Printing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To decrease the occurrence frequency of missed print.SOLUTION: A printing system has a printing control unit that controls the execution of printing of data stored in a storage unit in response to a print request from a terminal used by one of a plurality of users, an update unit that updates information indicating a printing state of the data by the plurality of users in response to the execution of the printing, a determination unit that determines whether or not the printing state indicated by the updated information meets predetermined conditions, and a notification control unit that controls the notification to a user who has not printed the data if the print state satisfies the predetermined conditions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing system, an information processing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] When a user requests printing of data managed on the cloud, a cloud printing system causes the printer used by the user to execute printing of the data.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for notifying a user that printing has been forgotten when a printing instruction has not been executed after a certain period of time has elapsed since an event that requires printing has occurred for the printed data.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the prior art, it is difficult to prevent forgetting to print when the user does not recognize or has forgotten the existence of a document that needs to be printed or the existence of a task to perform printing.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to reduce the frequency of occurrence of forgetting to print.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, a printing system includes a printing control unit that controls execution of printing in response to a printing request from a terminal used by any one of a plurality of users for data stored in a storage unit, an update unit that updates information indicating a printing status of the data by the plurality of users in response to the execution of the printing, a determination unit that determines whether the printing status indicated by the updated information satisfies a predetermined condition, and a notification control unit that controls notification to a user who has not printed the data when the printing status satisfies the predetermined condition. The predetermined condition is that a threshold percentage or number of users among the multiple users have already printed the document. 。 [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] This can reduce the frequency of forgetting to print. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the information processing system 1 in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of the printing system 10 in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of the information processing system 1 in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a processing procedure performed by the information processing system 1 in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example configuration of the user information storage unit 151. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the print status storage unit 153. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of the information processing system 1 in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a processing procedure performed by the information processing system 1 in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing system 1 in the first embodiment. In Figure 1, the information processing system 1 includes a printing system 10, one or more terminals such as user terminals 20a and 20d (hereinafter, when terminals are not distinguished, they will be referred to as "user terminals 20"), a relay device 30, and one or more printers 40. Each user terminal 20 and the relay device 30 are connected to the printing system 10 via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. Each printer 40 is connected to the relay device 30 via a network such as a LAN. For example, each user terminal 20, the relay device 30, and each printer 40 are located in a user environment, and the printing system 10 is located in a cloud environment. The user environment is, for example, the office of a company where the users of the user terminals 20 and printers 40 are located. The cloud environment is an environment composed of a group of computers connected to the user environment via the Internet.

[0010] User terminal 20 is a terminal used by the user to input print instructions. For example, a PC (Personal Computer), smartphone, or other tablet may be used as user terminal 20. User terminal 20 sends a print request to the printing system 10 in response to the print instructions entered by the user. User terminal 20a is the terminal used by user A. User terminal 20d is the terminal used by user D.

[0011] The printing system 10 is one or more computers that manage one or more document data and, in response to a print request for any of the document data, execute processes to control the printing of said document data. As part of the process to control printing, the printing system 10 sends a print execution instruction to the relay device 30 for the printer 40 designated as the print destination. The printing system 10 also manages information indicating the printing status of each document data (hereinafter referred to as "printing status information"), and when the printing status indicated by the printing status information of any document data meets predetermined conditions (hereinafter referred to as "notification conditions"), it sends a notification to users who have not printed the document data indicating that they may have forgotten to print it.

[0012] The relay device 30 is a computer that forwards the print execution instruction transmitted from the print system 10 to the printer 40 specified as the print destination in the execution instruction.

[0013] The printer 40 is a device that performs printing in response to a print execution instruction transferred from the relay device 30.

[0014] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the printing system 10 in the first embodiment. The printing system 10 in Figure 2 includes a drive device 100, an auxiliary storage device 102, a memory device 103, a CPU 104, and an interface device 105, etc., which are all interconnected by bus B.

[0015] The program that enables processing in the printing system 10 is provided on a recording medium 101 such as a CD-ROM. When the recording medium 101 containing the program is set in the drive device 100, the program is installed from the recording medium 101 to the auxiliary storage device 102 via the drive device 100. However, the program does not necessarily have to be installed from the recording medium 101; it may also be downloaded from another computer via a network. The auxiliary storage device 102 stores the installed program as well as necessary files and data.

