    t.integer  "yloc"
-    t.integer  "topic_id"
-    t.integer  "synapse_id"
-    t.integer  "map_id"
-    t.integer  "user_id"
-    t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
-  end
-
-  create_table "maps", :force => true do |t|
-    t.text     "name"
-    t.boolean  "arranged"
-    t.text     "desc"
-    t.text     "permission"
-    t.integer  "user_id"
-    t.datetime "created_at",              :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at",              :null => false
-    t.boolean  "featured"
-    t.string   "screenshot_file_name"
-    t.string   "screenshot_content_type"
-    t.integer  "screenshot_file_size"
-    t.datetime "screenshot_updated_at"
-  end
-
-  create_table "metacode_sets", :force => true do |t|
-    t.string   "name"
-    t.text     "desc"
-    t.integer  "user_id"
-    t.boolean  "mapperContributed"
-    t.datetime "created_at",        :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at",        :null => false
-  end
-
-  add_index "metacode_sets", ["user_id"], :name => "index_metacode_sets_on_user_id"
-
-  create_table "metacodes", :force => true do |t|
-    t.text     "name"
-    t.string   "icon"
-    t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
-    t.string   "color"
-  end
-
-  create_table "synapses", :force => true do |t|
-    t.text     "desc"
-    t.text     "category"
-    t.text     "weight"
-    t.text     "permission"
-    t.integer  "node1_id"
-    t.integer  "node2_id"
-    t.integer  "user_id"
-    t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
-  end
-
-  create_table "topics", :force => true do |t|
-    t.text     "name"
-    t.text     "desc"
-    t.text     "link"
-    t.text     "permission"
-    t.integer  "user_id"
-    t.integer  "metacode_id"
-    t.datetime "created_at",         :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at",         :null => false
-    t.string   "image_file_name"
-    t.string   "image_content_type"
-    t.integer  "image_file_size"
-    t.datetime "image_updated_at"
-    t.string   "audio_file_name"
-    t.string   "audio_content_type"
-    t.integer  "audio_file_size"
-    t.datetime "audio_updated_at"
-  end
-
-  create_table "users", :force => true do |t|
-    t.string   "name"
-    t.string   "email"
-    t.text     "settings"
-    t.string   "code",                   :limit => 8
-    t.string   "joinedwithcode",         :limit => 8
-    t.string   "crypted_password"
-    t.string   "password_salt"
-    t.string   "persistence_token"
-    t.string   "perishable_token"
-    t.datetime "created_at",                                            :null => false
-    t.datetime "updated_at",                                            :null => false
-    t.string   "encrypted_password",     :limit => 128, :default => ""
-    t.string   "remember_token"
-    t.datetime "remember_created_at"
-    t.string   "reset_password_token"
-    t.datetime "last_sign_in_at"
-    t.string   "last_sign_in_ip"
-    t.integer  "sign_in_count",                         :default => 0
-    t.datetime "current_sign_in_at"
-    t.string   "current_sign_in_ip"
-    t.datetime "reset_password_sent_at"
-    t.boolean  "admin"
-    t.string   "image_file_name"
-    t.string   "image_content_type"
-    t.integer  "image_file_size"
-    t.datetime "image_updated_at"
-  end
-
-  add_index "users", ["reset_password_token"], :name => "index_users_on_reset_password_token", :unique => true
-
-end
+# encoding: UTF-8
+# This file is auto-generated from the current state of the database. Instead
+# of editing this file, please use the migrations feature of Active Record to
+# incrementally modify your database, and then regenerate this schema definition.
+#
+# Note that this schema.rb definition is the authoritative source for your
+# database schema. If you need to create the application database on another
+# system, you should be using db:schema:load, not running all the migrations
+# from scratch. The latter is a flawed and unsustainable approach (the more migrations
+# you'll amass, the slower it'll run and the greater likelihood for issues).
+#
+# It's strongly recommended to check this file into your version control system.
