Operating method for a cooling unit for cooling a hot rolled material made of metal, - wherein the cooling unit has a header line, into which a liquid coolant is fed by means of a pump assembly and from which a plurality of branch lines (9a to 9d) branch off to application units (10a to 10d), - wherein the pump assembly has a number of pumps, a control valve (11a to 11d) is arranged in each of the branch lines (9a to 9d), and the coolant is applied to the rolled material by means of at least some of the application units (10a to 10d), - wherein setpoint flows (Ka* to Kd*) which are to be fed to the application units (10a to 10d) are communicated to a control unit of the cooling unit, - wherein the control unit actuates the pump assembly in accordance with a final actuation state (Z') and the control valves (11a to 11d) in accordance with actuation values (Aa to Ad), characterized in that, to determine the final actuation state (Z') of the pump assembly and the actuation values (Aa to Ad) of the control valves (11a to 11d), the control unit - determines for the control valves (11a to 11d) for a respective limit modulation value (kLim) of the respective control valve (11a to 11d) a respective individual working pressure (pAa to pAd) which must prevail in the header line in order that the respective setpoint flow (Ka* to Kd*) flows in the respective branch line (9a to 9d), - determines a provisional actuation state of the pump assembly, with the result that a total flow of coolant which corresponds to the sum of the setpoint flows (Ka* to Kd*) is fed to the header line by means of the pump assembly, and at the same time a provisional working pressure (pAv) which is at least as high as the highest of the individual working pressures (pAa to pAd) prevails in the header line, - using the provisional actuation state of the pump assembly, determines the final actuation state (Z') of the pump assembly in such a way that the total flow of coolant is fed to the header line by means of the pump assembly and, at the same time, a final working pressure (pAe) prevails in the header line, and - using the final working pressure (pAe), determines the actuation values (Aa to Ad) of the control valves (11a to 11d) in such a way that the respective setpoint flow (Ka* to Kd*) flows in the respective branch line (9a to 9d). - wherein the cooling unit has a header line, into which a liquid coolant is fed by means of a pump assembly and from which a plurality of branch lines (9a to 9d) branch off to application units (10a to 10d), - wherein the pump assembly has a number of pumps, a control valve (11a to 11d) is arranged in each of the branch lines (9a to 9d), and the coolant is applied to the rolled material by means of at least some of the application units (10a to 10d), - wherein setpoint flows (Ka* to Kd*) which are to be fed to the application units (10a to 10d) are communicated to a control unit of the cooling unit, - wherein the control unit actuates the pump assembly in accordance with a final actuation state (Z') and the control valves (11a to 11d) in accordance with actuation values (Aa to Ad), - determines for the control valves (11a to 11d) for a respective limit modulation value (kLim) of the respective control valve (11a to 11d) a respective individual working pressure (pAa to pAd) which must prevail in the header line in order that the respective setpoint flow (Ka* to Kd*) flows in the respective branch line (9a to 9d), - determines a provisional actuation state of the pump assembly, with the result that a total flow of coolant which corresponds to the sum of the setpoint flows (Ka* to Kd*) is fed to the header line by means of the pump assembly, and at the same time a provisional working pressure (pAv) which is at least as high as the highest of the individual working pressures (pAa to pAd) prevails in the header line, - using the provisional actuation state of the pump assembly, determines the final actuation state (Z') of the pump assembly in such a way that the total flow of coolant is fed to the header line by means of the pump assembly and, at the same time, a final working pressure (pAe) prevails in the header line, and - using the final working pressure (pAe), determines the actuation values (Aa to Ad) of the control valves (11a to 11d) in such a way that the respective setpoint flow (Ka* to Kd*) flows in the respective branch line (9a to 9d).