In a method for operating at least one machine with a computer, it is possible for at least one task for the production of a printed product to be stored in the computer, which task is processed on the machine. Parameters for setting the machine are stored as parameter sets in templates and relate to one or more production steps. For the purpose of job-specific adaptation, the settings in the templates must be modified. On account of settings which have not been tried and tested and not proven worthwhile, costs arise in terms of quality; in addition the settings can be made only by specialized personnel. To increase quality and to allow less qualified personnel to operate the machines, a parameter set based on rough entered data is compared with templates and that a most similar template be used to set the production step or steps.