A method for controlled production of security documents, especially banknotes, wherein said security documents are subjected to a plurality of successive printing and processing operations on a plurality of processing stations, said method comprising: - providing a computer network comprising a central server station coupled via a data network to a plurality of local computer stations, one local computer station being operatively coupled to each processing station, - defining at least one production order, which production order involves the production of a desired volume of security documents according to a defined production workflow, said production order being subdivided into a plurality of production loads each being assigned a machine-readable load identifier; - assigning selected processing stations among available processing stations to carry out processing of said production order according to said production workflow; and - selectively processing each production load through the processing stations depending on the determined production workflow of the corresponding production order defined for each production load, wherein said selective processing of each production load includes reading the machine-readable load identifier of the production load at the selected processing station where the production load is supposed to be processed, characterized in that each production load is first subjected to a load acceptance procedure based on said machine-readable load identifier before being authorized to be processed on a selected processing station among said available processing stations, wherein said production loads are at least temporarily stored in at least one storage vault or safe and wherein an additional local computer station, attributed to said storage vault or safe, is provided for recording when a production load is stored in said storage vault or safe and/or taken away from said storage vault or safe, and wherein said selective processing of each production load further includes: - checking whether the production state of the production load is such that the load can be processed on said selected processing station and whether the selected processing station has been assigned to process the production load; and - preventing or authorizing processing of the load on the said selected processing station depending on the result of the checking. - providing a computer network comprising a central server station coupled via a data network to a plurality of local computer stations, one local computer station being operatively coupled to each processing station, - defining at least one production order, which production order involves the production of a desired volume of security documents according to a defined production workflow, said production order being subdivided into a plurality of production loads each being assigned a machine-readable load identifier; - assigning selected processing stations among available processing stations to carry out processing of said production order according to said production workflow; and - selectively processing each production load through the processing stations depending on the determined production workflow of the corresponding production order defined for each production load, wherein said selective processing of each production load includes reading the machine-readable load identifier of the production load at the selected processing station where the production load is supposed to be processed, - checking whether the production state of the production load is such that the load can be processed on said selected processing station and whether the selected processing station has been assigned to process the production load; and - preventing or authorizing processing of the load on the said selected processing station depending on the result of the checking.