1. A method of automatically adjusting data collection parameters for machines on a data collection route in a portable collection device used by a technician based on states of the machines, the method comprising the steps of: for each machine on the data collection route, reading the state of the machine into the portable collection device, wherein the step of reading the state of the machine into the portable collection device comprises at least one of, directly measuring with the portable collection device machine parameters that are indicative of the state of the machine, the technician manually entering into the portable collection device machine parameters that are indicative of the state of the machine, and automatically downloading from a remote device into the portable collection device machine parameters that are indicative of the state of the machine, automatically including the machine in or excluding the machine from the data collection route based at least in part on the state of the machine, automatically configuring the portable collection device with a first predetermined set of data collection parameters that is automatically configured based at least in part on the state of the included machine, collecting an initial set of data from the included machine with the portable collection device based on the first predetermined set of data collection parameters, automatically analyzing the initial set of data using a predetermined set of data analysis parameters that is automatically configured based at least in part on the state of the included machine, to determine alerts, based on the alerts, selectively automatically immediately collecting a second set of data from the included machine based on a second predetermined set of data collection parameters that is automatically configured based at least in part on the state of the included machine and the alerts, and based on the alerts, selectively prompting the technician with the portable collection device to take a predetermined action and collect a third set of data from the included machine, where the action and the third set of data is based on a third predetermined set of data collection parameters that is automatically configured at least in part on the state of the included machine and the alerts.