Abstract: An advanced data capture architecture is disclosed which enables the free-definition and re-definition of the format of document forms without requiring any reprogramming of the data processors which capture and use the data on the completed forms. The architecture encompasses the interactive operation of a host processor and one or more workstations in a data processing system. It includes the interaction between a host processor and a workstation in providing a list of common operand names which are meaningful to an application program running on the host. It includes the operation of the workstation creating a new document form using the list of common operand names. It includes the workstation performing character recognition of the filled-out form, transforming its information into coded data. It includes the workstation assembling a field data segment for each field, containing the common operand, the coded data and the popular name for the field.