Before the rolling of a metal strip on a finishing train, the actual width and actual temperature of portions of the metal strip are respectively detected. The portions of the metal strip are tracked while they run through the finishing train. The rolling stands are respectively assigned width controlling devices which determine the setpoint width and the actual width after the rolling in the assigned rolling stand, and a downstream additional setpoint value, by which the desired tension downstream of the assigned rolling stand is corrected in order to bring the actual width closer to the setpoint width. The downstream additional setpoint value is both taken into account in the determination of the actual width and fed to a tension controller, which sets an actual tension, in the metal strip downstream of the assigned rolling stand, in accordance with the corrected setpoint tension. Determining the downstream additional setpoint value by the difference between the setpoint width and the actual width of a portion of the metal strip.