Smart functionality for discrete field devices and signals

A process control device comprising a first communication interface including a plurality of input/output (I/O) (261 - 276) connectors to couple to one or more field devices 252, a second communication interface configured to be coupled to a process controller 258, one or more circuits coupled to the first and second communication interfaces and configured to: receive discrete input signals from the field devices 252 via the first communication interface, decode the signals to identify sets of information, encode a message with the sets of information, transmit via the second communication interface the message such that the process controller 258 can implement control based on the sets of information. Further aspects define decoding the message to identify a plurality of commands; transmitting a discrete-output message encoded with commands and transmitting a discrete-input message; retrieving desired values for system tag parameters and updating the system tag parameter by causing a portable device to transmit the desired value to a process control device; and identifying signal tags by analysing a profile received from a process control device.