[0016] When a program startup command is received, the memory device 103 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 102 and stores it. The CPU 104 executes functions related to the printing system 10 according to the program stored in the memory device 103. The interface device 105 is used as an interface for connecting to a network.

[0017] Figure 3 shows an example of the functional configuration of the information processing system 1 in the first embodiment. In Figure 3, the printing system 10 includes a UI unit 11, a user management unit 12, a notification unit 13, a document management unit 14, a device management unit 15, a print control unit 16, and a communication control unit 17. Each of these units is realized by processing that one or more programs installed in the printing system 10 cause the CPU 104 to execute. The printing system 10 also utilizes a user information storage unit 151, a document data storage unit 152, a print status storage unit 153, and a printer information storage unit 154, etc. Each of these storage units can be realized, for example, using an auxiliary storage device 102, or a storage device that can be connected to the printing system 10 via a network. The UI unit 11, user management unit 12, notification unit 13, document management unit 14, device management unit 15, print control unit 16, and communication control unit 17 can be implemented by one or more processing circuits. Here, a processing circuit includes processors programmed to execute each function by software, such as processors implemented by electronic circuits, as well as devices such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), and conventional circuit modules designed to execute the functions described above.

[0018] The UI unit 11 controls the display of a screen (user interface) on the user terminal 20 for receiving requests from the user terminal 20. When the UI unit 11 receives a request that includes parameters entered via the screen, it controls the processing corresponding to that request.

[0019] The user management unit 12 manages information about users who can use the printing system 10 (hereinafter referred to as "user information"), and authenticates users who request to log in to the printing system 10. A list of user information is stored in advance in the user information storage unit 151.

[0020] The document management unit 14 manages one or more document data stored in the document data storage unit 152. The content and format of the document data are not limited to predetermined ones as long as the data can be a printing target. The document data may be data including a character string, or may be data including a figure or an image. The document data storage unit 152 stores information about the document data (hereinafter referred to as "document information") for each document data. The document information includes a document ID which is identification information of the document data related to the document information.

[0021] The document management unit 14 includes an update unit 141 and a determination unit 142. Each time any document data managed by the document management unit 14 (that is, any document data stored in the document data storage unit 152) is printed, the update unit 141 updates the printing status information related to the document data. In the present embodiment, the printing status information is information indicating printed users and non-printed users among a plurality of users in the user environment. The printing status information is stored in the printing status storage unit 153 for each document data. Each time the printing status information of each document data is updated, the determination unit 142 determines whether the printing status indicated by the updated printing status information satisfies the notification condition. In the present embodiment, the notification condition is that most of the plurality of users in the user environment have printed. For example, the notification condition is that the number of printed users is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

[0022] The notification unit 13 controls the notification to users who have not printed the document data related to the printing status information that satisfies the notification condition that they have not printed the document data.

[0023] The device management unit 15 manages information about printers 40 installed in the user environment (hereinafter referred to as "printer information"). The printer information storage unit 154 stores printer information for each printer 40 installed in the user environment. The printer information includes a printer ID, which is the identification information of the printer 40 to which the printer information pertains.

[0024] When the UI unit 11 receives a print request, the print control unit 16 controls the printing of the document data to be printed in the print request to the printer 40 specified as the print destination in the print request. Specifically, the print control unit 16 requests the communication control unit 17 to send an execution instruction for printing related to the print request.

[0025] The communication control unit 17 enables bidirectional communication between the printing system 10 and the relay device 30, and transmits the print execution instruction requested by the print control unit 16 to the relay device 30. Since it is not possible to send print execution instructions to each printer 40 from outside the user environment, these instructions are transmitted via the relay device 30, which enables bidirectional communication with the printing system 10.

[0026] The relay device 30 includes a communication relay unit 31 and a printer control unit 32. Each of these units is realized by one or more programs installed in the relay device 30, which cause the CPU of the relay device 30 to execute processes.

