Abstract: A method and a device for automatically transmitting data from a pre-press stage (9) to a printing substrate processing machine (8) having at least one print unit (10) and one print form (11) for printing on a printing substrate (1). The method and the device are distinguished in that the data of the pre-press stage (9) to be transmitted to the printing substrate processing machine (8) are applied in an encoded form to the print form (11), and these data are able to be read out by the printing substrate processing machine (8). Also provided is a method and a device for automatically transmitting data from a first printing substrate processing machine (8) having at least one print unit (10) and one print form (11) for printing on a printing substrate (1), to a further printing substrate processing machine, in particular a folding machine.