a method and apparatus for processing at a remote workstation , data files that are compressed and collected into groups on a local area network at a central location . the files of a group are transferred to the workstation over an isdn switched telephone network in response to an automatic requests from the workstations . the workstation requests depend on the inventory of unprocessed files at the workstation as well as the time and date , in order to reduce the connection time . when files are received at the workstation the first is immediately decompressed and presented to the operator . in the meantime the next file which the operated is expected to need is decompressed in the background and is ready for processing as soon as the operator finishes with the first . when the operator switches to the next file the processing results are automatically saved and a further file is decompressed an held in a queue for the operator .