JP5457980B2 - Electronic form printing management system, electronic form printing management method, and program therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for storing and printing a large amount of electronic forms and the like (hereinafter referred to as electronic forms) that can be used on a personal computer and the like (hereinafter referred to as PCs). A person who creates and distributes an electronic form (hereinafter referred to as a form creator) and a person who accumulates and uses it (hereinafter referred to as a form user) with respect to a predetermined printing apparatus installed in a destination (hereinafter referred to as a distribution destination). Even if the distribution destination for each electronic form is changed by changing the organizational structure, etc., the printed matter is sorted into the distribution destination without being conscious of the arrangement of the printing apparatus, the priority and fairness for the distribution destination are controlled. The present invention relates to an electronic form printing management technology capable of reprinting an accumulated electronic form to an appropriate printing destination.

  Conventionally, a network system including a plurality of workstations, PCs, a plurality of printers, and a print server that manages the printers is known.

  In such a network system, a person using an electronic form designates a printer on the network and issues a print instruction to the designated printer, but uses a plurality of printers connected to the network. As a means for reducing the burden on the user, there has already been proposed a print control system that provides a method for evaluating the operation status of a plurality of printers, automatically determining them, and using them efficiently. There has also been proposed a re-output control method that provides a method for automatically determining an output destination when an electronic form is re-output. The prior art is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-53134 (Patent Document 1).

  More specifically, the above-described patent document 1 discloses a plurality of print instruction devices connected by data communication means and a plurality of printers in order to efficiently use a plurality of printers with a minimum user burden. The print instruction apparatus outputs a print job processing request to a plurality of print servers prior to transfer of the print object to the print server, and outputs the print job processing request to the print server. The print object corresponding to the print job is transferred to the print server that indicates the earliest printable response. Each of the plurality of print servers is based on a print job processing request from the print instruction apparatus. A virtual job corresponding to the print job is generated and stored, and a printable response is indicated when the virtual job is ready for processing. A print object to be transferred from the print instruction device corresponding to the printable response is obtained so as to output the print processing apparatus included in the print server.

JP-A-11-53134

  In the above proposal, it is assumed that a plurality of printers installed on the network system have the same value as viewed from the user.

  However, on this network system, there are usually many cases where a divisional organization or the like divided based on the work in charge is arranged, and the use of electronic forms is divided and shared by each work etc. unit. In this situation, there are many electronic forms that are used through regular, routine creation, printing, and distribution operation processes, and there are many cases where they are operated under the management of each form user. It is done.

  When regular, regular creation, printing, and distribution of electronic forms are managed under the management of each form user, the printer on the network system is basically designated and used arbitrarily by each form user. However, it is usually the case that form users mainly use a fixed output destination such as a printer recommended for main use based on the seating arrangement of a divisional organization, etc., or a printer close to their own seat. There are many situations where it is desirable to avoid printer load concentration based on the voluntary nature of each form user, and avoiding mixed prints.

  However, in such scenes where the printers that can be used for each electronic form user do not necessarily have the same value, the effectiveness of applying the above-described conventional technology is low.

  In addition, the types of electronic forms accompanying the business expansion, etc., and the increase in the amount of assets, the increase in the labor related to the operation of the form creator and the form user, and the increase in the labor related to searching for the electronic form to be printed again are problems. Be seen.

  In addition, if an electronic form that has been operated so far is distributed to a different divisional organization due to a change in divisional organization, etc., the form creator and the form user must ensure that the electronic form and the new divisional organization The problem is that it becomes difficult to manage with a strong relationship.

  For example, for a form user who owns and manages a certain electronic form, management effort related to discrimination and correction when the authority to refer to or use the electronic form is deprived or continued due to changes in the divisional organization Increases as the number of relationships between the electronic form asset and the form user increases.

  The present invention is for solving the above-described problems, and has the following objects.

  The first object of the present invention is to centrally store and manage regularly and regularly created electronic forms, reduce the type of electronic forms and the labor associated with the increase in asset amount, and It is to be prepared so that a form user who wants to use can easily search and reprint.

  The second object of the present invention is to reduce the labor involved in printing and distribution of form users by automatically sorting the electronic forms into distribution destinations that are similarly printed and distributed regularly and regularly. It is to be.

  The third object of the present invention is that the electronic form assets that are stored and managed in a unified manner are changed after the change even when the distribution destination for printing and distributing the electronic form is changed due to a change in divisional organization or the like. Is also to make it available with appropriate relevance.

  A fourth object of the present invention is to avoid unfair printing and distribution operations depending on the printing and distribution amount bias of the electronic form, which is assumed when the electronic forms are stored and managed in a centralized manner. is there.

The present invention employs the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.
a) An electronic form management system according to the present invention is an electronic form management information database comprising an electronic form distribution management database storing management information related to electronic form distribution and an electronic form print management database storing management information related to printing of electronic forms. And a server PC, a client PC, and a plurality of printers connected via a network, wherein the server PC manages printing on the plurality of printers under program control, wherein the server The PC is characterized by comprising the following <first means>, <second means>, and <third means>.
<First means>: Electronic form reception monitoring means for monitoring the electronic form reception management directory with reference to the contents of the electronic form management information database, and completion of electronic form reception for prompting reception of the electronic form and the electronic form It is detected that the confirmation information is stored in the electronic form reception management directory, and the electronic form is identified as a printable target, and registration information is recorded in the electronic form management information database. Are registered as electronic forms registered in the electronic form registration management directory.
<Second means>: For a registered electronic form stored in the electronic form registration management directory, a print request is identified (virtual printing), and waiting for printing in the electronic form management information database Electronic form virtual printing means for recording information is provided.
<Third Means>: An electronic form print monitoring means that refers to the contents of the electronic form management information database, detects a registered electronic form that is waiting to be printed, and issues an actual print instruction, and the electronic form An electronic form that receives an actual printing instruction from a print monitoring unit, refers to the contents of the electronic form management information database, and causes an electronic form printing apparatus as an appropriate printing destination in an electronic form printing apparatus group related to the distribution destination to print Actual printing means.

b) In addition, in the above a), the electronic form distribution management database includes a section management table for managing information related to sections among divisional organizations to which electronic forms are distributed, and a divisional organization to which electronic forms are distributed. Section management table for managing information on section, form name management table for managing name information of distributed electronic forms, and form distribution destination management table for managing the relationship between the electronic forms and the divisional organization that is the distribution destination A user management table that manages authority related to the electronic form, a printing apparatus management table that manages a printing apparatus that is an actual printing destination of the electronic form, and a relationship between the printing apparatus and a distribution organization that is a distribution destination A printing destination management table that manages the actual printing means, and an actual printing means management table that manages the relationship between the type of the actual printing target electronic form and the actual printing command. The physical database stores and manages the form status management table that manages state transition information related to electronic form printing, such as electronic form reception, registration, waiting for printing, printing success, and printing failure, and the results of printing processing of electronic forms. And a print history management table.

c) In the above b), a deletion flag indicating logical deletion for each distribution destination and / or a load index indicating priority is provided in the electronic form distribution management database, and the deletion flag and / or the load index is set. It is characterized by making it possible to control actual printing by referring to it.

d) In the above b) or c), the form status management table and the print history management table in the electronic form print management database include a print reference number indicating the order in which actual printing is performed.

e) In the above d), the print reference number includes the date when the virtual print request is issued and the order of the virtual print requests issued on the date in the unit of the simultaneous request (the simultaneous request of virtual print issued on this date). The serial number indicating the order of each virtual print request in the simultaneous request and the serial number indicating the order in which the virtual print request is actually printed in the simultaneous request. It is characterized by having.

