System and method for generating formatted device reports from stored hierarchical device data

A method of generating formatted device reports from stored hierarchal device data comprising the steps of:

• receiving electronic template data including a text data portion and a plurality of placeholder tags, each placeholder tag including data corresponding to a path in an associated, hierarchical data source corresponding to device characteristics of an associated multifunction peripheral device;
• receiving updated device data for the associated multifunction peripheral device into the hierarchical data source;
• retrieving, from the hierarchical data source, device data corresponding to each placeholder tag;
• merging retrieved device data into positions of the electronic template data in accordance with each corresponding placeholder tag so as to generate a formatted device report therefrom;
• and
• communicating a formatted device report to an associated administrator of the multifunction peripheral device.

A system of generating formatted device reports from stored hierarchal device data comprising:

• means adapted for receiving electronic template data including a text data portion and a plurality of placeholder tags, each placeholder tag including data corresponding to a path in an associated, hierarchical data source corresponding to device characteristics of an associated multifunction peripheral device;
• means adapted for receiving updated device data for the associated multifunction peripheral device into the hierarchical data source;
• means adapted for retrieving, from the hierarchical data source, device data corresponding to each placeholder tag;
• means adapted for merging retrieved device data into positions of the electronic template data in accordance with each corresponding placeholder tag so as to generate a formatted device report therefrom;
• and
• means adapted for communicating a formatted device report to an associated administrator of the multifunction peripheral device.