Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus configured to manage a workflow, a method of executing a workflow, and a storage medium, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus characterized by a technique for transferring a file of document data during execution of a workflow, from the apparatus to a system, such as a file server, connected to the apparatus via a network or the like, a method of executing the workflow, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for causing a computer to execute the method.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an image processing apparatus (image forming apparatus) has a network function and hence can be connected to a network, such as a local area network. This means that the image processing apparatus can be connected to various external systems via the network.
Further, in recent years, in an image forming apparatus, convenient functions, such as a function of transmitting generated document data by e-mail or storing the document data in a data area called a box, are realized in addition to basic functions thereof, such as a copy function and a printing function.
Further, an image forming apparatus for use in office work usually separately uses individual functions, such as the above-mentioned copy function, transmission function and box storage function, but it also often uses some of the functions in combination.
For example, there is a case where a paper document is scanned to generate document data, and the document data is stored in a box and is further transmitted to persons concerned, by e-mail. Further, there is also a case where a plurality of document data items stored in the box are simultaneously and collectively printed (in a manner integrated in one document data item).
In the above cases, the user has to configure the individual functions, respectively. It is inconvenient for the user to have to configure the functions whenever he/she uses the image forming apparatus. To eliminate this inconvenience, there has been proposed an application which regards each of individual functions, such as the copy function, the transmission function and the box storage function, as one work item, and is capable of defining and executing a workflow in which an order of execution of a plurality of work items and settings for processing of the work items are set in advance.
Further, there has also been proposed a system which is capable of defining a workflow such that a process configuration screen for a desired work item is displayed during execution of the workflow (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-310468). In the system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-310468, during execution of the workflow, a process configuration screen for a work item is displayed and preset details of the process of the work item are temporarily changed thereon to execute the workflow.
Further, there has also been proposed a service processing apparatus configured to control not only the individual functions of the image forming apparatus but also a plurality of services such that processing of the services is executed in a cooperative manner by the functions (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-287860).
Furthermore, there has also been proposed a technique in which during execution of the work item “transmission”, an attribute information file storing attribute information associated with document data is generated by scanning and is transmitted together with the document data (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-134294).
In this technique, an application operating on the image forming apparatus executes a workflow, and transmits document data and the attribute file to an external system. The system having received the document data and the attribute file performs some processing with reference to the document data and the attribute file. Normally, document formats of document data that can be processed by the system are predetermined.
The term “document format” is intended to mean a set of elements constituting document data, including a file format, such as PDF or TIFF, a setting of color or monochrome printing, a resolution, and the number of pages. Each document format element does not always take a single fixed value but sometimes has a plurality of candidates or a range of values. Further, it is possible to specify a document format of a document data item, on a part-by-part basis, for example, as “A4 color printing on a first sheet, and A3 monochrome printing on a second sheet”.
Now, when document data in a document format different from the document format that can be processed by the system is received from the image forming apparatus, the system cannot execute associated processing normally.
For example, when color character data is input to the system in spite of the system being capable of processing only monochrome character data, or when only two pages of document data are input in spite of five pages being required, the system cannot continue processing.
Even if a workflow is defined in advance in the application that operates on the image forming apparatus such that document data in a proper document format is transmitted to the system, it sometimes occurs that the document data in the proper document format is not transmitted for one of the following reasons:                (1) In executing the workflow, the document format of the document data to be transmitted is changed because the user performs from the configuration screen an operation e.g. “to select a document from a box” or “to change scan parameters”.        (2) In executing the workflow, the document format required by a system as a transmission destination is changed because the user performs an operation “to change the transmission destination”.        (3) The document format required by the system is changed.        
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds