A force-measuring device (1) with a parallelogram linkage has a measurement transducer coupled to it. A coil (25) of the transducer has guided mobility in a magnet system (27) and can carry an electric current (24). A position sensor (21) detects the deflection of the coil (25) from a balanced position relative to the magnet system when a load is placed on the force-measuring device. The electric current (24) flowing through the coil (25), by way of the interaction between the coil and the magnet system, returns the coil and the movable parallel leg to the balanced position. A system-characterizing means (29) is established in a processor unit (26). The system-characterizing means and an unchangeable system reference means (30) are compared to determine the functionality of the device. The functionality is verified by the magnitudes of the electric current and the deflection of the coil from its balanced position.