f) An electronic form management information database according to the present invention includes an electronic form distribution management database that stores management information related to electronic form distribution and an electronic form print management database that stores management information related to printing of electronic forms. A server PC, a client PC, and a plurality of printers connected to each other via a network, and an electronic form management method for managing printing on the plurality of printers by program control in the server PC, An electronic form reception monitoring step for monitoring an electronic form reception management directory with reference to the contents of the form management information database, and an electronic form reception completion confirmation information that prompts reception of the electronic form are included in the electronic form reception management. Detecting that it was stored in the directory for An electronic form registration step for identifying as a printable object, recording registration information in the electronic form management information database, and storing the electronic form as a registered electronic form in the electronic form registration management directory; and the electronic form An electronic form virtual printing step for identifying that there is a print request (virtual printing) for the registered electronic form stored in the registration management directory and recording print waiting information in the electronic form management information database; , Referring to the contents of the electronic form management information database, detecting a registered electronic form that is waiting to be printed and issuing an actual print instruction; and receiving the actual print instruction, Refer to the contents of the form management information database and select an appropriate printing destination in the electronic form printing device group related to the distribution destination. It is characterized by having an electronic form actual printing step of printing the electronic document printing device with.

g) In the above f), the electronic form distribution management database includes a section management table for managing information on sections among divisional organizations to which electronic forms are distributed, and a divisional organization to which electronic forms are distributed. Section management table for managing information on section, form name management table for managing name information of distributed electronic forms, and form distribution destination management table for managing the relationship between the electronic forms and the divisional organization that is the distribution destination A user management table that manages authority related to the electronic form, a printing apparatus management table that manages a printing apparatus that is an actual printing destination of the electronic form, and a relationship between the printing apparatus and a distribution organization that is a distribution destination A printing destination management table for managing the electronic book, and an actual printing means management table for managing the relationship between the type of the actual printing target electronic form and the actual printing command. The print management database stores a form status management table for managing state transition information related to printing of electronic forms such as reception of electronic forms, registration, waiting for printing, printing success, printing failure, and the like, and results of print processing execution of electronic forms, It is characterized by comprising a print history management table to be managed.

h) In the above g), the form status management table and the print history management table in the electronic form print management database include a print reference number indicating the order in which actual printing is performed.

i) In the above h), the print reference number includes the date when the virtual print request is issued and the order of the virtual print requests issued on the date in the simultaneous request unit (the virtual print request issued on this date). This is a combination of a serial number that represents the number of times of the simultaneous request) and a serial number that represents the order of each virtual print request in the simultaneous request (the number of actual prints in the simultaneous request). It is characterized by having a form.

j) A program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to function as each unit in the electronic form management system according to any one of a) to e).

  Hereinafter, the principle of electronic form print management according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, the first means, the second means, and the third means, which are important components in the present invention, will be described with reference to FIG.

(A) First means: Electronic form name management information of the electronic form management information group 3000 according to the electronic form reception monitoring instruction 100 in order to make the electronic form a central management target (hereinafter referred to as receiving) for the purpose of printing. 3010, distribution destination management information 3020, and electronic form distribution management information 3030, electronic form reception monitoring means 1010 for monitoring the electronic form reception management directory 1020, electronic form 1030, and completion of electronic form acceptance that prompts acceptance of the electronic form It is detected that the confirmation information 1040 is stored in the electronic form reception management directory 1020, and the electronic form 1030 is identified as a printable target (hereinafter referred to as registration), and the electronic form management information group 3000 The registration information is recorded in the print status management information 3040 of the electronic form, and the electronic form 1030 is stored in the electronic form. An electronic form registration means 1050 to be stored in the record management for the directory 2010 as a registered electronic form 2020.

(B) Second means: identifies that there has been a print request according to the electronic form print instruction 200 for the registered electronic form 2020 stored in the electronic form registration management directory 2010 by the electronic form registration means 1050. (Hereinafter referred to as “virtual printing”) and also includes electronic form virtual printing means 2030 for recording print waiting information in the printing status management information 3040 of the electronic form management information group 3000.

(C) Third means: a virtual printed registered electronic form 2020, distribution destination management information 3020 of the electronic form management information group 3000 related to the electronic form, electronic form distribution management information 3030, and printing status management information 3040 Based on the print destination management information 3050, printing is performed on the electronic form printing device 4010 as an appropriate printing destination in the electronic form printing device group 4000 related to the distribution destination (hereinafter referred to as actual printing), and has been printed. In order to obtain the electronic form 4020, according to the electronic form print monitoring instruction 250, the registered electronic form 2020 waiting for printing is detected, and the electronic form distribution destination determining unit 2530, the electronic form printing destination determining unit 2540, the electronic form Actual printing instruction to electronic form actual printing unit group 2520 having form actual printing unit discrimination unit 2550 and electronic form actual printing unit 2560 An electronic document print monitoring means 2510 issue. The actual print history is recorded in the print history management information 3060 of the electronic form management information group 3000.

  According to the present invention, the electronic form reception / registration management apparatus 1000 provided with the first means, the electronic form print management apparatus 2000 provided with the second means and the third means, and the management target. With the electronic form management information group 3000 related to the electronic form and the electronic form printing device group 4000 that is the output destination of the electronic form, the first to fourth purposes can be achieved as follows. The effect that can be obtained.

  With respect to the first object of the present invention, a person who creates the electronic form 1030 uses the present invention to send the electronic form acceptance completion confirmation information 1040 corresponding to the electronic form 1030 to the electronic form acceptance management directory 1020. The electronic form 1030 (the electronic form print management apparatus 2000) can be sent to a person who uses the electronic form 1030 without being aware of detailed information about the person who uses the electronic form only by following a certain rule of storing. In the above management, it is possible to pass information on the registered electronic form 2020).

  In addition, since the registered electronic form 2020 is managed by the printing status management information 3040 in the electronic form management information group 3000, by using the present invention for those who use the registered electronic form 2020, Without being aware of the actual management location of the registered electronic form 2020 that has been registered and accumulated, for example, it is possible to easily search for and specify a target electronic form asset by a narrow search by specifying the electronic form name or printing date and time range. Making this possible is also included in the natural application of the present invention.

  When the original form management rule of the electronic form printed matter is a relatively loose form of use, the information on the actual management location of the registered electronic form 2020 searched and specified is provided to the person who uses the electronic form, and the corresponding application It is also included in the natural application of the present invention that direct browsing via software is possible.

  Further, when it is desired to reprint the registered electronic form 2020 that has been searched and specified, the electronic form virtual printing means 2030, the electronic form printing monitoring means 2510, and the electronic form actual printing means group already provided in the electronic form print management apparatus 2000 are included. By cooperating with 2520, it is possible to print and distribute in the relationship as originally printed, and to be placed under the same management.

  As for the second object of the present invention, the relationship between the distribution destination and the electronic form that are printed and distributed in a regular and regular manner is also related to the electronic form name management information 3010 in the electronic form management information group 3000, the distribution destination management. Information 3020 and electronic form distribution management information 3030, and when the electronic form is actually printed via the electronic form print management apparatus 2000, the electronic form actual printing means group 2520 appropriately uses these information. As a result, it is possible to obtain distribution items automatically sorted without the user of the electronic form specifying the printing destination printer and issuing a print instruction each time printing is performed.

  Regarding the third object of the present invention, the relationship between a distribution destination and an electronic form that are regularly printed and distributed in a regular and regular manner is related to the electronic form name management information 3010 in the electronic form management information group 3000, the distribution destination management. Information 3020 and electronic form distribution management information 3030, and when the electronic form is actually printed via the electronic form print management apparatus 2000, the electronic form actual printing means group 2520 appropriately uses these information. Even if there is a change in the divisional organization, etc., the related information with the new distribution destination of the electronic form is additionally managed while maintaining the relation used so far, and the distribution of the electronic form accumulated in the past Since the relationship with a new distribution destination can be used without losing information, the change of the distribution destination can be associated with an electronic form accumulated in the past.

