I would use that method as a cross-reference as much as I could.  Maybe you could not catch everything but you could catch a vast majority.  Also for cross-referencing sometimes I use part of a name to see is mispellings come up for property I am searching.  A very good way to find some.  Especially because just because this particular deed is in Michael Smith doesn't mean he didn't sign Mike Smith one time.  It can also pick up if the name was accidentally spelled Mihcael Smith by the indexing clerk.  There are so many ways you can utilize cross-references and I know some abstractors here say there is no way to run it by property in counties that I have been running things by property all along - sometimes it takes being real aware of things and watching how they are indexed - sometimes it is not always as easy as entering plat vol in the space, plat page in the space - sometimes there are not spaces and sometimes you have to have the exact amount of spacing between the property to pull up all the records that way.  In at least 2 of my counties abstractors have said there is no way of doing by legal and I said oh really?  Now I am an intelligent person but I am not a rocket scientist here folks - if you are truly a professional abstractor you will work each day to find new ways to search and cross-reference - don't always depend on the clerks as knowing how to do it.  Be very very observant - it is a total must in our line of work.  How many of you return releases and say well I'm sure they meant to release this amount on this property but the release says one D/T and the amount is another D/T - the release is improper and must be corrected or this is assigning this D/T but it is the holder of the other D/T that was on file.