Some embodiments are directed to a method for exchanging data between a user and a first data source, the method including configuring a non-transitory computer readable medium to retrieve and display a first set of data from the first data source via a first data source query in accordance with connection information, a set of display options and data retrieval filters specified in a user-defined XML configuration file. The non-transitory computer readable medium further applies the user-defined XML configuration file to a second data source query to display a second set of data from a second data source in accordance with the set of display options specified for the first data source in the user-defined XML configuration file.