  As a result, for example, for a certain electronic form accumulated in the past, a form user of a new division organization who has taken over the business from the division organization that used the electronic form does not have to be aware of the correction of the distribution destination relevance. Reuse such as reprinting becomes possible.

  With regard to the fourth object of the present invention, the electronic form printing monitoring means 2510 of the electronic form printing management apparatus 2000 confirms the printing status management information 3040 in the electronic form management information group 3000 and prints it by the electronic form virtual printing means 2030. Each distribution destination managed in the distribution destination management information 3020 is extracted from the set of registered electronic forms 2020 that are in a waiting state as a target for actual printing, and sequentially, electronic form actual printing means group By issuing an actual print instruction to 2520, it is possible to control the instruction frequency of the actual print instruction to be issued to the electronic form actual print means group 2520 and to maintain the fairness of the actual print instruction issue frequency of each distribution destination.

  As a result, for example, even if there is a large number of virtual forms that are virtually printed for one distribution destination, the virtual printed electronic forms of another distribution destination can be executed without waiting for the completion of all the actual printing. Control such as printing can be performed.

  Also, a load index indicating the priority for each distribution destination is provided in the distribution destination management information 3020 in the electronic form management information group 3000, and the electronic form print monitoring unit 2510 of the electronic form print management apparatus 2000 takes the load index into account. Thus, it is included in the natural application of the present invention that it is possible to control the instruction frequency of the actual print instruction to be issued to the electronic form actual printing unit group 2520.

  For example, it is known that the amount of electronic forms printed and distributed to a certain distribution destination tends to be larger than the amount of electronic forms printed and distributed to other distribution destinations. When it is desired to provide more opportunities for printing and distribution over priority, increasing the load index indicating the priority of the distribution destination increases the actual printing opportunity to the distribution destination. Control is possible.

  The effects obtained in this way are the separation from the form user of electronic form asset management and electronic form management information management, the transfer and aggregation to each device of the present invention, and uniform operation management in accordance with it. It is guided by the use of the method, and even if the type of electronic form or the increase in asset amount occurs, it will not be drastically reduced, and it will be lower than the increase in operation and management labor under the conventional technology It is thought that it can be suppressed.

It is a figure for demonstrating the principle of the electronic form printing management which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows embodiment of the electronic form printing management technique which concerns on this invention. It is a process block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process resident program (1st program) in a present Example. This is a naming convention for file names used for acceptance completion determination in this embodiment. It is an example of a structure of the electronic form distribution management database in a present Example. It is an example of a structure of the electronic form printing management database in a present Example. It is a screen structural example of the electronic form printing status confirmation screen in a present Example. It is a process block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form printing condition search process program (2nd program) in a present Example. It is a process block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form virtual printing process program (4th program) in a present Example. It is a screen structural example of the electronic form printing log | history confirmation screen in a present Example. It is a process block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form printing log | history search process program (3rd program) in a present Example. It is a processing block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form printing monitoring process and actual printing process resident program (5th program) in a present Example. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the effect regarding the actual printing object selection method of the electronic form actual printing object existence confirmation processing step in a present Example. It is a process block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form actual printing process step in a present Example. It is a screen structural example of the electronic form management information management screen in a present Example. It is a process block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form management information search process program (6th program) in a present Example. It is a process block diagram for demonstrating the process of the electronic form management information edit process program (7th program) in a present Example.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(A) <Overall description of the present invention>
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the electronic form printing management technique according to the present invention. In the figure, a client PC 5000 checks an electronic form print status by a form user, and issues an electronic form print status confirmation screen 5100 (see FIG. 7 to be described later) used for issuing a print request as necessary. The electronic document printing history confirmation screen 5200 (see FIG. 10 to be described later) used for confirming the printing history of the electronic document, and issuing a reprint request as necessary, and various management information related to the electronic document, A display device for displaying an electronic form management information management screen 5300 (see FIG. 15 described later) used for issuing an edit request (addition, change, deletion) as necessary is provided.

The server PC 6000 includes the following seven application programs.
(A) The first program is started / stopped according to the instruction of the resident program start / stop request 6300, inputs the electronic form distribution management database 6510 (see FIG. 5 described later) of the electronic form management information database 6500, and transmits / receives a file. An electronic form file 6110 and an electronic form reception completion file 6120 stored in the electronic form reception management directory 6100 from an external system are periodically monitored via a mechanism 6010 that can receive an electronic form such as a program, and the electronic form is periodically monitored. When the storage of the file 6110 and the electronic form acceptance completion file 6120 is detected, the electronic form file 6110 is identified as a printable object and stored in the electronic form registration management directory 6200 as a registered electronic form file 6210. Electronic form management This is an electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process resident program 6310 for registering information of the electronic form print management database 6520 (see FIG. 6 described later) in the information database 6500 (see FIG. 3 for details of the processing of the program). ).

(B) The second program executes the electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the electronic form management information database 6500 and the electronic form printing in accordance with the electronic form printing state confirmation request 5110 issued from the electronic form printing state confirmation screen 5100 by the form user. This is an electronic form printing status search processing program 6330 for searching the management database 6520 and outputting an electronic form printing status search result 5120 (refer to FIG. 8 described later for details of the processing of the program).

(C) The third program is an electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the electronic form management information database 6500 and electronic form printing in accordance with an electronic form print history confirmation request 5210 issued by the form user from the electronic form print history confirmation screen 5200. This is an electronic form printing history search processing program 6350 for searching the management database 6520 and outputting an electronic form printing history search result 5220 (refer to FIG. 11 described later for details of the processing of the program).

(D) The fourth program displays an electronic form print request 5130 issued from the electronic form print status confirmation screen 5100 based on the electronic form print status search result 5120 by the form user, or the electronic form print history search result 5220. In accordance with an electronic form reprint request 5230 originally issued from the electronic form print history confirmation screen 5200 or a periodic automatic print request 6400 periodically issued by the server PC 6000, the electronic form distribution management database 6510 and the electronic form management information database 6500 An electronic form virtual print processing program 6340 for inputting the form print management database 6520 and registering the designated print target electronic form in the electronic form print management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500 as a “waiting print” state. Yes (the pro See FIG. 9 which will be described in detail of the ram of the processing).

(E) The fifth program is started / stopped according to the instruction of the resident program start / stop request 6300, periodically monitors the electronic form print management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500, and is in a “waiting for printing” state. When the electronic form printing management information is detected, the registered electronic form file 6210 stored in the electronic form distribution management database 6510 and the electronic form registration management directory 6200 is used. An electronic form printing monitoring process and actual printing for registering printing history information in the electronic form printing management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500 while actually executing the printing process by designating an appropriate electronic form printing destination printer It is a processing resident program 6320 (this program Details of the process see FIG. 12 to be described later).

(F) The sixth program searches the electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the electronic form management information database 6500 according to the electronic form management information confirmation request 5310 issued from the electronic form management information management screen 5300 by the form user. This is an electronic form management information search processing program 6360 for outputting an electronic form management information search result 5320 (refer to FIG. 16 described later for details of the processing of the program).

(G) The seventh program stores the electronic form management information database 6500 in accordance with the electronic form management information edit request 5330 issued from the electronic form management information management screen 5300 based on the electronic form management information search result 5320 by the form user. This is an electronic form management information editing processing program 6370 for reflecting editing (addition, change, deletion) of designated electronic form distribution management information to the electronic form distribution management database 6510 (details of the processing of the program are (See FIG. 17 described later).

  Processing of the first program, processing of the second program, processing of the third program, processing of the fourth program, processing of the fifth program, processing of the sixth program, processing of the seventh program Needless to say, this is realized by executing a corresponding program by hardware (not explicitly shown in FIG. 2) such as a CPU, a memory, and a register constituting the server 6000.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using specific examples. The embodiment will be described with reference to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. 2 and the diagrams for explaining the details of the processing of each unit shown in FIGS.

