Patent ID: 7717340

Claim:
A system comprising: a processor and a memory operable to interact to perform operations including: determining an encoding format for a machine-readable code including verifying whether a machine-readable code is authorized to be produced in a first format, where the machine-readable code is to be included in a final representation of an electronic document, the electronic document comprising one or more fields for receiving data, and where the machine-readable code is to encode the data so that the data can be reproduced by decoding the machine-readable code; when the machine-readable code is authorized to be produced in the first format, setting an encoding instruction to indicate to a program operable to receive the data and to generate the final representation of the electronic document including the machine-readable code produced in the first format; when the machine-readable code is not authorized to be produced in the first format, setting the encoding instruction to indicate to a program operable to receive the data and to generate the final representation of the electronic document including the machine-readable code produced in a second, distinct format; and associating the encoding instruction with the generated electronic document.