+
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20141121204712) do
+
+  create_table "in_metacode_sets", :force => true do |t|
+    t.integer  "metacode_id"
+    t.integer  "metacode_set_id"
+    t.datetime "created_at",      :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",      :null => false
+  end
+
+  add_index "in_metacode_sets", ["metacode_id"], :name => "index_in_metacode_sets_on_metacode_id"
+  add_index "in_metacode_sets", ["metacode_set_id"], :name => "index_in_metacode_sets_on_metacode_set_id"
+
+  create_table "mappings", :force => true do |t|
+    t.text     "category"
+    t.integer  "xloc"
+    t.integer  "yloc"
+    t.integer  "topic_id"
+    t.integer  "synapse_id"
+    t.integer  "map_id"
+    t.integer  "user_id"
+    t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
+  end
+
+  create_table "maps", :force => true do |t|
+    t.text     "name"
+    t.boolean  "arranged"
+    t.text     "desc"
+    t.text     "permission"
+    t.integer  "user_id"
+    t.datetime "created_at",              :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",              :null => false
+    t.boolean  "featured"
+    t.string   "screenshot_file_name"
+    t.string   "screenshot_content_type"
+    t.integer  "screenshot_file_size"
+    t.datetime "screenshot_updated_at"
+  end
+
+  create_table "metacode_sets", :force => true do |t|
+    t.string   "name"
+    t.text     "desc"
+    t.integer  "user_id"
+    t.boolean  "mapperContributed"
+    t.datetime "created_at",        :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",        :null => false
+  end
+
+  add_index "metacode_sets", ["user_id"], :name => "index_metacode_sets_on_user_id"
+
+  create_table "metacodes", :force => true do |t|
+    t.text     "name"
+    t.string   "icon"
+    t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
+    t.string   "color"
+  end
+
+  create_table "synapses", :force => true do |t|
+    t.text     "desc"
+    t.text     "category"
+    t.text     "weight"
+    t.text     "permission"
+    t.integer  "node1_id"
+    t.integer  "node2_id"
+    t.integer  "user_id"
+    t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
+  end
+
+  create_table "topics", :force => true do |t|
+    t.text     "name"
+    t.text     "desc"
+    t.text     "link"
+    t.text     "permission"
+    t.integer  "user_id"
+    t.integer  "metacode_id"
+    t.datetime "created_at",         :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",         :null => false
+    t.string   "image_file_name"
+    t.string   "image_content_type"
+    t.integer  "image_file_size"
+    t.datetime "image_updated_at"
+    t.string   "audio_file_name"
+    t.string   "audio_content_type"
+    t.integer  "audio_file_size"
+    t.datetime "audio_updated_at"
+  end
+
+  create_table "users", :force => true do |t|
+    t.string   "name"
+    t.string   "email"
+    t.text     "settings"
+    t.string   "code",                   :limit => 8
+    t.string   "joinedwithcode",         :limit => 8
+    t.string   "crypted_password"
+    t.string   "password_salt"
+    t.string   "persistence_token"
+    t.string   "perishable_token"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                                            :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                                            :null => false
+    t.string   "encrypted_password",     :limit => 128, :default => ""
+    t.string   "remember_token"
+    t.datetime "remember_created_at"
+    t.string   "reset_password_token"
+    t.datetime "last_sign_in_at"
+    t.string   "last_sign_in_ip"
+    t.integer  "sign_in_count",                         :default => 0
+    t.datetime "current_sign_in_at"
+    t.string   "current_sign_in_ip"
+    t.datetime "reset_password_sent_at"
+    t.boolean  "admin"
+    t.string   "image_file_name"
+    t.string   "image_content_type"
+    t.integer  "image_file_size"
+    t.datetime "image_updated_at"
+    t.integer  "generation"
+  end
+
+  add_index "users", ["reset_password_token"], :name => "index_users_on_reset_password_token", :unique => true
+
+end
diff --git a/test/fixtures/users.yml b/test/fixtures/users.yml
index d41aad01..8a461a50 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/users.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/users.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ user:
   email: user@user.com
   encrypted_password: $2a$10$psR68SWYNy5ZKQPs9FrFM.HuRMrTXO/YFzv.HaUmdCsQZsQrG1XAW
   code: qwertyui
+  joinedwithcode: qwertyui
   admin: false
 
 admin:
@@ -12,4 +13,5 @@ admin:
   email: admin@admin.com
   encrypted_password: $2a$10$psR68SWYNy5ZKQPs9FrFM.HuRMrTXO/YFzv.HaUmdCsQZsQrG1XAW
   code: iuytrewq
+  joinedwithcode: iuytrewq
   admin: true