  Here, a divisional organization divided into units of “section” and “person” is considered as a distribution destination, and a case where one printer is installed in each “section” as a printing destination corresponding to the distribution destination is considered. . However, the above installation example of the printer is merely an example. For example, a printer is installed for each section, or a plurality of printers (each section has a different number) are installed. However, it can be dealt with by devising how to hold the print destination management information described later within a natural range of application.

(B) <Description of electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process resident program 6310 (first program)>
FIG. 3 is a processing block diagram for explaining the processing of the electronic form reception monitoring process and the registration process resident program 6310 (first program) that is started in response to the instruction of the resident program start / stop request 6300 of FIG. An example is shown.

  The electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process resident program 6310 (first program) in FIG. 3 is initially resident in the electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process, which is one of the resident program start / stop requests 6300 (see FIG. 2). It is a program that is activated by the program activation request 63001 and resides in the server PC 6000.

  While the electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process resident program 6310 (first program) is resident in the server PC 6000, the electronic form reception monitoring process main loop 63101 periodically creates the electronic form reception management directory 6100. Electronic form distribution for monitoring and confirming the distribution destination when there is an electronic form that has been monitored and received and collated with the electronic form distribution management database 6510 (see FIG. 5 to be described later for a specific configuration example) First inspection processing step 63102 and electronic form file 6110 whose distribution destination has been confirmed is moved to electronic form registration management directory 6200 as registered electronic form file 6210, and corresponding electronic form acceptance completion file 6120 is deleted. Processing step 63103 and registered electronic form file There are an electronic form registration information registration processing step 63104 for storing the management information in the electronic form print management database 6520 (refer to FIG. 6 to be described later for a specific configuration example), an electronic form reception monitoring process and a registration process resident program stop request 63002. In this case, the electronic form reception monitoring process main loop is exited, and an electronic form reception monitoring end processing step 63105 for ending the electronic form reception monitoring is executed.

  The acceptance completion judgment by monitoring of the electronic form acceptance monitoring processing main loop 63101 is judged by confirming the existence of the electronic form file 6110 and the electronic form acceptance completion file 6120 in accordance with a certain rule.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a file name naming rule used to determine whether or not to accept the electronic form file 6110 and the electronic form acceptance completion file 6120 stored in the electronic form acceptance management directory 6100 of FIG.

  Here, the file name of the electronic form file 6110 that can be accepted is composed of 26 characters in accordance with the following rules and an extension that identifies the document type of the file.

  In FIG. 4, the 8th digit of the first to eighth characters of the file name represents a form ID, and this form ID is collated with an electronic form distribution management database 6510 of an electronic form management information database 6500 described later. (The figure shows an example in which the form ID is ListA101).

  The 17th digit from the 9th character to the 25th character indicates the date and time when the electronic form file 6110 was stored in the electronic form reception management directory 6100 in the YYYYMMDDhhmmssSSS format (YYYYMMDD is the Western calendar date, hhmmssSSS is the time of 24:00 display, especially SSS is the millimeter (The figure shows an example when the date is 20100101120000000).

  The first digit of the 26th character represents a file classification code for indicating whether the file having the file name is an electronic form file or an electronic form reception completion file. Here, “A” represents an electronic form file, and “a” represents an electronic form reception completion file.

  In operation, a plurality of file classification codes can be set in order to distinguish the type of electronic form. For example, a combination of “A” and “a” is assigned for the first transmission, and a combination of “B” and “b” is assigned for a transmission that has been sent once.

  The PDF attached at the end of the storage file name of the electronic form file in the figure is an extension indicating that the file format is a PDF file.

  In addition to the naming rules described above, the following two rules are imposed on the electronic form acceptance completion file in order to make the acceptance completion decision smoothly.

  One is that after the electronic form file 6110 is stored in the electronic form reception management directory 6100, the electronic form file 6110 may be judged to have been accepted. The corresponding electronic form reception completion file 6120 is stored in the electronic form reception management directory 6100.

  Here, the contents of the electronic form acceptance completion file 6120 are not referred to, and the completion of acceptance is determined based on the presence or absence of the contents. Therefore, the contents of the electronic form acceptance completion file 6120 are not particularly specified, but the electronic form acceptance completion is completed. In order to prevent a decrease in availability due to the use of a large amount of system resources for creating the file 6120 or the creation time taking a long time, it is desirable that the amount of data is as small as 0 bytes or 1 byte.

  The other is the first to 25th characters of the file name of the electronic form file 6110 and the file name of the electronic form reception completion file 6120 corresponding to the electronic form file 6110 as shown in the example of FIG. Are the same from the first character to the 25th character, and the 26th character is a corresponding character (a to A).

  According to these two rules, for example, a mechanism 6010 that can receive an electronic form from outside such as a file transmission / reception program is FTP (File Transfer Protocol) transfer executed from a remote location, and the size of the electronic form file 6110 is large, and reception is completed. Even when the electronic form reception monitoring processing main loop 63101 takes more time than the periodic monitoring period, the electronic form reception monitoring processing main loop 63101 also stores the electronic form reception monitoring processing main loop 63101 in the electronic form file 6110 and the electronic form file. While at least one of the corresponding electronic form acceptance completion files 6120 does not exist (that is, as long as they do not exist as a pair), it is determined that the electronic form file 6110 has not been accepted and cannot be registered. Incorrectly accepting and registering electronic form files with incorrect status In addition, as a matter of course, the target of the electronic form distribution destination inspection processing step 63102, the electronic form file registration processing step 63103, and the electronic form registration information registration processing step 63104, which are subsequent processes related to the electronic form until the reception of the electronic form file is completed. Will be removed.

  In the processing of the electronic form reception monitoring process main loop 63101, regarding other pairs in which both the electronic form file 6110 and the electronic form reception completion file 6120 corresponding to the electronic form file exist in the electronic form reception management directory 6100 The electronic form file 6110 is determined to have been received, and is set as a target of subsequent electronic form distribution destination inspection processing step 63102, electronic form file registration processing step 63103, and electronic form registration information registration processing step 63104. Become.

  In addition, according to the second rule, when an electronic form that is used regularly, regularly, through a production, printing, and distribution operation process is centrally managed by the server PC 6000, the electronic form file is overwritten due to duplicate names. Management confusion such as failure of storage, failure to specify files, etc. can be reduced or avoided.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the electronic form distribution management database 6510 (corresponding to the distribution destination management information 3020 in the electronic form management information group 3000) of the electronic form management information database 6500 of FIG.

  In this embodiment, the electronic form distribution management database 6510 includes a section management table 65101 for managing information related to sections of the divisional organization to which electronic forms are distributed, a relation management table 65102 for managing information related to the relations, and distribution. A form name management table 65103 for managing the name information of the electronic form to be generated, a form distribution destination management table 65104 for managing the relationship between the electronic form and the divisional organization that is the distribution destination, and the authority for the electronic form A user management table 65105, a printing device management table 65106 that manages a printing device that is an actual printing destination of the electronic form, and a printing destination management table 65107 that manages the relationship between the printing device and a division organization that is a distribution destination. And the actual printing means management table that manages the relationship between the actual printing target electronic form type and the actual printing command Constituted by the 65108.

  In the example shown in the figure, the section management table 65101 includes section management history ID, section code, section name, processing order, and deletion flag, and the section management table 65102 includes section management history ID, section code, and assigned section. The form name management table 65103 is composed of a form name management history ID, form ID, form name, and deletion flag, and the form distribution destination management table 65104 is form distribution. It consists of a destination management history ID, a form name management history ID, a department management history ID, and a deletion flag. A user management table 65105 is made up of a user name, password, department code, and authority code, and a printing device management table 65106 is The printing destination management table 65107 includes a printing device ID and a printing device name. Management History ID, the printing device ID, consists deletion flag, the actual printing unit management table 65108, the actual printing type, and a real print command.

