Microsoft calls this OLE automation, and calls the manipulating program an automation controller.

In order to automate an application, the developer of an automation controller must know the object model that is employed by the target application exporting activation objects.

Development of automation controllers without knowledge of the target application's object model is "difficult to impossible".

Object models are presented to automation controllers as type libraries, with their interfaces described in ODL.

This led to the concept of a PAC (programmable automation controller or process automation controller), that is an amalgamation of these three concepts.

Later, Opto 22 introduced the mistic controller, which had many of the same features and functionality of a modern programmable automation controller.

Few automation controllers offer direct connectivity to business systems such as MES and ERP systems.

Overall integration of automation controllers to business systems are typically configured by System Integrators, able to bring their unique knowledge on process, equipment and vendor solutions.

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, it is a manufacturer of industrial PC, embedded single board computers, and automation controllers & software.

Their automation controllers & software include IO Modules and Softlogic Software.