An agricultural harvesting machine comprises an exchangeable crop processing element, which is installed in the interior of the harvesting machine and which is available in different variants, an electronic control unit, which is connected with a data bank in which data concerning the crop processing element are stored, and a reading device, which is set up to interact with an identification element placed on the crop processing element and to transmit an output signal to the control device that clearly identifies the crop processing element during or after an incorporation of a crop processing element into the harvesting machine； with the aid of the signal, the control unit updates the data bank.
