diff --git a/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md b/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md
index 0e2563900..788c8eec0 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md
@@ -1,175 +1,57 @@
 # Exec Input Plugin
 
-Please also see: [Telegraf Input Data Formats](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/DATA_FORMATS_INPUT.md)
+The `exec` plugin executes the `commands` on every interval and parses metrics from
+their output in any one of the accepted [Input Data Formats](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/DATA_FORMATS_INPUT.md).
 
-### Example 1 - JSON
+This plugin can be used to poll for custom metrics from any source.
 
-#### Configuration
-
-In this example a script called ```/tmp/test.sh```, a script called ```/tmp/test2.sh```, and
-all scripts matching glob pattern ```/tmp/collect_*.sh``` are configured for ```[[inputs.exec]]```
-in JSON format. Glob patterns are matched on every run, so adding new scripts that match the pattern
-will cause them to be picked up immediately.
+### Configuration:
 
 ```toml
-# Read flattened metrics from one or more commands that output JSON to stdout
 [[inputs.exec]]
-  # Shell/commands array
-  # Full command line to executable with parameters, or a glob pattern to run all matching files.
-  commands = ["/tmp/test.sh", "/tmp/test2.sh", "/tmp/collect_*.sh"]
+  ## Commands array
+  commands = [
+    "/tmp/test.sh",
+    "/usr/bin/mycollector --foo=bar",
+    "/tmp/collect_*.sh"
+  ]
 
   ## Timeout for each command to complete.
   timeout = "5s"
 
-  # Data format to consume.
-  # NOTE json only reads numerical measurements, strings and booleans are ignored.
-  data_format = "json"
-
-  # measurement name suffix (for separating different commands)
+  ## measurement name suffix (for separating different commands)
   name_suffix = "_mycollector"
-```
 
-Other options for modifying the measurement names are:
-
-```
-name_prefix = "prefix_"
-```
-
-Let's say that we have the above configuration, and mycollector outputs the
-following JSON:
-
-```json
-{
-    "a": 0.5,
-    "b": {
-        "c": 0.1,
-        "d": 5
-    }
-}
-```
-
-The collected metrics will be stored as fields under the measurement
-"exec_mycollector":
-
-```
-exec_mycollector a=0.5,b_c=0.1,b_d=5 1452815002357578567
-```
-If using JSON, only numeric values are parsed and turned into floats. Booleans
-and strings will be ignored.
-
-### Example 2 - Influx Line-Protocol
-
-In this example an application called ```/usr/bin/line_protocol_collector```
-and a script called ```/tmp/test2.sh``` are configured for ```[[inputs.exec]]```
-in influx line-protocol format.
-
-#### Configuration
-
-```toml
-[[inputs.exec]]
-  # Shell/commands array
-  # compatible with old version
-  # we can still use the old command configuration
-  # command = "/usr/bin/line_protocol_collector"
-  commands = ["/usr/bin/line_protocol_collector","/tmp/test2.sh"]
-
-  ## Timeout for each command to complete.
-  timeout = "5s"
-
-  # Data format to consume.
-  # NOTE json only reads numerical measurements, strings and booleans are ignored.
+  ## Data format to consume.
+  ## Each data format has its own unique set of configuration options, read
+  ## more about them here:
+  ## https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/DATA_FORMATS_INPUT.md
   data_format = "influx"
 ```
 
-The line_protocol_collector application outputs the following line protocol:
+Glob patterns in the `command` option are matched on every run, so adding new
+scripts that match the pattern will cause them to be picked up immediately.
 
-```
-cpu,cpu=cpu0,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
-cpu,cpu=cpu1,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
-cpu,cpu=cpu2,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
-cpu,cpu=cpu3,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
-cpu,cpu=cpu4,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
-cpu,cpu=cpu5,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
-cpu,cpu=cpu6,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
+### Example:
+
+This script produces static values, since no timestamp is specified the values are at the current time.
+```sh
+#!/bin/sh
+echo 'example,tag1=a,tag2=b i=42i,j=43i,k=44i'
 ```
 
-You will get data in InfluxDB exactly as it is defined above,
-tags are cpu=cpuN, host=foo, and datacenter=us-east with fields usage_idle
-and usage_busy. They will receive a timestamp at collection time.
-Each line must end in \n, just as the Influx line protocol does.
-
-
-### Example 3 - Graphite
-
-We can also change the data_format to "graphite" to use the metrics collecting scripts such as (compatible with graphite):
-
-* Nagios [Metrics Plugins](https://exchange.nagios.org/directory/Plugins)
-* Sensu [Metrics Plugins](https://github.com/sensu-plugins)
-
-In this example a script called /tmp/test.sh and a script called /tmp/test2.sh are configured for [[inputs.exec]] in graphite format.
-
-#### Configuration
-
+It can be paired with the following configuration and will be ran at the `interval` of the agent.
 ```toml
-# Read flattened metrics from one or more commands that output JSON to stdout
 [[inputs.exec]]
-  # Shell/commands array
-  commands = ["/tmp/test.sh","/tmp/test2.sh"]
-
-  ## Timeout for each command to complete.
+  commands = ["sh /tmp/test.sh"]
   timeout = "5s"
-
-  # Data format to consume.
-  # NOTE json only reads numerical measurements, strings and booleans are ignored.
-  data_format = "graphite"
-
-  # measurement name suffix (for separating different commands)
-  name_suffix = "_mycollector"
-
-  ## Below configuration will be used for data_format = "graphite", can be ignored for other data_format
-  ## If matching multiple measurement files, this string will be used to join the matched values.
-  separator = "."
-
-  ## Each template line requires a template pattern.  It can have an optional
-  ## filter before the template and separated by spaces.  It can also have optional extra
-  ## tags following the template.  Multiple tags should be separated by commas and no spaces
-  ## similar to the line protocol format.  The can be only one default template.
-  ## Templates support below format:
-  ## 1. filter + template
-  ## 2. filter + template + extra tag
-  ## 3. filter + template with field key
-  ## 4. default template
-  templates = [
-    "*.app env.service.resource.measurement",
-    "stats.* .host.measurement* region=us-west,agent=sensu",
-    "stats2.* .host.measurement.field",
-    "measurement*"
-  ]
-```
-Graphite messages are in this format:
-
-```
-metric_path value timestamp\n
+  data_format = "influx"
 ```
 
-__metric_path__ is the metric namespace that you want to populate.
+### Common Issues:
 
-__value__ is the value that you want to assign to the metric at this time.
+#### Q: My script works when I run it by hand, but not when Telegraf is running as a service.
 
-__timestamp__ is the unix epoch time.
-
-And test.sh/test2.sh will output:
-
-```
-sensu.metric.net.server0.eth0.rx_packets 461295119435 1444234982
-sensu.metric.net.server0.eth0.tx_bytes 1093086493388480 1444234982
-sensu.metric.net.server0.eth0.rx_bytes 1015633926034834 1444234982
-sensu.metric.net.server0.eth0.tx_errors 0 1444234982
-sensu.metric.net.server0.eth0.rx_errors 0 1444234982
-sensu.metric.net.server0.eth0.tx_dropped 0 1444234982
-sensu.metric.net.server0.eth0.rx_dropped 0 1444234982
-```
-
-The templates configuration will be used to parse the graphite metrics to support influxdb/opentsdb tagging store engines.
-
-More detail information about templates, please refer to [The graphite Input](https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb/blob/master/services/graphite/README.md)
+This may be related to the Telegraf service running as a different user.  The
+official packages run Telegraf as the `telegraf` user and group on Linux
+systems.