EP1535175A1

EP1535175A1 - System and method for preparing and using automated forms

Info

Publication number: EP1535175A1
Application number: EP03761897A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Charles Schwartz; Ralph Hulslander
Original assignee: Rovenet Inc
Current assignee: Rovenet Inc
Priority date: 2002-07-01
Filing date: 2003-05-05
Publication date: 2005-06-01
Also published as: AU2003232052A1; WO2004003768A1; CA2491435A1; IL166047A0

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an automated programming method comprising creating a document template, uploading the document template to a networked server (Fig.2a), extracting at the server variable definition information from the document template creating a data entry application, downloading the data entry application to a client computing device for recording data collection and uploading the data entry application containing the recorded data from the client to the networked server.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREPARING AND USING AUTOMATED FORMS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The following patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional

Patent Applications Serial Nos. 60/392,654, filed July 1, 2002 and 60/447,959, filed 2/19/2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to application development tools for handheld personal digital assistant devices, such as Palm Pilot, and particularly to a rapid application development tool that allows users to automatically generate a customized data collection software application for use on hand-held and wireless mobile computing devices based upon a specifically prepared pre-formatted document, and further enables the deployment and flexible delivery of formatted output forms including the collected data information therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of hand-held personal digital assistant (PDA) devices such as

Palm^® and other Palm OS devices are enabling today's workers to be more efficient and productive. The advent of newer mobile device platforms, including Pocket PC and RIM and the growing infrastructure for wireless connectivity to the Internet and private networks are expanding the role of mobile devices and their ability to improve worker productivity. While devices and infrastructure are the backbone, they are not enough.

Application software enables these devices and networks to accept, validate, process, store consolidate, format and deliver information in specific ways. Application software, however, is expensive to develop test, support and maintain. As a result, small pools of users and individual users have not been able to justify the cost of custom mobile data entry applications.

For PDA's and Pocket PCs to truly enable a leap in worker productivity, a low cost and highly efficient means of developing mobile and wireless applications without expensive programming resources is required.

It would thus be highly desirable to provide a software development tool that enables non-sophisticated users to build and deploy sophisticated mobile and wireless data entry and delivery applications that would otherwise require expensive programming resources.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a highly efficient means of developing mobile and wireless data entry and delivery applications without expensive programming resources required. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rapid application development (RAD) tool for various wireless PDA devices that is low cost and may be utilized by non-technical users.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a world-wide- web/Interaet-based RAD tool that enables the low cost development of data entry applications for mobile and wireless users that are required to enter data in formatted documents in virtually any business/enterprise context and that require the immediate delivery of formatted documents including the entered data. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a business methodology for enabling the generation of data entry applications for use by mobile and wireless users that are required to enter data into forms at the point of data origination, e.g., off-site from the business/enterprise.

Yet further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a web/Internet-based client/server platform enabling the creation of custom data entry applications based on template documents and field definitions and that receives, translates, formats and delivers collected data in a prescribed format to one or more specified destinations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a document driven programming system that enables the creation of software applications for handheld and wireless mobile computing devices by extracting variable definition information from documents created in a variety of text editor programs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art, in view of the following detailed description taken in combination with the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram 10 depicting the system architecture enabling document driven programming according to the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2(a) depicts the process 100 for creating and uploading forms according to the invention.

Fig. 2(b) depicts the process 125 for running portable forms applications on a portable hand-held device according to the invention.

Figs. 3(a), 3(b) and 3(c) depict examples document templates capable of being uploaded to the document upload web server for portable form generation.

Fig. 4(a) depicts a world-wide-web/Internet based home page located on the portable forms web-server 26 (Figure 1) and Fig. 4(b) depicts the interface for uploading a form file.

Fig. 4(c) depicts a pop-up window 335 providing browse capability to enable user selection of a created template.

Fig. 4(d) depicts a pop-up window 340 displayed to indicate the successful storage of the file upload 344, and, providing an indication 345 of the name by which this form may be selected by the hand-held devices.