[0027] The communication relay unit 31 receives a print execution instruction from the communication control unit 17 of the printing system 10 and transmits the execution instruction to the printer control unit 32.

[0028] The printer control unit 32, in response to a print execution command, causes the printer 40 designated as the print destination to perform the print job according to the execution command.

[0029] The following describes the processing procedures performed by the information processing system 1. Figure 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of the processing procedures performed by the information processing system 1 in the first embodiment.

[0030] When user A enters authentication information such as a user ID and password on the login screen displayed on user terminal 20a, user terminal 20a sends a login request containing the authentication information to the UI unit 11 of the printing system 10 (S101). The UI unit 11 forwards the login request to the user management unit 12 (S102). The user management unit 12 performs authentication in response to the login request based on the authentication information contained in the login request. Authentication is performed, for example, by comparing the authentication information with the user ID and password stored in the user information storage unit 151.

[0031] Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the user information storage unit 151. As shown in Figure 5, the user information storage unit 151 stores user information for each user, including user ID, password, username, and email address. The user ID is identification information used by the printing system 10 to identify the user. The password is information used to verify whether the user is the real person. The username is the name of the user and is used, for example, as a string for display. The email address is the user's email address.

[0032] If the authentication information (user ID and password) included in the login request does not match any of the user IDs and passwords stored in the user information storage unit 151, the user management unit 12 determines that the login has failed. In this case, steps S103 and beyond are not executed. If the authentication information (user ID and password) included in the login request matches any of the user IDs and passwords stored in the user information storage unit 151, the user management unit 12 determines that the login has succeeded and identifies the user ID included in the authentication information as the user ID of the logged-in user (hereinafter referred to as the "login user ID"). In this case, the user management unit 12 sends a response to the UI unit 11 that includes the login user ID and indicates that the login was successful (S103).

[0033] In response to a response indicating successful login, the UI unit 11 sends a request to the document management unit 14 to retrieve a list of document information (hereinafter referred to as the "document list") (S104). In response to the retrieval request, the document management unit 14 retrieves the document information for each document data from the document data storage unit 152 and sends a response including the retrieved document list to the UI unit 11 (S105).

[0034] Next, the UI unit 11 sends a request to the device management unit 15 to obtain a list of printer information (hereinafter referred to as the "printer list") (S106). In response to the request, the device management unit 15 obtains the printer information for each printer 40 from the printer 40 storage unit and sends a response including the obtained printer list to the UI unit 11 (S107).

[0035] Next, the UI unit 11 generates screen data for the print settings screen based on the acquired document list and printer list, and sends the screen data to the user terminal 20a (S108). The user terminal 20a displays the print settings screen based on the screen data. The print settings screen allows the user to select the document data to be printed from the document list and the printer 40 to print to from the printer list.

[0036] User A selects the document data to be printed (hereinafter referred to as "target document data") via the print settings screen, selects the destination printer 40 (hereinafter referred to as "target printer 40"), and instructs the system to print. In response to User A's instruction to print, User Terminal 20a sends a print request to the UI Unit 11, including the document ID of the target document data (hereinafter referred to as "target document ID") and the printer ID of the target printer 40 (hereinafter referred to as "target printer ID") (S109).

[0037] When the UI unit 11 receives a print request, it sends the print request to the print control unit 16, including the target document ID and target printer ID included in the print request, as well as the logged-in user ID (S110). In response to the print request, the print control unit 16 requests the document management unit 14 to acquire the target document data corresponding to the target document ID included in the print request (S111). The document management unit 14 acquires the target document data corresponding to the target document ID from the document data storage unit 152 and sends the target document data to the print control unit 16 (S112). Subsequently, the print control unit 16 requests the device management unit 15 to acquire printer information corresponding to the target printer ID included in the print request (S113). The device management unit 15 acquires the printer information of the target printer 40 corresponding to the target printer ID (hereinafter referred to as "target printer information") from the printer information storage unit 154 and sends the target printer information to the print control unit 16 (S114). Next, the print control unit 16 requests the communication control unit 17 to send a print execution instruction including the target document data and target printer information (S115). The communication control unit 17 sends the execution instruction to the relay device 30 (S116).

