A wireless field device for use in an industrial process, comprising: input/output terminals configured to couple to a process interface element; a discrete input/output channel configured to receive a discrete input comprising one of two possible states from the process interface element through the input/output terminals when configured as a discrete input channel, the discrete input/output channel further configured to provide a discrete output comprising one of two possible states to the process interface element through the input/output terminals when wirelessly configured as discrete output channel; wireless communication circuitry configured to transmit and receive information; and a controller configured to: transmit information through the wireless communication circuitry based upon a process variable sensed using the process interface element; provide a discrete control output to the process interface element to control a process variable in response to information received by the wireless communication circuitry; the controller further configured to operate in accordance with configuration information to configure the discrete input/output channel as the discrete input channel when the input/output terminals are connected to a discrete process variable sensor, and further configured to configure the discrete input/output channel as the discrete output channel when the input/output terminals are coupled to a discrete control element, characterized in that the discrete input/output channel includes a switch configured to be actuated by the controller, the switch configured to selectively electrically couple the discrete input/output terminals together. input/output terminals configured to couple to a process interface element; a discrete input/output channel configured to receive a discrete input comprising one of two possible states from the process interface element through the input/output terminals when configured as a discrete input channel, the discrete input/output channel further configured to provide a discrete output comprising one of two possible states to the process interface element through the input/output terminals when wirelessly configured as discrete output channel; wireless communication circuitry configured to transmit and receive information; and a controller configured to: transmit information through the wireless communication circuitry based upon a process variable sensed using the process interface element; provide a discrete control output to the process interface element to control a process variable in response to information received by the wireless communication circuitry; the controller further configured to operate in accordance with configuration information to configure the discrete input/output channel as the discrete input channel when the input/output terminals are connected to a discrete process variable sensor, and further configured to configure the discrete input/output channel as the discrete output channel when the input/output terminals are coupled to a discrete control element, characterized in that the discrete input/output channel includes a switch configured to be actuated by the controller, the switch configured to selectively electrically couple the discrete input/output terminals together. transmit information through the wireless communication circuitry based upon a process variable sensed using the process interface element; provide a discrete control output to the process interface element to control a process variable in response to information received by the wireless communication circuitry; the controller further configured to operate in accordance with configuration information to configure the discrete input/output channel as the discrete input channel when the input/output terminals are connected to a discrete process variable sensor, and further configured to configure the discrete input/output channel as the discrete output channel when the input/output terminals are coupled to a discrete control element, characterized in that the discrete input/output channel includes a switch configured to be actuated by the controller, the switch configured to selectively electrically couple the discrete input/output terminals together.