An electromagnetic flowmeter assembly (200, 900) for measuring a flow rate of a fluid in a pipe, the electromagnetic flowmeter assembly comprising an electromagnetic flowmeter (302, 902) and a transmitter (304, 400, 903), the electromagnetic flowmeter (302, 902) comprising: a pipe for carrying a fluid; a magnetic coil (226, 228) disposed adjacent to the pipe for inducing a magnetic flux in the fluid; and a plurality of electrodes (222, 224) disposed within the pipe, the electrodes being electrically isolated from one another, and the transmitter (304, 400, 903) comprising: process electronics coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes and configured to measure flow rate as a function of a potential across the plurality of electrodes; an empty pipe detector coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes; and a local operator interface and a microprocessor, wherein the empty pipe detector is adapted to detect an empty pipe condition based upon an adjustable empty pipe detection criteria, wherein the empty pipe detector is configured to measure the empty pipe condition and store empty pipe measurements in a memory, characterized in that the transmitter is configured to: receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, an adjustment to the empty pipe detection criteria; based on user input to the local operator interface, initiate and perform a test on the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria against the stored empty pipe measurements; display, by the local operator interface, the results of the test to the user; and receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, an indication of acceptance of the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria, or receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, further adjustment of the empty pipe detection criteria and initiation of repeating the testing of the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria. the electromagnetic flowmeter (302, 902) comprising: a pipe for carrying a fluid; a magnetic coil (226, 228) disposed adjacent to the pipe for inducing a magnetic flux in the fluid; and a plurality of electrodes (222, 224) disposed within the pipe, the electrodes being electrically isolated from one another, and a pipe for carrying a fluid; a magnetic coil (226, 228) disposed adjacent to the pipe for inducing a magnetic flux in the fluid; and a plurality of electrodes (222, 224) disposed within the pipe, the electrodes being electrically isolated from one another, and the transmitter (304, 400, 903) comprising: process electronics coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes and configured to measure flow rate as a function of a potential across the plurality of electrodes; an empty pipe detector coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes; and a local operator interface and a microprocessor, process electronics coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes and configured to measure flow rate as a function of a potential across the plurality of electrodes; an empty pipe detector coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes; and a local operator interface and a microprocessor, wherein the empty pipe detector is adapted to detect an empty pipe condition based upon an adjustable empty pipe detection criteria, wherein the empty pipe detector is configured to measure the empty pipe condition and store empty pipe measurements in a memory, characterized in that the transmitter is configured to: receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, an adjustment to the empty pipe detection criteria; based on user input to the local operator interface, initiate and perform a test on the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria against the stored empty pipe measurements; display, by the local operator interface, the results of the test to the user; and receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, an indication of acceptance of the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria, or receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, further adjustment of the empty pipe detection criteria and initiation of repeating the testing of the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria. receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, an adjustment to the empty pipe detection criteria; based on user input to the local operator interface, initiate and perform a test on the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria against the stored empty pipe measurements; display, by the local operator interface, the results of the test to the user; and receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, an indication of acceptance of the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria, or receive, as an input by a user to the local operator interface, further adjustment of the empty pipe detection criteria and initiation of repeating the testing of the adjusted empty pipe detection criteria.