[0038] When the communication relay unit 31 of the relay device 30 receives the execution instruction, it transmits the execution instruction to the printer control unit 32 (S117). The printer control unit 32 identifies the target printer 40 based on the target printer information contained in the execution instruction and sends an execution instruction to the target printer 40 to print the target document data contained in the execution instruction (S118).

[0039] The target printer 40 executes the printing of the target document data in response to the execution instruction and sends a response containing information indicating the result of the printing (hereinafter referred to as "print result") to the printer control unit 32 of the relay device 30 (S119). The print result is, for example, information indicating whether the printing was successful or unsuccessful. Upon receiving the response, the printer control unit 32 requests the communication relay unit 31 to transmit the print result contained in the response (S120). The communication control unit 17 transmits the print result to the communication control unit 17 of the printing system 10 (S121).

[0040] The communication control unit 17 transmits the print result to the print control unit 16 (S122). The print control unit 16 transmits the print result to the UI unit 11 (S123). The UI unit 11 transmits screen data of the print result screen showing the print result to the user terminal 20a (S124). The user terminal 20a displays the print result screen based on the screen data. User A can confirm the success or failure of the print by referring to the print result screen.

[0041] The print control unit 16 also sends the print result, target document ID, and login user ID to the document management unit 14 following step S123 (S125). If the print result indicates that the print was successful, the update unit 141 of the document management unit 14 updates the print status information stored in the print status storage unit 153 with respect to the target document ID (S126).

[0042] Figure 6 shows an example of the configuration of the print status storage unit 153. As shown in Figure 6, the print status storage unit 153 stores print status information for each document data, associated with the document ID, indicating whether or not each user has printed it. "Done" indicates that it has been printed, and "Not yet printed" indicates that it has not been printed.

[0043] In step S126, the update unit 141 updates the item corresponding to the logged-in user ID in the print status information of the target document ID to "Completed".

[0044] Next, the determination unit 142 of the document management unit 14 determines whether the printing status indicated by the printing status information of the target document ID satisfies the notification conditions (S127). For example, the notification condition may be that 80% or more of the users in the user environment have printed the document. However, the 80% threshold may be changed as appropriate. Alternatively, the threshold may be defined by the number of people who have printed the document. Furthermore, the notification condition may not be a percentage of the number of people who have printed the document, but rather that the percentage of people who have not printed the document is below a threshold. Document data that has been printed by the majority of the users in the user environment may be document data that all of those users should print. Therefore, it is considered possible that users who have not printed the document data have forgotten to print it.

[0045] Furthermore, multiple users may be classified into multiple groups based on the commonality of their attributes, and it may be determined whether or not the notification conditions are met for each group. In this case, the user information storage unit 151 may store attribute information necessary for grouping for each user. By doing so, it becomes possible to determine which group each user belongs to and to determine whether or not the notification conditions are met for each group. By determining whether or not the notification conditions are met within a group, for example, if users are grouped by the attribute "new employees," it becomes possible to more effectively detect instances where users have forgotten to print application forms required after joining the company.

[0046] If the printing status information for the target document ID indicates that the notification conditions are met, steps S131 and onward are executed.

[0047] In step S131, the document management unit 14 sends a notification request to the notification unit 13 that includes user IDs whose print status information for the target document ID is "Not Printed" (hereinafter referred to as "Not Printed User IDs"). If there are multiple such user IDs, there will be multiple Not Printed User IDs. Next, the notification unit 13 requests the user management unit 12 to obtain user information corresponding to the Not Printed User IDs included in the notification request (S132). The user management unit 12 obtains user information corresponding to the Not Printed User IDs (hereinafter referred to as "Not Printed User Information") from the user information storage unit 151 and sends the obtained Not Printed User Information to the document management unit 14 (S133). Note that only the email address may be sent to the document management unit 14, rather than all of the Not Printed User Information.

