In a method and system for collecting event information, XML documents specifying event parsing logic for respective groups of related events are loaded. Representations for the parsing logic contained in the plurality of XML documents are stored in one or more parsing trees. Events are received, including events in a plurality of groups of events. The received events are processed in accordance with the event parsing logic in the one or more parsing trees. The received events are also processed in accordance with stored program instructions that are independent of the parsing logic for the plurality of groups of events. Event information for the received events is stored. The stored event information includes information determined in accordance with the event parsing logic in at least one or more parsing trees.