Fig. 4(e) depicts the interface 350 provided for enabling the modification of form variables 353 and data transfer locations 355 or, definition of new form variables or data transfer locations provided for an uploaded template form. Fig. 4(f) depicts a pop-up window 375 displayed to provide selection of field type and user prompt.

Fig. 4(g) depicts a pop-up window 390 displayed to provide selection of transfer type and destination.

Fig. 5(a)-5(d) illustrate an example of a simple template form 250 , Fig. 5(a), and three corresponding data.transfers available for output including: an e-mail document transfer 255 (Fig. 5(b)), facsimile document transfer 260 (Fig. 5(c)), and an e- mail of a data set for delivery to Excel or another database 265 (Fig. 5(d)).

Figs. 6(a) and 6(b) depicts the interface of a client application from a computing device running Palm OS. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed to a document driven programming system and methodology that enables the creation of software applications for handheld and wireless mobile computing devices by extracting variable definition information from documents created in a variety of text editor programs. These applications are then available for use on a variety of handheld and wireless mobile computing devices.

The system comprises creating a user created document (template) for data collection that uses structured variables for data collection points. This document is then uploaded to a networked server where variables are extracted to a database and assigned a document identifier, variable field types can be modified and where the uploaded document is stored for delivery reference. Upon request for the document identifiers, the variables only are extracted from the database and downloaded to the requesting device in an active format for the user to use. Upon presentation of the variables on the device, the user is offered the opportunity to fill in the data collection points prompted by the variables. Once the user finalizes the data collection set, the collected data can be stored on the device and/or uploaded to the server. The user can repeat the data collection multiple times. Upon uploading the document the server retrieves the document by its identifiers and replaces the variables with the collected data. The server may then send the document with the collected data to a designated recipient. Figure 1 depicts a generic block diagram of the system architecture 10 enabling document driven programming according to the principles of the invention. As shown in Figure 1, the system includes a computing device 13 such as a client PC equipped with a client browser and a form creator program. For exemplary purposes, the form creator may be a word processor/text editor program which may include PC platform text editors such as Word, WordPerfect, WordPad, Lotus WordPro, and the like.

However, spreadsheets or other form creators may be used including, but not limited to, formats such as text, html, word doc, xml, pdf, as well as electronic forms formats such as

FormDocs (fdt) and OmniForms®. Using the word processor program as an example, users generate a specifically prepared rich text formatted document, alternately referred to as a "template", which is then translated into a customized data collection software application based upon specific value entries on the document. Via a user's browser, the template document is uploaded over a public computing network, e.g., the Internet 99, to a networked web server device 26 which may be one of a larger server cluster 25 comprising a plurality of server devices 26a,...,26n, having one or more dedicated functions (communications, load balancing, database, etc.). As shown in Figure 1, template document uploads to web server device 26 via the Internet is provided over a secure sockets layer (SSL) connection, or like secure data transfer link. Particularly, the template documents are uploaded to a user account maintained on the server. As will be explained in greater detail herein, the server device 25 is preferably a robust, highly scalable server software application that performs three primary functions: 1) creates custom data entry applications based on template documents and field definitions; 2) receives, translates, formats, and delivers collected data in a prescribed format to one or more specified destinations; and 3) maintains user accounting and management functions.

It is understood that the web Server 26 may be installed and operated on a public or private network by an enterprise customer that is using the document driven programming tool either for multi-user data collection applications or as an individual employee productivity tool. Alternatively, individual subscribers may have an account with a web-site and access the web server. The server 26 includes accounts that provide access to users of specific applications. The server also provides an account hierarchy for the managing of shared and non-shared documents.

Once the template is uploaded to the web-server 26, the custom data entry application is created at the server by extracting the variable definition information from the template documents.

Once created, the data entry application is then accessible via the user accounts included on the server. At the server 26, a user can set specific data attributes for the information to be collected based on the needs of the user and the types of information to be collected at the point of capture. It is understood that these can also be set automatically by the server 25. An example of possible attributes include data type for variable, i.e., text, numeric, formulas, lists of choices, yes/no logical, constants, and collections of results of a determinate or indeterminate size; choice lists that can be shared by multiple variables; sections of templates that can be defined by establishing Header variable types; user prompts for individual data elements can be specified, and; lists of choices can be externally called by identifying addresses where the data choices reside. The communication of the choices is preferably made via XML mark-up language, though other techniques such as File Transfer Protocol (ftp) may be employed.

