A method for the automatic configuration of a first field device (FD X) in a process control system, the process control system comprising one or more field devices (FD A - FD X) and a configuration provider, the configuration provider being a field device (FD E) or a gateway, the field devices and the configuration provider being communicatively coupled via a fieldbus, the method comprising the following steps: - S205: recurrently sending an introducing message (paBDOB) from the configuration provider to all coupled field devices (FD A - FD X) to introduce the configuration provider to the field devices, the introducing message (paBDOB) being a broadcast message, - C312, S302: switching of a configuration agent of the coupled field devices (FD A - FD X) from a standby mode to an active operation upon reception of the introducing message (paBDOB), - S303, S207: registering the coupled field devices with the configuration provider after switching to the active operation, comprising sending a message with identification data of the respective field device (rMSG) from the coupled field devices to the configuration provider, - C212, S208: sending a registration request (rBDOB) from the configuration provider to the coupled field devices (FD A - FD X) after a new field device (FD X) was identified by the configuration provider, the registration request (rBDOB) being a broadcast message to all field devices (FD A - FD X), a new field device (FD X) being a field device that has sent to the configuration provider a message with identification data of the field device (rMSG) previously unknown to the configuration provider, - S211, S305: automatically retrieving and provisioning configuration data of the registered field devices by the configuration provider, - C223: automatically recognizing a registered field device (FD X) as a first field device by the configuration provider after the removal of a second field device (FD D) from the process control system and the replacement with the first field device (FD X), - S212, S304: automatically configuring the first field device (FD X) using the provisioned configuration data of the second field device (FD D) by the configuration provider. - S205: recurrently sending an introducing message (paBDOB) from the configuration provider to all coupled field devices (FD A - FD X) to introduce the configuration provider to the field devices, the introducing message (paBDOB) being a broadcast message, - C312, S302: switching of a configuration agent of the coupled field devices (FD A - FD X) from a standby mode to an active operation upon reception of the introducing message (paBDOB), - S303, S207: registering the coupled field devices with the configuration provider after switching to the active operation, comprising sending a message with identification data of the respective field device (rMSG) from the coupled field devices to the configuration provider, - C212, S208: sending a registration request (rBDOB) from the configuration provider to the coupled field devices (FD A - FD X) after a new field device (FD X) was identified by the configuration provider, the registration request (rBDOB) being a broadcast message to all field devices (FD A - FD X), a new field device (FD X) being a field device that has sent to the configuration provider a message with identification data of the field device (rMSG) previously unknown to the configuration provider, - S211, S305: automatically retrieving and provisioning configuration data of the registered field devices by the configuration provider, - C223: automatically recognizing a registered field device (FD X) as a first field device by the configuration provider after the removal of a second field device (FD D) from the process control system and the replacement with the first field device (FD X), - S212, S304: automatically configuring the first field device (FD X) using the provisioned configuration data of the second field device (FD D) by the configuration provider.