In a complex
workflow environment, a data-type-definition (DTD) schema drives a dynamic
business component instantiation and execution framework that integrates documents with data and information created by various applications, potentially operating on several different platforms, enabling complex
workflow and
collaboration to occur over a communication network such as
the Internet. The DTD execution language is preferably an industry specific
XML-based tag set that defines
business component instantiation, execution, input and output parameters,
workflow,
user profile, and
collaboration specifications for a given task or data in a complex
workflow process. Business and
data processing components available on systems both within and outside the complex workflow
system are called upon to provide the
processing, interpretation, and transformation functions for the complex workflow
system. The results of such
processing are then returned to the complex workflow
system for integration within the
workflow process. The system and method also contemplates the conversion of an
extensible markup language (
XML) file, such as a WellXML™ file, to data elements that are accessible by a
server.