Abstract: An automation and verification device for an insert machine which assembles stacks of inserts. The inserts are located in electronically selectable hoppers and are encoded with an electronically readable sort code. The automation and verification device has a controller unit, a first code scanner and a second code scanner, and a program executed on the controller unit. The controller unit has a microprocessor and an electronic memory circuit. The controller unit is electrically connected to the insert machine such that the electronically selectable hoppers can be controlled by the controller unit. The first and the second code scanners are mounted on the insert machine such that the scanners are oriented to read the sort code on the inserts. The code read by the first scanner is interpreted by the program which responds by designating a job set of hoppers for inserts to be taken from.