1. A method for the control of the heat treatment of metal workpieces in an automated industrial heat treating furnace running the work steps (I) generation of a novel batch, (IV) assignment of a heat treatment program to this batch, (VI) manual attachment of batch thermoelements to this batch, (VII) transmission of the heat treatment program to a PLC of a furnace, (VIII) transport of the batch into the furnace, (IX) starting a heat treatment cycle (X) performance of the heat treatment cycle, and (XII) unloading of the batch from the furnace, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) (IV) assigning a heat treatment program to the batch exclusively during the first batch of the following, b) (VI) attaching batch thermoelements to this batch exclusively during the first batch of the following, and c) (I) after generation of a new batch, in following batches performing a work step (II) having a selection of the model batch, whose heat treatment program is to be used, and then performing a program step (III) having an automatic assignment of the model program, which is associated with the selected model batch, to the batch.