Method for populating printed circuit boards - by means of a pick-and-place line, - wherein set-up families (210, 215) having associated set-ups (165, 170) are provided; - wherein each set-up family (210, 215) is assigned at least one printed circuit board type, and each set-up (165, 170) is assigned at least one component type, - such that a printed circuit board of a printed circuit board type of a set-up family (210, 215) can be populated by means of components of the component types of the set-up (165, 170) assigned to the printed circuit board type on the pick-and-place line; - wherein a set-up (165, 170) can be implemented in the form of supplies of components of the component types, in order to be fitted on the pick-and-place line, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - acquiring jobs, in each case relating to the population of printed circuit boards of a printed circuit board type on the pick-and-place line; - acquiring a predetermined future time period; - acquiring probabilities, respectively associated with the jobs, with which the associated job is to be executed in the predetermined time period; - wherein the time period lasts at least long enough that each of the acquired jobs can be processed within said time period; - wherein frequencies of previous jobs, knowledge of forthcoming jobs and/or jobs arising in a rotation are considered in the determination of the probabilities; - assigning printed circuit board types of the jobs to set-up families (210, 215); - determining, for each set-up family (210, 215), a characteristic number which comprises the sum of probabilities of those jobs, the printed circuit board types of which are comprised by the set-up family (210, 215); - optimizing the assignment in such a way that the characteristic numbers of different set-up families (210, 215) are as different as possible; - providing a set-up (165, 170) from one of the determined set-up families (210, 215) on the pick-and-place line; and - populating printed circuit boards on the pick-and-place line. - by means of a pick-and-place line, - wherein set-up families (210, 215) having associated set-ups (165, 170) are provided; - wherein each set-up family (210, 215) is assigned at least one printed circuit board type, and each set-up (165, 170) is assigned at least one component type, - such that a printed circuit board of a printed circuit board type of a set-up family (210, 215) can be populated by means of components of the component types of the set-up (165, 170) assigned to the printed circuit board type on the pick-and-place line; - wherein a set-up (165, 170) can be implemented in the form of supplies of components of the component types, in order to be fitted on the pick-and-place line, - acquiring jobs, in each case relating to the population of printed circuit boards of a printed circuit board type on the pick-and-place line; - acquiring a predetermined future time period; - acquiring probabilities, respectively associated with the jobs, with which the associated job is to be executed in the predetermined time period; - wherein the time period lasts at least long enough that each of the acquired jobs can be processed within said time period; - wherein frequencies of previous jobs, knowledge of forthcoming jobs and/or jobs arising in a rotation are considered in the determination of the probabilities; - assigning printed circuit board types of the jobs to set-up families (210, 215); - determining, for each set-up family (210, 215), a characteristic number which comprises the sum of probabilities of those jobs, the printed circuit board types of which are comprised by the set-up family (210, 215); - optimizing the assignment in such a way that the characteristic numbers of different set-up families (210, 215) are as different as possible; - providing a set-up (165, 170) from one of the determined set-up families (210, 215) on the pick-and-place line; and - populating printed circuit boards on the pick-and-place line.