Decoupled adjustment of contour and flatness of a metal strip

An operating method for a roll train having a plurality of roll stands, through which a metal strip passes one after the other sequentially, comprising:

• determining, by a control device of the roll train, first control variables for first actuators of an upstream roll stand of the plurality of roll stands, while taking into consideration a downstream flatness change to be performed and additionally taking into consideration a downstream contour change to be performed;
• determining, by the control device, second control variables for second actuators of a downstream roll stand of the plurality of roll stands while taking into consideration the downstream contour change to be performed, the upstream roll stand being arranged upstream of the downstream roll stand;
• controlling, by the control device, the first actuators based on the first control variables and the second actuators based on the second control variables, the control device outputting the second control variables to the second actuators with a delay of a downstream transfer time relative to the outputting of the first control variables to the first actuators, the downstream transfer time being a time that elapses between rolling of the metal strip in the upstream roll stand and rolling of the metal strip in the downstream roll stand.