A method comprising: receiving, by a process event processor from multiple devices (402a-402c), notifications associated with batch execution instances executed by the devices, each batch execution instance executed by at least one of the devices, at least one individual batch execution instance executed by multiple ones of the devices, the notifications including data fields that identify events occurring in an industrial process control and automation system and that associate each of the notifications with at least one of the batch execution instances; creating, by the process event processor, a unique namespace for each of the batch execution instances using at least some of the data fields of the received notifications; and storing records identifying the notifications in a unified activity hierarchy, the records stored in a procedure event table, the table associating the notifications associated with each batch execution instance with the unique namespace created for that batch execution instance, wherein creating the unique namespace for each of the batch execution instances comprises creating an initial namespace using one or more of the data fields associated with a parent process being executed, the batch execution instances including the parent process, the method further comprising: receiving a start event notification in response to the parent process activating a child process, the batch execution instances including the child process; creating the unique namespace for each of the batch execution instances further comprises creating a namespace for the child process containing the initial namespace and using one or more of the data fields associated with the child process; and caching one or more event notifications associated with the child process received before the start event notification is received from the parent process, wherein the namespace for the child process is created after the start event notification is received from the parent process. receiving, by a process event processor from multiple devices (402a-402c), notifications associated with batch execution instances executed by the devices, each batch execution instance executed by at least one of the devices, at least one individual batch execution instance executed by multiple ones of the devices, the notifications including data fields that identify events occurring in an industrial process control and automation system and that associate each of the notifications with at least one of the batch execution instances; creating, by the process event processor, a unique namespace for each of the batch execution instances using at least some of the data fields of the received notifications; and storing records identifying the notifications in a unified activity hierarchy, the records stored in a procedure event table, the table associating the notifications associated with each batch execution instance with the unique namespace created for that batch execution instance, wherein creating the unique namespace for each of the batch execution instances comprises creating an initial namespace using one or more of the data fields associated with a parent process being executed, the batch execution instances including the parent process, the method further comprising: receiving a start event notification in response to the parent process activating a child process, the batch execution instances including the child process; creating the unique namespace for each of the batch execution instances further comprises creating a namespace for the child process containing the initial namespace and using one or more of the data fields associated with the child process; and caching one or more event notifications associated with the child process received before the start event notification is received from the parent process, receiving a start event notification in response to the parent process activating a child process, the batch execution instances including the child process; creating the unique namespace for each of the batch execution instances further comprises creating a namespace for the child process containing the initial namespace and using one or more of the data fields associated with the child process; and caching one or more event notifications associated with the child process received before the start event notification is received from the parent process, wherein the namespace for the child process is created after the start event notification is received from the parent process.