The invention relates to a method and system for accessing the status of a process executing either locally or remotely. The invention also involves a process management system that invokes an executable process, monitors it, and exchanges status information relative to the process with one or more connected machines. A local or remote application or machine invokes the process by communicating with the process management system over an established connection. The process management system invokes the requested action on the user's behalf by activating a script engine containing a sequence of executable commands and/or routines that initiate and enable the process. Status information related to the invoked action is consistently stored in a publicly accessible data structure as the process is in execution. Any machines that are connected with the process management system over the established connection can retrieve the data structure containing the process information. Because the method of invoking the process and retrieving the status information is not dependent upon the explicit mechanisms of the source code used to implement the process, the invention can be used in relation to any type of process.