Some specific features the application may support include, the entry of bar code scan entries for any variable field; the entry of comments via an on screen keyboard, the provision of a digital data input field for receiving image input data, for example, from handwritten drawings, signature capture, a digital camera, or voice data from an integrated voice recorder, or; delivery of collected data locally to local area network during communications activity. It is understood that, besides defining the individual data fields, the template definition process includes the specification of delivery options and other conditions regarding the portable forms may be set.

According to the invention, once the custom data entry applications are generated, they may be deployed to handheld or mobile computing devices 35 a, 35b for use in the field. Particularly, as shown in Figure 1, the handheld or mobile computing devices 35a, 35b communicates with the server 26 to retrieve the applications for collection of information. Connection to this server can be made either wirelessly, e.g., via a I.E.E.E 802.11, cellular, packet radio, or like wireless connection 29, or through wired connections to a computing device 39, e.g. via a hot sync 38. Created data entry applications are operated either in a browsing session or, on client applications operating on the handheld, mobile computers 35a, 35b. These sessions can share the application at the same time to build a shared data set.

As further depicted in Figure 1, after data is collected on the data entry applications the handheld, mobile computers 35 a, 35b communicate the data back to the web- server cluster 25 which formats and delivers the data to recipients specified by the user as part of the application creation process. Preferably, the web server 26 includes functionality for formatting the collected data for delivery in a variety of methods including: e-mails 41 of the filled out document, faxes 42 of the filled out document, e- mails of the information collected in standard text formats, and Internet delivery of the collected data via http and/or https posting of XML or variable pair sets. Other delivery options include, but are not limited to: e-mails of a completed, formatted template as an html formatted e-mail; facsimiles of a completed, formatted template document; e-mails that contain completed, formatted template documents as an attachment; e-mails that contain the collected data set in comma separated variable format as an attachment; posting of the collected data for storage in a client accessible database 44 which can be later downloaded for data exchange; delivery 43 of the collected data set to an Internet web address URL in variable/pair formats, the addresses of which can be called either as http or https ssl encrypted formats, or; delivery of the collected data set to an Internet web address URL in XML format, the addresses of which can be called either as http or https ssl encrypted formats.

Users further have the ability of reporting collected data onto a local printer 45. Connection to the printer could be, without limitation, hard wired, infrared or Bluetooth. With respect to comma separated variable format, this is a file format typically used to transfer data between databases and spreadsheets 44. Each line up to the carriage return is considered a record and fields within each record are divided by a comma. In either format, there is no limit to the number of individual data sets delivered during a session.

Figure 2(a) depicts the process 100 for creating and uploading forms according to the invention. As shown in Figure 2(a), a first step 102 includes writing the document template and saving it in a recognizable format. As mentioned, document templates may be created in Microsoft Word Document Format (*.doc) or Rich Text Format (*.rtf), text, html, spreadsheet formats such as xls, xml or PDF, but are not limited to these formats. Figures 3(a), 3(b), and 3(c) depict examples of document templates 200 and

240 capable of being uploaded to the document upload web server for portable form generation. The example template depicted in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), is directed to an order/invoice data entry application. The document templates may include functional sections and portions that are defined as special heading types. Heading types divide the form into functional data work flow areas or sections for ease of use. For example, in the example template 200 of Figure 3(a), there is included a variable declaration section 205 including variable names 202, 204, 206, etc., that are embedded in square brackets. In

Figure 3(c), there are header variables shown at 242-246. It is understood that other embedded variable name delimiters may be used.

Variable names may be both human readable and non-human readable. The variables may appear in order of their first occurrence in the document. Formatting such as fonts, images, icons, tables, logos and other graphics are permitted on the template documents.

