Disclosed are a system, apparatus, and method for reducing traffic in networked
data collection. When data collection is initiated, a server provides a page that
includes data fields for completion by a user at the client. One or more of the
data fields is configured to respond to changes by transmitting a new value to
the server. The server may process the new value and return new data to the client,
including an error message, an entry for another data field, or a plurality of
entries and a control (e.g., drop-down list, scroll box). The data entry fields
may also operate with one another (e.g., data is transmitted to the server only
when two or more specific entries are changed). The server maintains an image of
the entries so the server may process the entries without re-transmission of a
completed form from the client.