A method for monitoring a measurement variable and performing predictive monitoring of a compliancy of a characteristic of a field device to a requirement is described. The method includes a step of determining a deviation between a measured value of a monitored variable and a reference value of the monitored variable. The deviation is indicative of a degree of compliancy to the requirement. The method also includes a step of applying a filter to the deviations based on the deviations and the filtered deviations. The method further includes a step of determining a noise superimposed on the filtered deviations. At the end of a monitoring interval, a time remaining until the deviations will exceed the deviation range is determined using a Monte Carlo simulation.