[0048] Next, the notification unit 13 sends an email to the email address included in the unprinted user information to notify the user that they may have forgotten to print the target document data related to the target document ID (S134). For example, if the user related to the unprinted user ID is user D, the email is sent to user D's user terminal 20d. The email includes, for example, the document name of the target document data and a sentence such as "Have you forgotten to print this document data?" (i.e., a message to confirm whether or not the user has forgotten to print the document data). By referring to such an email, user D can realize that they have forgotten to print the target document data and can then issue a print command for the target document data.

[0049] As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to notify the user of the possibility of forgetting to print. Therefore, the frequency of forgetting to print can be reduced.

[0050] Next, a second embodiment will be described. The differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment will be described. Therefore, points not specifically mentioned may be the same as in the first embodiment.

[0051] Figure 7 shows an example of the functional configuration of the information processing system 1 in the second embodiment. In Figure 7, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as those in Figure 3, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0052] In Figure 7, the printing system 10 does not have a notification unit 13. This is because, in the second embodiment, the UI unit 11 implements the functions of the notification unit 13. Specifically, when the UI unit 11 detects that a logged-in user has forgotten to print, it controls the display of a notification of the forgotten printout on the logged-in user's user terminal 20.

[0053] Figure 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a processing procedure performed by the information processing system 1 in the second embodiment. In Figure 8, the same step numbers are used for steps identical to those in Figure 4, and their explanations are omitted.

[0054] In the second embodiment, in response to the request to obtain a document list in step S104, the document management unit 14 obtains a document list, and the determination unit 142 of the document management unit 14 executes step S201.

[0055] In step S201, the determination unit 142 determines whether the printing status indicated by any of the printing status information stored in the printing status information storage unit for each document data satisfies the notification conditions.

[0056] If there is print status information that meets the notification conditions, the document management unit 14 sends to the UI unit 11, along with the document list, a pair of the document ID related to the print status information (hereinafter referred to as the "notified document ID") and the user ID of the user whose print status information is "Not Printed" (i.e., has not printed the document data related to the document ID) (hereinafter referred to as the "unprinted user ID") for each corresponding print status information (S105a). If there is no corresponding print status information, the document list is sent to the UI unit 11 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0057] After obtaining the printer list (S106, S107), the UI unit 11 generates screen data for the print settings screen so that it can notify the user of the possibility of forgetting to print the document data related to the notification target document ID paired with the logged-in user ID, if there is an unprinted user ID that matches the unprinted user ID. For example, a message indicating that the document data has been forgotten to print may be added to the document data in question in the document list displayed on the print settings screen. Alternatively, a message indicating that the document data has been forgotten to print may be added to a predetermined area of ​​the print settings screen. The UI unit 11 sends the screen data generated in this way to the user terminal 20d (S108a). When the user terminal 20d displays the print settings screen based on the screen data, user D can become aware that the notification target document data has been forgotten to print. In this case, user D can issue a print command for the notification target document data by selecting the notification target document data as the print target.

[0058] Next, steps S109 to S126, as described in Figure 4, are executed, similar to the first embodiment. However, steps S127 and S131 to S134 do not need to be executed.

[0059] As described above, the second embodiment can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0060] In each of the above embodiments, the document data storage unit 152 is an example of a storage unit. In the first embodiment, the notification unit 13 is an example of a notification control unit. In the second embodiment, the UI unit 11 is an example of a notification control unit.

[0061] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as described in the claims.