For example, the example template 200 of Figure 3(b) defines a table 220 having the fields where the data is to be entered in the created application by the user. Embedded in the variable declaration may include, but is not limited to: type, for example, a number 206; decimal precision, for example, a unit price field 210 having two (2) decimal place precision; user prompt ordering on page, for example, a delimiter for prompting entry of a fax number 213; and or choice elements lists. Further provided are fields, e.g., fields 216, 217 provided with computational functionality, e.g., addition, multiplication, and formulae, etc. Additionally, areas for placement of comments, signature images, digital photo images and other data may be defined in the example template 200 of Figure 3(a), is a transfer section specifying the manner in which the populated form is to be transferred. For example, the example template 200 of Figure 3(a) specifies transfer by facsimile 213 and e-mail 228.

As a further feature of the present invention, a Field Reordering utility is provided which comprises syntax enabled to change the ordering of variables in the system by embedding the field order into the template. For example, prior to reordering schema, a template includes the following sections and specified field information:

While the variable extraction process yields the following field order:

Sectionl Fieldl Section 2 Field 1 Sectionl Field2 Section 2 Field 2 Sectionl Field3 Section 2 Field 3 Sectionl Field4 Section 2 Field 4 Sectionl Fields Section 2 Field 5

The Reordering Schema Syntax, according to the invention is as follows:

with new the variable extraction process yielding the following field order:

Sectionl Fieldl Sectionl Field2 Sectionl Field3 Sectionl Field4 Sectionl Field5 Section 2 Field 1 Section 2 Field 2 Section 2 Field 3 Section 2 Field 4 Section 2 Field 5 It is understood that further features are available for document template creation that expand the capabilities of the resultant data entry application downloaded to the user. The implementable features include: the expansion of Text Area which is for the purpose of enabling data entry of an unknown size, particularly bar code scans; Lookup and fill-in fields, whereby based upon a selection of a value, other values will be automatically placed into other fields; Editable Date and Time Fields whereby users will be presented with graphic user interface for quick entry of these values on demand; an

External List whereby during a communications session the server device will go to an external internet URL to receive a formatted xml document which includes up to the minute choice values; the addition of a signature image area which is an area permitting the entry of graphic data such as handwritten signatures, handwritten notes and other binary image data; preset values which are text and numeric fields that have "starting values" which may then be changed by the handheld computer user; validation fields which provide users with the ability to set business logic to test values that are entered for validity; and, Portable Printer support which includes a graphic user interface generated to establish output criteria for portable receipt and label printers.

Returning to Figure 2(a), after a document is written and saved in the acceptable format (e.g., *.RTF), the user may upload the document into the networked web server device 26. As shown in Figure 2(a), this requires secured access to the web- server 26, hereinafter referred to as a "Portable Forms" web-server. Although not shown, it is assumed that a user has previously subscribed to the portable forms service and set up a user account. Via the Portable Forms Web-Server, a user is provided with functionality to enable uploading, sending, modifying or deletion of templates (forms) via the user's web-browser. After user logs in to the web-site, as indicated at step 104, and is properly authenticated, e.g., by password entry, a portable forms interface is provided with functionality enabling template upload which is performed at step 106. The invention provides the ability to share forms between accounts via a master account that contains one or many user accounts. The server, according to assigned rights for each user or user type, may govern access to specific documents, fields or other attributes.

Figure 4(a) depicts a world-wide-web/Internet based home page located on the portable forms web-server 26 (Figure 1) for accessing user created forms and mamtaining and updating user accounts. As shown, the home page provides an interface

