A method and a device for controlling a printing material processing machine (1, 2, 3), which has at least one processing unit in which the positional and speed data of a printing substrate to be transported through the printing material processing machine are recorded, where, on the basis of the recorded positional and speed data, the instantaneous position of the printing substrate is calculated and stored in memory unit of the processing unit; in addition to the instantaneous position of a printing substrate to be transported through the printing material processing machine, additional command data being stored in the memory unit.