1. In an industrial process transmitter used in an industrial process to collect, manipulate and transmit signals representing the state of said industrial process, said industrial process transmitter connected to a communication channel used in the transmission of output signals from the industrial process transmitter, said industrial process transmitter further including at least one alterable storage device having a first set of operating instructions stored therein, a controller device connected to said alterable storage device and receiver/transmitter means connected between said controller device and said communications channel and in accordance to said first set of operating instructions said controller device controls said industrial process transmitter to collect, manipulate and transmit signals representing the state of the industrial process, and a configuration device arranged to receive a user-defined second set of operating instructions and to establish a communications link between said configuration device and said controller device over said communication channel, a method for altering the character of said industrial process transmitter comprising the steps of: a) entering a second set of operating instructions in said configurations device; b) translating said second set of operating instructions into a format readable by said receiver/transmitter means; c) establishing a communications link between said configuration device and said controller device via said receiver/transmitter means and said communications channel; d) transferring said second set of operating instructions from said configuration device to said industrial process transmitter responsive to the establishment of said communications link; and e) storing said second set of operating instructions in said alterable storage device, replacing said first set of operating instructions, whereby said controller device controls said industrial process transmitter to collect, manipulate and transmit signals representing the state of said industrial process in accordance to said second set of operating instructions, altering the character of said industrial process transmitter.