A method for linking data objects maintained by more than one source application in more than one remote systems, the method comprising: defining a first link to a first data object maintained by a first source application in a first system, said first link including information specifying a location of the first data object; defining a second link (310, 315, 320, 325) to a second data object (215, 220, 225) maintained by a second source application in a second system, said second link (310, 315, 320, 325) including information specifying a location of the second data object (215, 220, 225); and accessing data from the first data object using the first link and accessing data from the second data object (215, 220, 225) using the second link (310, 315, 320, 325) upon data requests from a project development application (Z205; 405), said method being characterized in that the first defined link and the second defined link (310, 315, 320, 325) each includes: a search function field providing distinguishing characteristics of the respective linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) that can be used to search for the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) and the result of the search for the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225), said distinguishing characteristics including file extensions or file names that identify the linked object and said result including the address of the linked object, whether the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) exists or is incomplete, and whether the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) is currently being accessed; a read function field identifying instructions for reading the respective linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) and the result of reading the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225), wherein the result of reading the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) includes data extracted from the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225), said data including the values of parameters in the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225), defining a first link to a first data object maintained by a first source application in a first system, said first link including information specifying a location of the first data object; defining a second link (310, 315, 320, 325) to a second data object (215, 220, 225) maintained by a second source application in a second system, said second link (310, 315, 320, 325) including information specifying a location of the second data object (215, 220, 225); and accessing data from the first data object using the first link and accessing data from the second data object (215, 220, 225) using the second link (310, 315, 320, 325) upon data requests from a project development application (Z205; 405), said method being characterized in that the first defined link and the second defined link (310, 315, 320, 325) each includes: a search function field providing distinguishing characteristics of the respective linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) that can be used to search for the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) and the result of the search for the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225), said distinguishing characteristics including file extensions or file names that identify the linked object and said result including the address of the linked object, whether the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) exists or is incomplete, and whether the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) is currently being accessed; a read function field identifying instructions for reading the respective linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) and the result of reading the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225), wherein the result of reading the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225) includes data extracted from the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225), said data including the values of parameters in the linked data object (210, 215, 220, 225),