A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, a system and method for automatically updating a multi-hierarchal representation of the system when building and tracking an automation engineering environment, wherein navigation schemes that automatically search for and connect to engineering objects based on predefined relations in multi-dimensional hierarchies are defined within an engineering object of the automation project in order to react to changes within a multi-disciplinary automation project, where the engineering object also includes an intelligent extraction port that automatically extracts predefined property data from a source engineering object when the source engineering object is connected to the engineering object.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, a system and method for automatically updating a multi-hierarchal representation of the system when building and tracking an automation engineering environment, wherein navigation schemes that automatically search for and connect to engineering objects based on predefined relations in multi-dimensional hierarchies are defined within an engineering object of the automation project in order to react to changes within a multi-disciplinary automation project, where the engineering object also includes an intelligent extraction port that automatically extracts predefined property data from a source engineering object when the source engineering object is connected to the engineering object.

A method for monitoring a process and/or production plant, which includes a plurality of components and which is planned using a plurality of engineering systems, includes a step of providing first result data pertaining to at least one portion of the plurality of components using a first of the plurality of engineering systems, and second result data pertaining to at least one portion of the plurality of components using a second of the plurality of engineering systems. The method also includes a step of extracting topology data, which describe an arrangement of the plurality of components within the process and/or automation plant, and operating data for the plurality of components from the first and second result data. The method further includes creating a model for the process and/or production plant by using the topology data and the operating data. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the method.