A method for providing operating data of a transport system in a machine line, e.g. for filling and packaging foods and/or beverages. The machine line includes a multiple machines and at least one transport system. A material flow of the machine line includes the transport system and at least one of the machines. The transport system includes one or more devices. The method starts with creation of one or more functional modules. Each of the functional modules fulfills a specific standardized function within the machine line. Each of the functional modules functionally represents one or more of the devices along a material flow within the machine line. For each of the functional modules, a standardized PLC interface is provided for outputting standardized information as operating data of the functional module. The operating data include a status, an operating parameter, or an error message of the functional module.