Abstract: A method for the production and/or processing of a web-shaped material, particularly paper, with at least one measuring system which records m measurement values yik per measurement position over at least a portion of the width s of the web-shaped material at n different measurement positions within a fixed time interval ?t. The method is characterized in that the method includes determining a rational quality number Q, the value of which for a quality of the web-shaped material that is considered acceptable lies within an acceptance range which is to be empirically determined for the production process and which has a lower limit U and an upper limit O, where U and O are in each case rational numbers.