A system and method are disclosed for distributing and exchanging elements for planning and/or operating automation operating equipment, which include at least one interface device, at least one processing device and at least one data store, wherein the interface device effects an integrated connection to at least one engineering tool and/or an integrated link to at least one engineering tool such that functionalities of the at least one interface device and of the at least one processing device can be retrieved from the respective engineering tool and carried out. The respective processing device, the respective interface device, and the respective engineering tool, elements created and/or marked by a first engineering tool can be transferred to the respective processing device and processed and/or can be made available on the at least one data store to be retrieved and/or to be transferred to and/or implemented in at least one second engineering tool.