A method/device for managing and configuring field devices in an automation installation with a configuration tool designed to physically identify a field device in the automation installation and logically identify its field device type, to logically incorporate and configure it into the automation installation, the tool to this end resorting to a prescribed field-device-type-specific information package at least partially describing functions and data of the field device type. Parameterizing a plurality of field devices of the same type may be achieved by forming a first individual field-device-specific information package for a first field device from the field-device-type-specific information package, and a further individual field-device-specific information package for each further field device of the same type from the first individual field-device-specific information package, by first of all duplicating the first individual field-device-specific information package, then individualizing it for the further field device.