  In the example of the actual printing means management table 65108 shown in the figure, for each actual printing type (.TXT), (.PDF), or (.DOC) of the electronic document to be actually printed (the print command of the text editor). ), (PDF reader print command), or (word file print command) actual print command is associated.

  It is also possible to provide a load index indicating the priority for each distribution destination in the section management table 65101 of the electronic form distribution management database 6510, and to control the instruction frequency of the actual print instruction in consideration of the load index. is there.

  In this embodiment, the section management table 65101, the department management table 65102, the form name management table 65103, the form distribution destination management table 65104, and the printing destination management table 65107 manage the editing history by using the history ID of each management information. It has a mechanism that can do it.

  According to the configuration example of the electronic form distribution management database 6510 shown in FIG. 5, for example, an electronic form having a form name “business management ledger” accepts and registers an electronic form file whose first eight digits are “ListA201”. (Refer to the fourth line of the form name management table 65103) and distribute to the “business management section business management 2 staff” (the fourth line of the form distribution destination management table 65104, the second line of the staff management table 65102, and the form management table 65101). 1) and printing with a printing apparatus called “business management section printer” (see the first line of the printing destination management table 65107 and the first line of the printing apparatus management table 65106). Indicates.

  In FIG. 5, information that is currently valid indicates the valid state when the deletion flag of the table is “0 (= not deleted)”. Conversely, information that has been valid in the past but is not currently valid is the same. Logical deletion is performed when the deletion flag of the table is “1 (= deleted)” (actual data is not deleted but it is treated as logical deletion by setting the deletion flag to 1) Indicates.

  Information that has been logically deleted (information with a deletion flag of 1) is usually not used in many cases, but since it is not actually deleted from the table, it may be referred conditionally when referring to past information or the like. Is possible.

  With this mechanism, the electronic form management information having the history ID can be restored and referred to after the various edits are made.

  In particular, in order to use the relationship smoothly, the section code of the section management table 65101, the section code of the section management table 65102, and the form ID of the form name management table 65103 are currently valid (ie, deleted). Uniqueness is imposed on the record group (the flag is “0 (= not deleted)”).

  The processing of the flowchart of FIG. 3 will be described in more detail with reference to the electronic form distribution management database 6510 shown in FIG.

  In the electronic form acceptance monitoring processing main loop 63101 of FIG. 3, the form ID (eight digits from the first character to the eighth character of the file name) included in the naming rule of the file name used for acceptance completion judgment is the form name management. It is checked against the form ID that is currently valid (that is, the deletion flag = 0) in the table 65103, and if a match is found, it is determined that “acceptance is complete”. Subsequently, in the electronic form distribution destination inspection processing step 63102, form distribution is performed. By searching the currently distributed form distribution destination management information in the destination management table 65104, the distribution destination of the electronic form can be confirmed. By searching the form distribution destination management table 65104, it is determined that the electronic form for which the currently valid distribution destination has been confirmed is “registrable”.

  If it matches with the form ID of the form name management table 65103 and no matching item is found, the electronic form is managed as an abnormal state of “unacceptable”. In addition, if it is determined that the reception has been completed once and the currently valid form distribution destination management information corresponding to the form distribution destination management table 65104 is not found, the electronic form is managed as an abnormal state of “registration impossible”. To do.

  The abnormal state can be reported to a form user in the form of an electronic form printing status search result 5120 as a response to an electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110 issued from the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100.

  The electronic form determined to be “registerable” through the electronic form distribution destination inspection processing step 63102 is subsequently transferred from the electronic form reception management directory 6100 to the electronic form file 6110 by the electronic form file registration processing step 63103. It moves to the registration management directory 6200, manages it as a registered electronic form file 6210, and then deletes the corresponding electronic form reception completion file 6120 from the electronic form reception management directory 6100.

  Finally, in the electronic form registration information registration processing step 63104, the management information of the electronic form file is managed as a “registered” state in the form state management table 65201 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 6 shows a configuration example of the electronic form print management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500 in FIGS.

  In this embodiment, the electronic form print management database 6520 includes a form state management table 65201 for managing state transition information related to printing of electronic forms such as reception of electronic forms, registration to waiting for printing, printing success, and printing failure. A print history management table 65202 for accumulating and managing the results of the form print processing is configured.

  In the example shown in the figure, the form status management table 65201 includes a form status management ID, a form distribution destination management history ID, a reception date / time, a print request date / time, a print execution date / time, a print reference number, a form status, a print performer, and a print. The print history management table 65202 includes a print history management ID, a form status management ID, a form distribution destination management history ID, a reception date, a print request date, and a print execution. It consists of date / time, print reference number, form status, print executor, print execution function, total number of pages, number of print pages, and file name.

  According to the configuration example of the electronic form print management database 6520 shown in FIG. 6, for example, referring to the third line of the form state management table 65201, the type of electronic form managed by “form state management ID: 0003” is the electronic form. “Business management form A3” (form) for the “business management department business management 1” managed by “form distribution destination management history ID: 0003” (see the third line of the form distribution destination management table 65104) in the distribution management database 6510 The name management table 65103 is the third line), and the entity of the electronic form is a file whose file name is “ListA10320100101120003000A.DOC” received on “2010/01/01 12: 00: 03.000” The form status is "UserSecA1" (printer), a virtual print request is issued to the "2010/01/01 12: 03: 03.000" via the "electronic form print request" function, and currently "waiting for printing" It can be shown that a state.

  The “print number” in the form status management table 65201 and the print history management table 65202 is used when a virtual print request is issued by the electronic form print request 5110, the electronic form reprint request 5210, or the periodic automatic print request 6400. This is information that records the order of transfer to the actual printing process.

  In the present embodiment, the print reference number represents the date when the virtual print request is issued and the order of the virtual print requests issued on the date in the simultaneous request unit (that is, the virtual print simultaneous request issued on this date). And a serial number indicating the order of each virtual print request in the simultaneous request (that is, indicating what number is actually printed in the simultaneous request). A combined form combined with a hyphen is used.

  The print reference number is related to the order in which the electronic form print monitoring process and actual print process resident program 6320 (fifth program), which will be described later, performs the actual print, and the electronic form print monitor process and actual print process resident program 6320 (the fifth program). The fifth program) selects an actual print target from the actual print target group waiting for printing in the lexicographic ascending order of the print reference numbers.

  As an application example of the print reference number, for example, in the electronic form virtual print processing program 6340 (fourth program), when a sort function for each section for a virtual print request group is implemented, a form user is addressed to a plurality of sections. When specifying registered electronic forms at once and issuing virtual print request groups all at once, the virtual print request groups in the batch request unit are sorted for each person (without special attention from the form user) and actual printing is performed. By assigning the print reference numbers in the order corresponding to the order, the function expansion can be performed without affecting the actual print function part.

  Also, information on the actual printing order including the print waiting state is sent in the form of an electronic form printing status search result 5120 as a response to the electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110 issued from the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100, or As a response to the electronic form printing history confirmation request 5210 issued from the electronic form printing history confirmation screen 5200, it can be reported to the form user in the form of an electronic form printing history search result 5220.

  The basic flow for accepting and registering electronic forms is as described above in the electronic form acceptance monitoring process main loop 63101, and the electronic form acceptance monitoring process and registration process resident program 6310 (first program) is resident. The electronic form reception monitoring processing main loop 63101 includes an electronic form reception monitoring end processing step 63105 at the end of the electronic form reception monitoring processing main loop 63101, and the resident program start / stop request 6300 shown in FIG. In accordance with the instruction of the electronic form reception monitoring process and the registration process resident program stop request 63002, the electronic form reception monitoring process main loop 63101 is exited, and the electronic form reception monitoring process is terminated. Resident of the resident program 6310 (first program) is canceled.

