A server device receives a request over a network for settings for a printing device having an identifier. The server device determines whether the settings for the printing device were previously received from the printing device and responsively saved by the server device, based on the identifier of the printing device. In response to determining that the settings for the printing device were previously received from the printing device and responsively saved by the server device, the server device transmits the settings over the network to reconfigure the printing device according to the settings.

Methods for identifying and generating a preview set of documents for use with variable data printing operations reduce the number of records that are previewed using filtering criteria. Records to be included in the preview set include text objects having text variables, image objects having image variables, and barcode objects having barcode variables. Records for the preview set also include those defined by rules and associated conditions based on data provided to generate the documents. A better representation of the variable data print job is provided.

A printing device includes: a printing unit; and a controller. The printing unit is configured to print an image on a print medium. The controller is configured to perform: (a) receiving; (b) transmitting; (c) receiving; and (d) transmitting. The (a) receiving receives a print job from an external device. The (b) receiving receives a print job from an external device. The (b) transmitting transmits the print job to a data processing server. The (c) receiving receives, from the external device, destination information representing a destination of payment information of a fee required for executing the print job with the printing unit. The (d) transmitting transmits the destination information to the data processing server to cause the data processing server to provide the payment information to the external device.

A printing device includes a controller configured to perform: (a) storing identification information and transmission address information in association with each other; (b) acquiring, in response to receiving a print job together with the identification information from an external device, the transmission address information stored in association with the identification information in the (a) storing on the basis of the received identification information; and (c) transmitting the transmission address information acquired in the (b) acquiring to a data processing server so that payment process information is transmitted to a transmission address corresponding to the transmission address information, the payment process information being information to pay a fee charged for performing printing based on the received print job.

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a terminal device. The terminal device converts a document into first print data, generates a second hash value corresponding to second object data in first print data, generates second print data, when the second hash value accords with the first hash value in a first storage device, by substituting the second object data in the first print data with the first hash value, and transmits the second print data to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus substitutes, upon receipt of the second print data, the first hash value included in the second print data with the first object data corresponding to the first hash value and stored in the second storage device, generates second bitmap data by analyzing the second print data subjected to the substitution, and causes an image forming device to execute a printing operation.

A computer determines whether PDL data contained in a print job, which is obtained via a communication interface or an external interface, matches pre-conversion PDL data stored in a conversion rule in a non-volatile memory. When a type of converted PDL data associated with the pre-conversion PDL in the conversion rule matches a type of PDL data determined in a PJL converting process, PJL data that conversion is held is converted to the converted PDL data associated with the pre-conversion PJL data that matches the held PDL data in the conversion rule.

An image forming apparatus include a processor configured to: obtain a type of use, a tendency of use, or a use condition of the image forming apparatus by a user; and transmit a log regarding use of the image forming apparatus by the user with the obtained type of use, the obtained tendency of use, or the obtained use condition being distinguishable.

An information processing system includes: an authenticator that authenticates one or more image processing apparatuses using authentication information of a user in response to receipt of the authentication information; and a server including a processor configured to permit the user to use an image processing apparatus that has location information related to the authentication information of the user among the authenticated one or more image processing apparatuses.

An image processing system includes an information processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus. A first controller of the information processing apparatus transmits a print job, a setting instruction, and a plurality of mail addresses, to the image forming apparatus, upon receipt of a private print mode setting instruction through an operation device. A second controller of the image forming apparatus sets the private print mode, upon receipt of the print job, the setting instruction, and the plurality of mail addresses, generates a second print approval code, transmits the second print approval code to each of the plurality of mail addresses, and executes the print job, when the first print approval code is received via an input device, and the first print approval code and the second print approval code accord with each other, by causing the image forming device to form the image on the recording medium.

Systems and methods for securely generating and printing documents are disclosed. For example, processor(s) of a computer system may receive information for the document from a computing device through a network, verify the information for the document, and upon verification, generate document generation data using at least a portion of the information for the document. The document generation data may include document metadata that enables generation of an image of the document and/or the image of the document. Upon the processor(s) verifying first authentication information of a first code associated with a printing device received from the computing device through the network and second authentication information of a second code associated with the computing device received from the printing device through the network, the processor(s) may transmit the document generation data to the printing device through the network, and cause the printing device to print the image of the document.