1. In a data processing system having an application program with a data unit having data, a method for enabling dynamic, real-time updates to data of the data unit, said method comprising: associating the data unit to a topic on an event broker on a network, wherein said event broker topic receives updates to said data by an external data source; receiving said updates from said event broker via a message transfer service of the network; and updating the data in the data unit in response to receiving said updates.