  FIG. 7 shows a screen configuration example of the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100 in the present embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100 displays an electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110 issued in detail to the electronic form printing status search processing program 6330 (second program). An electronic form printing status list display for displaying an electronic form printing status search result 5120 which is a response from the electronic form printing status search processing program 6330 (second program) to the condition setting unit 51001 and the electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110 And an electronic form printing status confirmation operation unit 51003 for providing various operations on the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100 including the issuance of the electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110 and the issuance of the electronic form printing request 5130. The

  In the present embodiment, when a form user uses (operates) various screens such as an electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100, an electronic form printing history confirmation screen 5200, and an electronic form management information management screen 5300, it is shown in FIG. Thus, it is necessary to obtain permission for use through password authentication that is collated with the user management information defined in the user management table 65105.

  The user management information defined in the user management table 65105 shown in FIG. 5 includes the granting of authority defined in advance, and the usage permission is, for example, as shown in the first line example of the user management table 65105. In addition, the combination of “affiliation section code: SecA” and “authority code: Special” set in the user name “UserSecA0” allows the database update system operation authority for the user to belong to the section management table 65101. From the “Section Name” column in the row of, it is set to be related to “Business Management Section”, and the reference system operation authority can also be controlled to be set to be related to all sections by “Authority Code: Special”. Further, as shown in the example of the fourth line of the user management table 65105, the “affiliation section code: SecB” and the “authority code” set in the user name “UserSecB1” With the combination of “General”, the database update system operation authority for the user is set to “Accounting section” from the “Section name” column in the section of the section code: SecB belonging to the section management table 65101. The authority can also be controlled to be set to be related to “Accounting Section” by “Authority Code: General”.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the administrator authority represented by “authority code: Special” is allowed to refer to the form status and print history of the own section and other sections, and to refer to the electronic form distribution management information. Controls to allow printing requests, reprint requests, and edit (addition, change, deletion) of electronic form distribution management information related to sections, and the general user authority represented by “authority code: General” relates to the self section Permits reference to form status, print history, and electronic form distribution management information, and controls to allow print requests and reprint requests related to the own section (both reference authority and request authorization authority for other sections) (None)), and maintenance control of confidential business information is possible.

  In the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100 of FIG. 7, the electronic form printing status confirmation condition setting unit 51001 has options of search condition items that can be used in advance according to the authority given to the user used for authentication by the form user. Each configured screen element is displayed.

  In the example of the electronic form printing status confirmation condition setting unit 51001 shown in FIG. 7, a “distribution section” pull-down for selecting a section having a referenceable range according to the granting authority, a “distribution section” pull-down for selecting a section belonging to the distribution section, “Form ID” Partial match search text box, “Form name” Partial match search text box, “Not accepted”, “Registration not possible”, “Registered”, “Print waiting”, etc. "Pulldown", "Batch print", "Batch reprint", "Periodic automatic print", etc. "Execution function" pulldown, "Reception date" range specification text box, "Print request date" range specification text A text box for searching for the prefix “print reference number” is provided.

  The form user designates a search condition in the electronic form printing status confirmation condition setting unit 51001 and presses a “search” button in the electronic form printing status confirmation operation unit 51003, whereby the electronic form printing status of the server PC 6000 is displayed. An electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110 can be issued to the search processing program 6330 (second program).

(C) <Description of Electronic Form Print Status Search Processing Program 6330 (Second Program)>
FIG. 8 is a processing block for explaining the processing of the electronic form printing status search processing program 6330 (second program) that is started in response to an instruction of the electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110 specifying the search conditions in FIG. An example of the figure is shown.

  As shown in the figure, upon receiving the electronic form printing status confirmation request 5110, the electronic form printing status search processing program 6330 (second program) starts an electronic form printing status search processing step 63301, and the designated search. According to the conditions, from the electronic form print management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500, the form state of the electronic form print status management information that is not “printing success” or “printing failure” (that is, the actual printing has not ended) The management information that matches the specified search condition is acquired from the inside, and the electronic form distribution management information related to the management information is acquired from the electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the electronic form management information database 6500.

  The electronic form printing status management information and the electronic form distribution management information obtained in this way are shaped in the electronic form printing status search processing step 63301, and the electronic form printing status on the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100 in FIG. It is displayed on the list display portion 51002 as an electronic form printing status search result 5120.

  In the example of FIG. 7, the distribution section is “Business Management Section”, the distribution staff is “Business Management 1 Staff”, the form name includes “Management Ledger”, and is currently in “Waiting for printing” state. A virtual printing request is issued by “regular automatic printing”, the reception date is “2010/02/04”, the printing request date (that is, the virtual printing request date) is “2010/02/04”, and the printing is organized. Electronic form printing status management information whose number begins with “20100204” is retrieved and displayed.

When the number of hits of the search is 35, for example, in the example of FIG. 7, up to 10 items are displayed at a time in the electronic form printing status list display unit 51002. Therefore, the electronic form printing status list display unit 51002 An operation unit for changing the display page of the list is also displayed at the bottom of the screen (see display of “←, 1, 2 , 3 , 4 , →”).

  In each search condition item of the electronic form printing status confirmation condition setting unit 51001, no item is selected from the pull-down, or no search keyword is input in the text box, no specific filtering condition is specified for the item from the user side. Means.

  The form user designates a search condition in the electronic form print status confirmation condition setting unit 51001, issues an electronic form print status confirmation request 5110 to the electronic form print status search processing program 6330 (second program), and After obtaining the electronic form printing status search result 5120 in the electronic form printing status list display unit 51002 as a response, the selection check box is checked for the electronic form printing status management information whose form status is “registered”. By pressing a “collective print” button on the electronic form print status confirmation operation unit 51003, an electronic form print request 5130 can be issued to the electronic form virtual print processing program 6340 (fourth program) of the server PC 6000.

  In FIG. 7, an electronic form print status confirmation operation unit 51003 has a “collective selection” button and a “collective release” button for facilitating the check operation of the selection check box when the electronic form print request 5130 is issued. , "Print page specification" text box (specify start page and end page) to specify and print only a part of the print request target electronic form, all pages instead of only a part of the print request target electronic form A “batch print” button is provided for batch printing.

  When displaying the electronic form printing status search result 5120 in the electronic form printing status list display unit 51002 of the electronic form printing status confirmation screen 5100, the check box for selecting a line related to an electronic form whose form status is other than “registered” is not displayed. By activating, it is possible to report to the form user that the electronic form is not ready for printing or has already issued a print request and cannot be printed. Can be improved.

(D) <Description of Electronic Form Virtual Print Processing Program 6340 (Fourth Program)>
FIG. 9 shows an example of a processing block diagram for explaining the processing of the electronic form virtual printing processing program 6340 (fourth program) that is started in response to the electronic form printing request 5130 of FIG.

  The electronic form virtual print processing program 6340 (fourth program) having received the electronic form print request 5130 in which the print target is specified by the selection check in the selection check box starts the electronic form virtual print target search processing step 63401 in FIG. Then, the designated electronic form printing status management information is acquired from the electronic form printing management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500, and the electronic form distribution management information related to the management information is obtained from the electronic form management information database 6500. It is acquired from the electronic form distribution management database 6510, and whether or not the electronic form printing status management information can be virtually printed is checked from the relationship with the current form state and authority.

  Next, in the electronic form printing reference number assigning processing step 63402, the actual printing order is determined for the set of electronic form printing status management information determined to be virtual printable by the inspection, and the printing indicating the order is performed. Associate reference numbers.

  As described above, the print reference number in the present embodiment is composed of three parts with “-(half-width hyphen)” as a delimiter.

