The invention relates to a method for monitoring a use of a surface processing apparatus to which a processing task is allocated. In accordance with the invention, in order to provide such a method that enables better monitoring of the execution of the processing task, the surface processing apparatus transmits a notification concerning the operation of the surface processing apparatus at an operating time to an external receiving unit, and, at the receiving unit, it is determined whether the operating time lies before or, at the latest, at a specified or specifiable latest possible operation initiation time, wherein the duration from the operation initiation time to a specifiable or specified latest possible task completion time is at least as long as the expected time for execution of the processing task. The invention further relates to an information system for carrying out the method.