A method for identifying or distinguishing materials (M j) for a production process, the method being carried out with a system and comprising the following steps: recording of an actual signature on a material to be identified (M j) by at least one user (511, 521, 531) of a local facility (510, 520, 530) of the system, wherein an actual signature is a vector of k different measurement values, which are obtained by carrying out I different measurement methods (S1,..., SI) on the material (M j) to be identified; querying of the at least one user (511, 521, 531) to an operator of a central station of the system, wherein the actual signature is transmitted with the query; non-volatile storing of the actual signature transmitted by the at least one user (511, 521, 531) on a server of the central station; generating one derived actual signature each by applying one correlation each, given by a matrix, for at least one target material (Mi) with regard to the actual signature, wherein the correlation is obtained by optimization in such a way that a deviation (δ) between an enhanced target signature of the respective target material (Mi) and a derived target signature of the respective target material (Mi) is minimized, wherein the enhanced target signature consists of n different measurement values for the target material (M i), which measurement values were obtained with m different measurement methods (S1,..., Sm), and the number n is greater than or equal to the number k and the number m is greater than or equal to the number I, wherein the derived target signature is obtained by applying the correlation to a target signature for the respective target material (M i), and wherein the target signature for the respective target material (M i) is a vector of k measurement values for the target material (M i), which measurement values were obtained by carrying out the I different measurement methods on the target material (M i); calculating one deviation (δij) of the derived actual signature each for the material (M j) from the derived target signature of the at least one target material (M i); providing feedback to the querying user (511, 521, 531) regarding the target materials (M i) for which the respective deviation (δij) of a material (M j) with respect to a target material (M i) is less than a tolerance (Δ) defined for the target material (M i). recording of an actual signature on a material to be identified (M j) by at least one user (511, 521, 531) of a local facility (510, 520, 530) of the system, wherein an actual signature is a vector of k different measurement values, which are obtained by carrying out I different measurement methods (S1,..., SI) on the material (M j) to be identified; querying of the at least one user (511, 521, 531) to an operator of a central station of the system, wherein the actual signature is transmitted with the query; non-volatile storing of the actual signature transmitted by the at least one user (511, 521, 531) on a server of the central station; generating one derived actual signature each by applying one correlation each, given by a matrix, for at least one target material (Mi) with regard to the actual signature, wherein the correlation is obtained by optimization in such a way that a deviation (δ) between an enhanced target signature of the respective target material (Mi) and a derived target signature of the respective target material (Mi) is minimized, wherein the enhanced target signature consists of n different measurement values for the target material (M i), which measurement values were obtained with m different measurement methods (S1,..., Sm), and the number n is greater than or equal to the number k and the number m is greater than or equal to the number I, wherein the derived target signature is obtained by applying the correlation to a target signature for the respective target material (M i), and wherein the target signature for the respective target material (M i) is a vector of k measurement values for the target material (M i), which measurement values were obtained by carrying out the I different measurement methods on the target material (M i); calculating one deviation (δij) of the derived actual signature each for the material (M j) from the derived target signature of the at least one target material (M i); providing feedback to the querying user (511, 521, 531) regarding the target materials (M i) for which the respective deviation (δij) of a material (M j) with respect to a target material (M i) is less than a tolerance (Δ) defined for the target material (M i).