1. A method for scanning a document imprinted with data, locating the data and deciphering the data and outputting the data as a delimited string of decoded or calculated characters to a computer system via a common computer communications link, the method comprising: one of (a) scanning a form document that is adapted to have imprinted thereon data in at least one data image field and obtaining positional information for said at least one data image field on said form document or (b) inputting a topological description for said at least one data image field for said form document, said topological description including positional information for said at least one data field; identifying and storing data field descriptors for said at least one data field, said data field descriptors including said positional information and data field size information, data type information, the presence or absence of data validation parameters, the presence or absence of data error reporting and data correction, and data output destination information relative to said delimited string of decoded characters; with respect to other form documents, repeating the steps of scanning said other form documents or inputting topological descriptions of said other form documents and repeating the steps of identifying and storing said data field descriptors for each said form; scanning said document imprinted with data and capturing an image thereof as a scanned image; comparing said scanned image with said stored data descriptors for said forms, and utilizing positional, data field size and data type information, selecting one form corresponding to said scanned image; extracting data from said scanned image and decoding, calculating or and validating said data with decoding, calculation or validation routines, based upon said data field descriptors and storing the decoded data; reporting and correcting errors in the presence of said data error reporting and correction descriptor; outputting said decoded data as said delimited string of decoded characters based upon said data output destination information.