Operating method for a rolling line comprising a number of rolling stands for rolling a flat rolled product, wherein a control device of the rolling line - accepts actual variables of the flat rolled product before the rolling of the flat rolled product in the rolling line and target variables of the flat rolled product after the rolling of the flat rolled product in the rolling line, wherein the target variables comprise at least one desired profile value of the flat rolled product, which characterizes the deviation of the thickness (d) of the flat rolled product at a predetermined distance (a) from the edges of the flat rolled product from a centre thickness, which the flat rolled product has in the centre between the edges, - determines an ideal contour course (ci) of the flat rolled product over the rolled product width (b) on the basis of the target variables, - determines setpoint values for manipulated variables for the rolling stands of the rolling line on the basis of the actual variables of the flat rolled product and the ideal contour course (ci) using a model of the rolling line, and - transmits the determined setpoint values to the rolling stands of the rolling line so that the flat rolled product is rolled in the rolling line in consideration of the transmitted setpoint values, characterized in that the control device determines the setpoint values for the manipulated variables by means of the model such that a contour course (ce) expected for the flat rolled product after the rolling of the flat rolled product in the rolling line is exclusively approximated as well as possible to the ideal contour course (ci) in an initial centre area when viewed over the rolling product width (b), which extends toward the edges of the flat rolled product up to initial area boundaries, which have a distance greater than the predetermined distance (a) from the edges of the flat rolled product, or the expected contour course (ce) is also approximated to the ideal contour course (ci) outside the initial centre area in addition to the initial centre area but only insofar as it is possible without impairing the approximation of the expected contour course (ce) to the ideal contour course (ci) in the initial centre area. - accepts actual variables of the flat rolled product before the rolling of the flat rolled product in the rolling line and target variables of the flat rolled product after the rolling of the flat rolled product in the rolling line, wherein the target variables comprise at least one desired profile value of the flat rolled product, which characterizes the deviation of the thickness (d) of the flat rolled product at a predetermined distance (a) from the edges of the flat rolled product from a centre thickness, which the flat rolled product has in the centre between the edges, - determines an ideal contour course (ci) of the flat rolled product over the rolled product width (b) on the basis of the target variables, - determines setpoint values for manipulated variables for the rolling stands of the rolling line on the basis of the actual variables of the flat rolled product and the ideal contour course (ci) using a model of the rolling line, and - transmits the determined setpoint values to the rolling stands of the rolling line so that the flat rolled product is rolled in the rolling line in consideration of the transmitted setpoint values,