Abstract: A server embeds typically static documents with program code enabling, for example, a form to intelligently route itself to a desired destination, to prompt a user to respond to particular questions, to perform validation operations, and to present various pull down list choices from which a user may select. Such an “active document” preferably has the capability of presenting a questionnaire to a user and to consolidate responses to the questionnaire. The active document-based questionnaire may be designed such that different questions are automatically sent to different recipients. A wide variety of applications are described including product sales lead generation and product marketing to enable the collection and optimal distribution of information regarding potential customer names, feedback concerning opinions about the product.

Abstract: A multiple server computer system generates standard documents, after receiving customer order requests, invoices, etc., of disparate design via, for example, a facsimile transmission or via the Internet in machine readable form. When, for example, a facsimile-related end user purchase order form is received, an image is placed into a database without, for example, initially attempting to read the image content. Thereafter, the fax image is retrieved, and the system determines what kind of document has been received. An appropriate template for that received form is then retrieved. The end user purchase order form is then read, data is extracted therefrom and placed into the standard document template format for review and possible error correction. After a correct form is obtained and accepted, the document is converted, for example, to XML and stored and used to generate standard documents as EDI documents.