represent defined hierarchy levels or data items with defined parameters the soft coded icon provider module 509 is updated by a local application remote application user or similar entity in another embodiment the icon provider 509 determines icons by retrieving icon identification information from the data store 515 or hierarchy store 513 through the data provider module 511 each data item identifies a corresponding icon through a stored parameter fig6 is a diagram of one embodiment of a remote user interface system in one embodiment the provider of a secondary user interface is remote from any application generating a primary user interface for example a first application 607 has a first user interface module 609 that generates a first or primary user interface 601 on a local machine 605 the first application 607 communicates across a network 625 with a third user interface module 623 the third user interface module 623 provides a second user interface 603 on the local machine 605 a second application 617 in the system has its own native or primary user interface or user interface module 619 this second primary user interface module 619 generates a third user interface 613 on the local machine 611 the second application 617 also utilizes a remote third user interface module 623 across a network 625 to generate a fourth user interface 615 on the local machine 611 in one embodiment the system includes a data store 621 that stores data to be requested by applications such as supply chain management data the data store 621 or another data store can also contain icon data icon identification data related to a data item or similar information in this embodiment each data item has a reference to a corresponding icon the icons can be stored separately coded into the.