A computer implemented method for extracting content data from a visual form of data comprising: receiving data representing the visual form of data, the data received comprising content data and format data indicating a manner in which the content data is to be visually represented; wherein said format data includes commands and other information for causing the content data to be visually represented in a particular manner; said visual form of data corresponding to one of a print format or a display format; normalizing the received data representing the visual form of data; receiving a template including at least one extraction instruction for extracting content data included in said visual form of data, wherein said extracted content data is text data; applying said template to said visual form of data that is normalized and identifying a first portion of the content data included in said visual form of data in accordance with said at least one extraction instruction; said visual form of data being characterized by a plurality of dimensions characterized by a coordinate system and the template including a first extraction instruction including information indicating location of desired data, the first extraction instruction comprising further information identifying a tag field; the first extraction instruction including information used to identify content data with respect to a location of a marker and a direction in one of the plurality of dimensions, wherein said marker identifies text to be searched for; wherein identifying at least some of the content data includes searching for the marker, and if the marker is found, extracting a first portion of text content data positioned in the direction relative to the marker; and storing said first portion extracted as a tag value in the tag field. receiving data representing the visual form of data, the data received comprising content data and format data indicating a manner in which the content data is to be visually represented; wherein said format data includes commands and other information for causing the content data to be visually represented in a particular manner; said visual form of data corresponding to one of a print format or a display format; normalizing the received data representing the visual form of data; receiving a template including at least one extraction instruction for extracting content data included in said visual form of data, wherein said extracted content data is text data; applying said template to said visual form of data that is normalized and identifying a first portion of the content data included in said visual form of data in accordance with said at least one extraction instruction; said visual form of data being characterized by a plurality of dimensions characterized by a coordinate system and the template including a first extraction instruction including information indicating location of desired data, the first extraction instruction comprising further information identifying a tag field; the first extraction instruction including information used to identify content data with respect to a location of a marker and a direction in one of the plurality of dimensions, wherein said marker identifies text to be searched for; wherein identifying at least some of the content data includes searching for the marker, and if the marker is found, extracting a first portion of text content data positioned in the direction relative to the marker; and storing said first portion extracted as a tag value in the tag field.