A method of processing a plate-shaped material by means of a cutting beam in a processing machine for manufacturing workpieces (24, 41), - wherein the plate-shaped material in one direction of extension is larger than a working range of the processing machine - wherein a processing head is moved in a horizontal plane within the working range and the plate-shaped material is transferred stepwise in a direction of transport, which corresponds to the larger direction of extension of the plate-shaped material, to a first position within said working range of the processing machine, - wherein in a processing program, workpieces (24, 41) are oriented and nested with respect to each other, characterised in that - in a first process step, the plate-shaped material is positioned within the working range and the processing program is used to detect all complete cutting contours of one or several workpieces (24, 41) which are located within said working range and are of the same dimension or smaller than the working range, and the workpieces (24, 41) are manufactured by a single cutting operation during this process step, - those workpieces (24, 41) which are located partially within the working range for a first process step and also extend beyond said working range are not cut in the course of the first process step, although they are of the same dimension or smaller than the dimension of the working range, and - in a second or further process step, the plate-shaped material is moved forward by one clock cycle in the direction of transport and is positioned in a further position within the working range, and - cutting contours of workpieces (24, 41) which, in the first process step extend beyond the working range and whose lengths, as considered in the direction of transport of the plate-shaped material, are equal to or smaller than the length of the working range are realised in the plate-shaped material in a subsequent process step in which said plate-shaped material is moved forward by one clock cycle to a further position within the working range, such that the entire cutting contour of these workpieces (24, 41) may be cut into the plate-shaped material. - wherein the plate-shaped material in one direction of extension is larger than a working range of the processing machine - wherein a processing head is moved in a horizontal plane within the working range and the plate-shaped material is transferred stepwise in a direction of transport, which corresponds to the larger direction of extension of the plate-shaped material, to a first position within said working range of the processing machine, - wherein in a processing program, workpieces (24, 41) are oriented and nested with respect to each other, characterised in that - in a first process step, the plate-shaped material is positioned within the working range and the processing program is used to detect all complete cutting contours of one or several workpieces (24, 41) which are located within said working range and are of the same dimension or smaller than the working range, and the workpieces (24, 41) are manufactured by a single cutting operation during this process step, - those workpieces (24, 41) which are located partially within the working range for a first process step and also extend beyond said working range are not cut in the course of the first process step, although they are of the same dimension or smaller than the dimension of the working range, and - in a second or further process step, the plate-shaped material is moved forward by one clock cycle in the direction of transport and is positioned in a further position within the working range, and - cutting contours of workpieces (24, 41) which, in the first process step extend beyond the working range and whose lengths, as considered in the direction of transport of the plate-shaped material, are equal to or smaller than the length of the working range are realised in the plate-shaped material in a subsequent process step in which said plate-shaped material is moved forward by one clock cycle to a further position within the working range, such that the entire cutting contour of these workpieces (24, 41) may be cut into the plate-shaped material.