Abstract: A method is provided for a computer to extract information in graphical form from a continuous flow of routine documents in order to eliminate further movement of these documents and dramatically reduce the time and volume of inputting. The method consists of preparing a control document for each type of document to be processed. Areas of the document requiring extraction are those identifying the respondent to the document and the information the respondent enters on the document. These areas are color-shaded, or otherwise coded, on the control document. The control document is run through a scanner so that a computer can identify and store the rectangular location of these areas to be extracted. Routine documents of the type can then be continuously processed through a scanner. The areas of interest are extracted by a computer and stored in compressed form as a record in a binary file for that document type.