To perform a method for identifying color measuring strips having measuring areas on printed products, the color measuring strips are scanned with a color measuring instrument. The measured color values acquired by the color measuring instrument are stored in a computer and that the measured color values acquired are each assigned to a printing ink. A sequence formed in this way of printing inks is stored in the computer and then compared with color measuring strip types stored in the computer. The stored color measuring strip type having the greatest probability is then selected.