[0062] Examples of the present invention are as follows: <1> A print control unit controls the execution of printing in response to a print request from a terminal used by one of several users, with respect to data stored in the memory unit. An update unit updates information indicating the printing status of the data by the multiple users in response to the execution of the aforementioned printing, A determination unit that determines whether the printing status indicated by the updated information meets predetermined conditions, If the printing status satisfies the predetermined conditions, a notification control unit controls notifications to users who have not printed the data, A printing system characterized by having the following features. <2> The information indicating the printing status refers to information indicating whether or not each of the multiple users has printed the document. The printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1. <3> The aforementioned predetermined condition is that a certain percentage or number of users among the multiple users have already printed the document. Characterized by <1> or <2> The printing system described. <4> The aforementioned multiple users are users belonging to the same group among multiple groups classified based on predetermined commonalities. Characterized by <1> ~ <3> A printing system as described in any one of the items. <5> The notification control unit sends an email indicating the notification to the email address of a user who has not printed the data. Characterized by <1> ~ <4> A printing system as described in any one of the items. <6> The system includes a user management unit that authenticates users based on user identification information transmitted from a terminal used by one of the aforementioned multiple users. The notification control unit, when the updated information satisfies predetermined information, controls the display of the notification on the terminal used by the user, if the user authenticated by the user management unit has not printed the data. Characterized by <1> ~ <4> A printing system as described in any one of the items. <7> A print control procedure that controls the execution of printing in response to a print request from a terminal used by one of several users, with respect to data stored in the memory unit, An update procedure to update information indicating the printing status of the data by the multiple users in response to the execution of the print operation, A determination procedure for determining whether the printing status indicated by the updated information meets predetermined conditions, If the printing status satisfies the predetermined conditions, a notification control procedure for controlling notifications to users who have not printed the data, An information processing method characterized by a computer executing the following. <8> A print control procedure that controls the execution of printing in response to a print request from a terminal used by one of several users, with respect to data stored in the memory unit, An update procedure to update information indicating the printing status of the data by the multiple users in response to the execution of the print operation, A determination procedure for determining whether the printing status indicated by the updated information meets predetermined conditions, If the printing status satisfies the predetermined conditions, a notification control procedure for controlling notifications to users who have not printed the data, A program characterized by causing a computer to execute something. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 1. Information Processing System 10 Printing Systems 11 UI section 12 User Management Department 13 Notification Department 14. Document Management Department 15. Device Management Department 16 Printing Control Unit 17 Communication Control Unit 20 User Terminals 30 Relay device 31 Communications Relay Unit 32 Printer Control Unit 40 Printers 100 drive unit 101 Recording media 102 Auxiliary storage 103 Memory device 104 CPU 105 Interface device 141 Update Department 142 Judgment section 151 User Information Storage Unit 152 Document Data Storage Unit 153 Print status memory unit 154 Printer Information Storage Unit B Bus [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0064] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-040078

Claims

1. A print control unit controls the execution of printing in response to a print request from a terminal used by one of several users, with respect to data stored in the memory unit. An update unit updates information indicating the printing status of the data by the multiple users in response to the execution of the aforementioned printing, A determination unit that determines whether the printing status indicated by the updated information meets predetermined conditions, If the printing status satisfies the predetermined conditions, a notification control unit controls notifications to users who have not printed the data, It has, The aforementioned predetermined condition is that a certain percentage or number of users among the multiple users have already printed the document. A printing system characterized by the following features.

2. The aforementioned multiple users are users belonging to the same group among multiple groups classified based on predetermined commonalities. The printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1.

3. The notification control unit sends an email indicating the notification to the email address of a user who has not printed the data. The printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1.

4. The system includes a user management unit that authenticates users based on user identification information transmitted from a terminal used by one of the aforementioned multiple users. The notification control unit, when the updated information satisfies predetermined information, controls the display of the notification on the terminal used by the user, if the user authenticated by the user management unit has not printed the data. The printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1.

5. A print control procedure that controls the execution of printing in response to a print request from a terminal used by one of several users, with respect to data stored in the memory unit, An update procedure to update information indicating the printing status of the data by the multiple users in response to the execution of the print operation, A determination procedure for determining whether the printing status indicated by the updated information meets predetermined conditions, If the printing status satisfies the predetermined conditions, a notification control procedure for controlling notifications to users who have not printed the data, The computer executes this, The aforementioned predetermined condition is that a certain percentage or number of users among the multiple users have already printed the document. An information processing method characterized by the following:

6. A print control procedure that controls the execution of printing in response to a print request from a terminal used by one of several users, with respect to data stored in the memory unit, An update procedure to update information indicating the printing status of the data by the multiple users in response to the execution of the print operation, A determination procedure for determining whether the printing status indicated by the updated information meets predetermined conditions, If the printing status satisfies the predetermined conditions, a notification control procedure for controlling notifications to users who have not printed the data, Have the computer run it, The aforementioned predetermined condition is that a certain percentage or number of users among the multiple users have already printed the document. A program characterized by the following features.

Images