Abstract: A method is for triggering an action relating to a data object, which contains data as a result of the performance of a drag&drop operation in a software application. A data processing device includes the software application. In the course of the drag&drop operation, upon initiation of the loading of a selected source data object containing data into the software application, the compatibility of the data in the source data object and at least one of the data supported by the software application and data in at least one data object already existing in the software application can be taken as a basis for triggering an action relating to at least one of the source data object and to the existing data object.