300 providing the main menu of user choices including: an option 302 providing functionality for sending a form to a fax machine or e-mail address; an option 304 providing functionality for uploading a template to a user account file storage area; an option 306 providing functionality for deleting a created template; an option 308 providing functionality for modifying a created template; and, an option 310 providing functionality for updating a user's personal account information. Upon selection of the user option 304 via the portable forms main menu interface 300 of Figure 4(a), a web page is displayed providing an interface enabling the user to upload a created template for association with that user's account. Figure 4(b) depicts the interface 320 provided for enabling the uploading of a form file. As shown in Figure 4(b), the interface provides a user with an entry field 323 for providing entry of a form name that will eventually be selectable via the user's hand-held computer, and an entry field 327 for enabling entry of the file name where the created template file may be found in the user's computing device. As depicted in Figure 4(c), a pop-up window 335 is displayed providing browse capability to enable user selection of the created template. Once these fields are populated, template upload is effected by selection of the upload button 329 (Figure 4(b)) and, upon successful uploading, as shown in Figure 4(d), a popup window 340 is displayed indicating the successful storage of the file upload 344, and, providing an indication 345 of the name by which this form may be selected by the handheld devices. Returning to Figure 2(a), there is depicted the further step of enabling a user to customize portions of an uploaded form to better meet that user's specific needs. That is, step 108 indicates the facility enabling a user to set specific data attributes for the information to be collected after the template documents are uploaded to the portable forms server. For example, upon selection of the user option 308 via the portable forms main menu interface 300 of Figure 4(a), a web page is displayed providing an interface enabling the user to modify a form. Figure 4(e) depicts the interface 350 provided for enabling the modification of form variables 353 and data transfer locations 355 or definitions of new form variables or data transfer locations provided for the uploaded file in Figure 4(d). As an example, via interface 350, a defined variable in the template may be selected by a user for editing.

Figure 4(f) depicts an example edit field properties interface 375 enabling a user to edit a predefined variable "Owner". 4(f) pops up after a user has clicked on the variable name from a previous window, such as Figure 4(e), to select it. As shown via the interface 375, a user has the ability to set conditions related to "Owner" (376, 380, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388) including the prompt text 379 that the user will receive. A user can not however define any variables unless on the original form template. The variable type which may be assigned includes: alphanumeric text 376 (will accept bar code scan if client hardware will support it); number 380 (including decimal precision), formulas 382 (which set numeric relationships between variables); date 383, list 384 (where a user sets up choice selection lists to their specifications); bulk list 385; yes/no

386 (where the user establishes field as a logical true/false yes/no condition set); header

387 (which is an Internal structure that sets sections on the data collection device); and same as list 388 (which allows sharing of choice lists without re-entry). Further, other definition types are able to be specified including: a

Signature Image; External List - wherein during communication session the portable forms server will retrieve an XML document from an external web URL that includes list choice information based upon real time current condition sets; an "Expanding Alphanumeric field" which is an object based upon a text area of unlimited size that "grows" when multiple entries are made, and will mostly be used for bar code scanning applications where there is an unknown number of scans, e.g., one to many; A "Lookup Field" wherein based upon a value selected here, additional values will be placed into other "assignment fields" which will provide search capabilities to find data record that contains assignments; and, an Assignment Field which are placeholders for values retrieved by lookup fields.

Figure 4(g) depicts an example data transfer edit field properties interface 390 enabling a user to edit a predefined data transfer variable including specifying delivery options such as: e-mail 391; facsimile 392; e-mail csv 393; post to URL 394 and post to xml 395. As further depicted in Figure 4(g), upon selection of the data transfer option 391-395, a user is enabled to enter the destination address or delivery point in entry field 398. As the present invention additionally supports multiple delivery schema for data sets when collected, a user may specify delivery options such as: E-mail delivery of a completed original document with data set as an attachment; Fax delivery of completed original document with data set; E-mail delivery of data set in comma separated variable format; Web delivery of data set in variable / pair sets; Web delivery of data set in XML format; and, local delivery of a data set (in certain connectivity sessions). Additional delivery types are available including: HTML e-mail of completed original document; and, conversion of documents to image files for delivery to document management systems.

Figures 5(a)-5(d) illustrate an example of a simple template form 250 ,

Figure 5(a), and three corresponding data transfers available for output including: an e- mail document transfer 255 (Figure 5(b)), facsimile document transfer 260 (Figure 5(c)), and an e-mail of a data set for delivery to Excel or another database 265 (Figure 5(d)). As mentioned, applications created on the portable forms server 26 are delivered to handheld computers. Preferably, these client applications will run on a PDA, Pocket PC platform, or full Windows® device and communicate with the portable forms server 26. The client takes the information stored on the server and translates it into data collection applications. Preferably, the document driven programming client applications of the invention exists in a browser client version, a client for Palm OS, and a client for Pocket PC and Blackberry™ devices. Also the document driven programming client applications of the invention exists for IP phones with display screens that may be portable or hardwired.