  The first part is an eight-digit half-width number in the YYYYMMDD format (YYYYMMDD represents the Western calendar date) indicating the print request date (that is, the date when the virtual print request is issued). For the electronic form printing status management information selected as the print request target in one electronic form printing request, the corresponding part is the same numeric string.

  The second part is a four-digit half-width number indicating how many times the current request is among the simultaneous virtual printing requests issued on the print request date. Regarding the electronic form printing status management information selected as the print request target in one electronic form printing request, this part also becomes the same numeric string.

  The third part is a 4-digit half-width number indicating the actual printing order in the print request. Here, there are various options as to what method should be implemented as a method for determining the actual printing order. For example, the order of acceptance may be set, or “processing order” in the relation management table 65102 in FIG. You should select an alignment method that is significant for the form user, such as grouping them according to the set value of the item.

  Thus, the following effects can be obtained by assigning the print reference number to the electronic form printing status management information.

  The first effect is to ensure unique identification related to actual printing of electronic form printing status management information to be printed, and to simplify control in electronic form printing management processing and actual printing processing resident program 6320 described later. That is.

  The second effect is that information management related to the actual printing order is detached from the control related to the actual printing (that is, the electronic form printing management process and the actual printing process resident program 6320 (fifth program)), and By delegating to the printing reference number assigning method, it becomes easy to incorporate a plurality of alignment methods, and it is possible to have a structure that can withstand more diverse demands.

  The third effect is that by giving the print reference number before the actual printing, it becomes possible for the form user to refer to the print reference number regardless of before and after the actual printing. It is possible to grasp a typical printing plan.

  Similarly, the fourth effect is described in detail by giving a print reference number before actual printing, so that a form user can refer to the print reference number regardless of before and after actual printing. It is possible to grasp the outline of the print plan such as the front-rear relationship between simultaneous requests of virtual printing and the grouping relationship between virtual print requests without comparing and confirming the actual printing date and time.

Finally, in the electronic form virtual print information registration processing step 63403, the determined print reference number is assigned to the set of electronic form print status management information, and the form state is edited to "waiting for printing" The electronic form print management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500 is updated using the editing information.
Thus, the preparation for actual printing of the virtual print request target is completed.

  The electronic form virtual print processing program 6340 (fourth program) is issued from an electronic form print history confirmation screen 5200 described later in addition to the electronic form print request 5130 issued from the electronic form print status confirmation screen 5100. This process is also started by receiving an electronic form reprint request 5230 and a periodic automatic print request 6400 issued periodically by the server PC 6000. The virtual print request information is stored in the electronic form management information database 6500 through equivalent processing steps. Registered in the electronic form printing management database 6520.

  FIG. 10 shows a screen configuration example of the electronic form printing history confirmation screen 5200 in the present embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, the electronic form print history confirmation screen 5200 displays an electronic form print history confirmation request 5210 issued in detail to the electronic form print history search processing program 6350 (third program). An electronic form printing history list display for displaying an electronic form printing history search result 5220 that is a response from the condition setting unit 52001 and the electronic form printing history search processing program 6350 (third program) to the electronic form printing history confirmation request 5210 A part 52002 and an electronic form printing history confirmation operation part 52003 for providing various operations on the electronic form printing history confirmation screen 5200 including the issuance of the electronic form printing history confirmation request 5210 and the issuance of the electronic form reprint request 5230 Is done.

  In the electronic form printing history confirmation screen 5200 shown in FIG. 10, the electronic form printing history confirmation condition setting unit 52001 has options of search condition items that can be used according to the authority given to the user used for authentication by the form user. Each screen element set in advance is displayed.

  In the electronic form print history confirmation condition setting unit 52001 shown in FIG. 10, a “distribution section” pull-down for selecting a section within a referenceable range according to the granting authority, a “distribution section” pull-down for selecting a section belonging to the distribution section, and a “form” "ID" partial match search text box, "form name" partial match search text box, "print status" pull-down, "collective print", "collective reprint" that can select filtering conditions of "printing success", "printing failure" , “Execution function” pull-down for selecting filtering conditions such as “Regular automatic printing”, “Execution user” partial match search text box for specifying the user who executed the actual printing process, “Reception date” range specification text box, “ "Print request date" range specification text box, "Print date" range specification text box, "Print reference number" prefix search text box It has deployed a scan.

  The form user designates a search condition in the electronic form print history confirmation condition setting unit 52001 and presses a “search” button in the electronic form print history confirmation operation unit 52003, whereby the electronic form print history of the server PC 6000 is displayed. An electronic form print history confirmation request 5210 can be issued to the search processing program 6350 (third program).

(E) <Description of Electronic Form Print History Search Processing Program 6350 (Third Program)>
FIG. 11 is a processing block for explaining the processing of the electronic form printing history search processing program 6350 (third program) that starts in response to the instruction of the electronic form printing history confirmation request 5210 in which the search conditions shown in FIG. 2 are specified. An example of the figure is shown.

  Upon receiving the electronic form printing history confirmation request 5210, the electronic form printing history search processing program 6350 (third program) starts the electronic form printing history search processing step 63501 in FIG. The electronic form printing history management information that matches the designated search condition is acquired from the electronic form printing management database 6520 of the form management information database 6500, and the electronic form printing status management information and electronic form distribution management related to the management information are acquired. Information is acquired from the electronic form print management database 6520 and the electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the electronic form management information database 6500.

  The electronic form printing history management information, the electronic form printing status management information, and the electronic form distribution management information acquired in this way are shaped in the electronic form printing history search processing step 63501, and are displayed on the electronic form printing history confirmation screen 5200. An electronic form print history search result 5220 is displayed on the electronic form print history list display portion 52002.

  When the electronic form printing history search processing program 6350 (third program) outputs the electronic form printing history search result 5220, the electronic form printing history management information is obtained from the electronic form printing management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500. A method of searching and a method of searching electronic form printing status management information whose form states are “printing success” and “printing failure” (that is, actual printing has ended) can be considered. Adopts the former based on the following characteristics and relationships.

  The electronic form printing status management information manages an electronic form that can be printed, an electronic form that is a printing target, or a status related to printing of an electronic form that is a printing target, and an entity file to be printed The electronic form print history management information manages the fact that “printed” occurred in the past.

  For this reason, for example, on the management of the actual file of the electronic form, the storage period of the file is set, and the deletion of the file as a measure against the disk capacity compression is requested. In this case, by deleting the electronic form printing status management information corresponding to the file and leaving the corresponding electronic form printing history management information, the corresponding electronic form is retained while leaving the fact that the electronic form is “printed”. The entity file can be deleted.

  In this situation, when the electronic form printing history search processing program 6350 (third program) responds to the electronic form printing history confirmation request 5210, the electronic form printing history management information not linked to the electronic form printing state management information is When it is determined that there is “no entity file (deleted)” and the electronic form printing history search result 5220 is displayed on the electronic form printing history list display unit 52002 of the electronic form printing history confirmation screen 5200, the line related to the electronic form is displayed. By deactivating the selection check box, it is possible to report to the form user that the actual file of the electronic form does not exist and reprint operation is impossible, improving operability Can be made.

  In the example of FIG. 10, the distribution section is “business management section”, the reception date is “2010/02/04”, and the print request date (ie, virtual print request date) is “2010/02/04”. Yes, electronic form printing history management information whose printing date (that is, actual printing execution date) is “2010/02/04” and whose printing reference number starts with “20100204” is retrieved and displayed.

When the number of hits of the search is 72, for example, in the example of FIG. 10, since up to 10 items are displayed at once in the electronic form printing history list display unit 52002, the electronic form printing history list display unit 52002 is displayed. An operation unit for changing the display page of the list is also displayed at the bottom of the screen (see the display of “←, 1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ,...”).

