1. A method in a data processing system, the method comprising: monitoring a value of a data point associated with a device in an automation system using a set of pairs of event enrollment objects and notification class objects configured to generate and communicate an alarm according to a first protocol, each of the pairs of objects corresponding to one of a set of offsets defined according to a second protocol; writing property values of the pairs of objects for different alarm monitoring modes using a set of command objects; and in response to detecting the value for the data point meeting conditions in at least one of the event enrollment objects, generating and communicating an alarm according to a notification class object paired with the at least one event enrollment object.