After receipt of a training and execution plan, a trainer operator is automatically trained based on specified training documents so as to generate a new trained operator for extracting information from documents. The new trained operator is a new version of the trainee operator. Both trainee operators are automatically retained for later use in extracting information from one or more unknown documents. After receipt of the training and execution plan, the new trained operator is automatically executed on one or more unknown documents so as to extract information from such one or more unknown documents.