A method of operating a rolling mill for hot-rolling and cold-rolling of flat products in one or more roll stands each having two or more rolls, wherein the roll gaps are regulated so as to correct the differential force between the drive side and the operator side of the roll stands, while compensating the adjustment value-controlled regulation of the roll gaps which corrects the bending and balancing forces. Prior to further processing of the flat products, the regulation is supplied with an additional correction adjustment value formed from the horizontal forces measured in all individual rolls.