A computer data collection program requiring a minimum of program maintenance and technician training and allowing technician involvement with analytical instrument operation, was developed for a high volume production laboratory. The program, which complemented existing laboratory methodology, was written in top‐down, block‐style format. This structure insured easy maintenance and allowed individual instruments and their calibrations to be easily added to the program for data collection. The program was menu‐driven and limited direct technician involvement with instrument operation to changing samples, monitoring the instrument for calibration, monitoring the final readings, and intervening in the event of an obvious error. A two hour familiarization period requiring no instruction manuals was all that was required of a technician with no prior computer knowledge or training of any kind to become proficient with using the program.