1. A system, comprising: a memory that stores computer-executable components; and a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the computer-executable components, the computer-executable components comprising: a control program import component configured to import one or more industrial control programs and to identify a set of available data items defined by the one or more industrial control programs; an interface component configured to render the set of available data items on an interface display and to receive selection input selecting a subset of the available data items via interaction with the interface display; and a control unit generation component configured to generate, based on the subset of the available data items and controller configuration information read from the one or more industrial control programs, a control unit file configured to communicatively expose the subset of the available data items within one or more industrial controllers to an application.