There is provided a method of automatically identifying and characterizing spectral peaks of a spectrum generated by an analytical apparatus and reporting information relating to the spectral peaks to a user, comprising the steps of receiving the spectrum generated by the analytical apparatus; automatically subtracting a baseline from the spectrum so as to generate a baseline-corrected spectrum; automatically detecting and characterizing the spectral peaks in the baseline-corrected spectrum; and reporting at least one item of information relating to each detected and characterized spectral peak to a user. In embodiments, baseline model curve parameters or peak model curve parameters are neither input by nor exposed to the user prior to the reporting step.