Figure 2(b) depicts the process 125 for running portable forms applications on a portable hand-held device according to the invention. Created data entry applications are operated either in a browsing session or, on client applications operating on the handheld, mobile computers 35a, 35b. As depicted in a first step 127, a user logs on to the portable forms web page or microbrowser page via the user's handheld or mobile computing device. Then, after user authentication process depicted at step 128, the user will select the form to be retrieved from the portable forms web server at step 130. As further depicted at step 130, the user receives the custom data collection application based on template document and custom settings and fills out the form on browser screen or hand held computer. Finally, at step 135, the form populated with the entered data is delivered according to the data delivery transfer specification provided in the template.

A client application may be run on hand held computers that wirelessly connect to the Internet, e.g., on a variety of platforms including Palm OS, Pocket PC and

RIM operating system, the following micro-browser data collection displays are provided for exemplary purposes. As shown in Figure 6(a), a Palm Pilot interface screen 425 first presents a means for enabling real time microbrowser access to the web site providing the portable forms functionality via a wireless Internet connection. Once the portable forms server is accessed, an interface screen 435 such as depicted in Figure 6(b), is presented that prompts the user to log into that user's account, for example, by entering a user_name and password combination 436. Upon successful user login, a user may access all the forms that the user has created. Particularly, a further microbrowser screen display 445 such as depicted in Figure 6(b), is presented that enables user selection of a created form

447 for download from a list of forms 446 created for that user's account. Although not shown, once a particular form 447 is selected from list 446 a further screen display may be provided providing a menu of options enabling a user to specify data transfers, to fill out a downloadable form, or to send the form. With respect to specifying a data transmission, a user may be prompted to enter data transfer methods and locations via interface screen 450 such as shown in Figure 6(d). An interface screen 460 such as shown in Figure 6(e) is provided that provides the form sheet having the defined variable names 473 and corresponding locations 475 enabling entry of the form data to be filled out by the user. An example of a drop-down list 480 having selectable entries for a variable named

"Work_To_Be_Done" is shown in Figure 6(e). Further shown in Figure 6(e) is the provision of a selectable "Send" button 482 that initiates the upload of the data entered by the user that is to be populated in the created form. Finally, as shown in Figure 6(f) an interface display 485 is provided that enables a user to confirm that the data entered in the particular form is correct, and further enables data transfer operation of the completed form to the data transfer recipient(s) in the manner set forth in accordance with the specified data transfer methods, upon selection of the "Send Form" button 490.

While such template creation may be likened to current known "mail merge" utilities such as provided in a word processing application such as MS Word^® that enable users to generate form letters, envelopes, etc., for mass generation purposes, mail merge utilities are limited in the types of data that can be collected and the manner in which a field may be formatted. In mail merging one has two separate files, a data source and a document, which are "merged" during run time. The data source is typically a spreadsheet or flat ASCII file. The document contains variables embedded inside of delimiters.

The template creation may also be compared with eforms. In eforms a web page, document or pdf is created and delivered by a server to a browser screen or editor. The form is filled out and delivered via fax, email, web delivery. These technologies lack the functionality, automation, and mobile attributes of the present invention.

While there has been shown and described what is considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will of course be understood, that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present invention was particularly conceived to limit the computer resources required to prepare and use forms. This is a particular concern due to the limited resources on mobile computing devices. Using the system claimed herein, these resources are greatly conserved.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An automated programming method comprising: creating a document template; uploading the document template to a networked server; extracting at the server variable definition information from the document template creating a data entry application; downloading the data entry application to a client computing device for recording data collection; and, uploading the data entry application containing the recorded data from the client to the networked server.

2. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template exists in Microsoft Word™ Document Format.

3. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template exists in Rich Text Format.

4. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template exists in Portable Document Format.'

5. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template exists in xml.

6. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template exists in Hypertext Markup Language.

7. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template exists as a Text File.

8. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template exists as a binary format appropriate for visual form layout tools.

9. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template has embedded variable names.

10. A programming method as in claim 9 wherein: the variable include one of: human readable or non-human readable.

11. A programming method as in claim 9 wherein: the document template includes embedded formula for setting numeric relationships between variables.

12. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the document template provides for formatting.

13. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: a web browser is used to upload the document template.

14. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: the client computing device is a handheld computer.

15. A programming method as in claim 1 wherein: downloading and uploading is performed wirelessly.

16. A programming method as in claim 1 further comprising: delivering the recorded data to an addressable delivery point.

17. A programming method as in claim 16 wherein: the recorded data may be in a format selected from the group consisting of a completed, formatted template and a collected data set in comma separated variable format.

18. A programming method as in claim 16 wherein: the completed, formatted template is delivered as html formatted e- mail.

19. A programming method as in claim 16 wherein: the completed, formatted template is delivered as a facsimile.

20. A programming method as in claim 16 wherein: the completed, formatted template is delivered as an attachment to an e- mail.

21. A programming method as in claim 16 wherein: the collected data set in comma separated variable format is delivered as a file attachment to an e-mail.

22. A programming method as in claim 16 wherein: the collected data set in a format selected from the group consisting of variable/set formats and xml formats may be delivered to an internet web address url.

23. A programming method as in claim 22 wherein: the internet web address can be called as one format selected from the group consisting of http and https ssl.

24. An automated programming system comprising: a computing device for creating a document template; a networked server in communication with the computing device to which a document template is uploaded; means for extracting variable definition information from the document template and converting the template into a data collection application, and; a client in communication with the server for downloading the data collection application, for recording data into the application, and for delivering the data to the networked server.

25. An automated programming system as in claim 24 further comprising: an addressable delivery point for receiving, from the networked server, the data entry application containing the recorded data in a format selected from the group consisting of the completed, formatted template and comma separated variable format.

26. An automated programming system as in claim 25 wherein: the addressable delivery point is a computing device that can receive the completed, formatted template as html formatted e-mail.

27. An automated programming system as in claim 25 wherein: the addressable delivery point is a facsimile machine that receives the completed, formatted template.

28. An automated programming system as in claim 25 wherein: the addressable delivery point is a computing device that can receive the completed, formatted template as an attachment to an e-mail.

29. An automated programming system as in claim 25 wherein: the addressable delivery point is a computing device that can receive the recorded data set in comma separated variable format as a file attachment to an e-mail.

30. An automated programming system as in claim 24 wherein: the addressable delivery point is an internet web address that can receive the recorded data set in a format selected from the group consisting of variable/set formats and xml formats.

31. An automated programming system as in claim 30 wherein: the internet web address can be called as one format selected from the group consisting of http and https ssl.

32. A method of document programming comprising the steps of: a) uploading a document template to a server provided at a first location, said document template formatted to include variable definition information and specified data transfer method; b) extracting at said first location said variable definition information from the document template and generating a data entry application therefrom; c) downloading the data entry application to a client computing device at a remote location; d) executing said data entry application at said remote location to prompt user entry of data at locations corresponding to embedded variables in said template; e) uploading user entered data from said remote location back to said first server at said first location; f) generating a document that includes user entered data, said document generated at said server; and g) communicating said document to a second party according to said specified data transfer method.

33. A document driven programming system comprising: means for creating a user created template for data collection that uses structured variables for data collection points; means for uploading the template to a networked server where variables are extracted to a database and assigned a unique template identifier, variable field types can be modified and where the uploaded template is stored for delivery reference; means for requesting the template identifier; means for extracting the variables from the database once the template identifier is requested and downloading the variables to the requesting means; means for presenting to a user the variables on the requesting means; means for allowing the user to enter data collection points prompted by the variables; means for uploading the collected data to the server; and means for the server to replace the variables with the collected data upon retrieving the template by its identifiers.

34. A document driven programming system as in claim 33 further comprising: means for storing collected data on the requesting means.

35. A document driven programming system as in claim 33 further comprising: the server sending the template with the collected data to a designated recipient.