  In each search condition item of the electronic form print history confirmation condition setting unit 52001, no item is selected from the pull-down, or no search keyword is entered in the text box, no specific filtering condition is specified for the item from the user side. Means.

  The form user designates a search condition in the electronic form print history confirmation condition setting unit 52001, issues an electronic form print history confirmation request 5210 to the electronic form print history search processing program 6350 (third program), and After acquiring the electronic form printing history search result 5120 in the electronic form printing history list display unit 52002 as a response, the electronic form printing is checked by checking the selection check box for the electronic form printing history management information to be reprinted. An electronic form reprint request 5230 can be issued to the electronic form virtual print processing program 6340 of the server PC 6000 by pressing the “collective reprint” button of the history confirmation operation unit 52003.

  In FIG. 10, the electronic form print history confirmation operation unit 52003 includes a “collective selection” button and a “collective release” button for facilitating the check operation of the selection check box when the electronic form reprint request 5230 is issued. Also, "Print page specification" text box (specify start page and end page) for specifying and reprinting only a part of the electronic form subject to reprint request, not only part of the electronic form subject to print request A “batch reprint” button is provided to reprint all pages at once.

(F) <Description of Electronic Form Print Monitoring Process and Actual Print Process Resident Program 6320 (Fifth Program)>
FIG. 12 is a process block diagram for explaining the processing of the electronic form print monitoring process and the actual print process resident program 6320 (fifth program) that starts in response to the instruction of the resident program start / stop request 6300 of FIG. An example is shown.

  The electronic form print monitoring process and actual print process resident program 6320 (fifth program) shown in FIG. 12 is first activated as one of the resident program start / stop requests 6300. It is a program that is activated by the request 63003 and resides in the server PC 6000.

  While resident, the electronic form print monitoring processing main loop 63201 periodically monitors the electronic form print management database 6520, and electronic forms can be distributed when there is an electronic form whose form status is “Waiting for printing”. A distribution destination confirmation step 63202, an electronic form actual print instruction sub loop 63203, and an electronic form print monitoring end processing step 63207 are executed.

  When the electronic form print monitoring processing main loop 63201 refers to the form state management table 65201 of the electronic form print management database 6520 and detects electronic form print state management information whose form state is “waiting for printing”, electronic form distribution is performed. In a possible distribution destination confirmation step 63202, the electronic form distribution management database 6510 is confirmed, and an effective distribution destination as an electronic form distribution destination is acquired.

  In this embodiment, a divisional organization divided into units of “section” and “section” is considered, and a case where one printer is installed in each “section” as a printing destination corresponding to the distribution destination is considered. Therefore, the “valid distribution destination” can be a section whose deletion flag is “0 (= not deleted)” in the section management table 65101.

  If, for example, the “business management section” is abolished and is not managed as a distribution destination due to the change in the divisional organization, in the section management table 65101 (see the first line) of the electronic form distribution management database 6510 shown in FIG. By setting the deletion flag to “1 (= deleted)” for the record of “business management section: SecA” that is “section management history ID: 0001”, the electronic form distributable distribution destination confirmation step 63202 is performed. It can be excluded from “valid distribution destinations” to be acquired.

  Subsequently, in the electronic form actual print instruction sub-loop 63203, the “effective distribution destination (that is, undeleted section record)” acquired in the electronic form distribution possible distribution destination confirmation step 63202 is sequentially processed as an electronic processing target. A form actual print target presence / absence confirmation processing step 63204, an electronic form actual print processing step 63205, and an electronic form actual print information registration process step 63206 are executed.

  In this embodiment, the determination of the processing order of the electronic form actual print instruction sub-loop 63203 of “effective distribution destination” is made in the order of the setting values of the “processing order” item in the section management table 65101 of FIG.

  In the electronic form actual print target presence / absence confirmation processing step 63204, first, the form state management table 65201 of the electronic form print management database 6520 shown in FIG. 6 is referred to, and the “print waiting” state associated with the “effective distribution destination” to be processed is displayed. Acquires the electronic form printing status management information group.

  In this case, the association between the “effective distribution destination” and the electronic form printing status management information group in the “print waiting” state is searched based on “section code” instead of “section management history ID”. Thereby, the following effects can be obtained.

  For example, as described above, the “Business Management Section” was abolished due to a change in the divisional organization, and in addition, when taking over the work from this section to a new division, the past electronic form assets distributed before the divisional organization change (accumulated When delegating the reference / usage authority of the electronic form), the deletion flag of the record of “section management history ID: 0001” corresponding to “business management section” in the section management table 65101 of FIG. 5 is set to “1 (= deleted)”. And the same “section code: SecA” as the “business management section” is set in the newly added record of the section management table 65101 corresponding to the new section.

  Since the user management information corresponding to “section code: SecA” recognizes “business management section” and the new section as “own section”, the form user who uses the user for authentication is the electronic form assigned to the new section. It is also possible to refer to and use past electronic form assets distributed to the “Business Management Section” before the divisional organization is changed. In particular, when reprinting the past electronic form asset, a printer associated with a new section can be associated as a printing destination by linking with the “section code” as described above in the printing destination determination described later.

  Next, in the electronic form actual printing target presence / absence confirmation processing step 63204, the lexical expression of the print reference number is included in the electronic form printing status management information group in the “waiting for printing” state associated with the processing target “effective distribution destination”. Acquire the first electronic form printing status management information in ascending order and select it as the actual printing target. If the electronic form printing status management information cannot be acquired, the electronic form actual printing instruction sub-loop 63203 is continued with the next “valid distribution destination” as the processing target.

  As described above, in the electronic form actual printing instruction sub-loop 63203, the electronic form printing status management information in one “waiting for printing” state for one “effective distribution destination” (here, first in the lexicographic ascending order of the print reference numbers). The following effects can be obtained by selecting only those to be actually printed.

  The first effect is that even when the number of standbys of the electronic form printing status management information in the “print waiting” state for each “effective distribution destination” is different, the actual print processing frequency is biased to the distribution destinations with the large number of standbys. Rather, the actual printing opportunity can be provided to the “valid distribution destination” once and fairly until the electronic form actual printing instruction sub-loop 63203 ends.

  The second effect is that there is a large amount of electronic form printing status management information in the “Waiting for printing” state, and even if a new electronic form virtual print request is issued later, There is no need to wait for the end of the actual printing process of the electronic form printing status management information group in the “waiting for printing” state, and at most “the number of waiting for actual printing process corresponding to the“ effective distribution destination ”to which the new electronic form virtual printing request belongs + 1. ”And“ valid distribution destinations ”, and the waiting time for actual printing can be reduced. In particular, if “the number of standbys corresponding to the“ effective distribution destination ”to which the new electronic form virtual print request belongs” is 0, the actual print processing is started by waiting for the number of “effective distribution destinations” at most. can do.

  FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the two effects relating to the actual printing target selection method in the electronic form actual printing target presence / absence confirmation processing step 63204.

  In the example shown in the upper part of FIG. 13, the form status management table 65201 of the form print management database 6520 includes electronic form print status management information whose form status is “waiting for printing” in advance as “form status management ID: 0001” ( It is assumed that there are 10 cases waiting from “print request A1” (abbreviation of print request) to “form state management ID: 0010” (referred to as “print request D2”).

  When the “print waiting” state is interpreted in accordance with the processing method of the electronic form actual printing instruction sub-loop 63203 and the electronic form actual printing target presence / absence confirmation processing step 63204, the “printing of electronic form virtual printing request” shown in the center of FIG. It is interpreted as waiting in the order of broken-line arrows in the “waiting state (schematic diagram)”.

  At this time, when the electronic form actual print instruction sub-loop 63203 goes through the processing loop for “effective distribution destinations”, the electronic form printing status management in one “waiting for printing” state for each “effective distribution destination”. Information is processed as an actual print target. Specifically, “print request D1”, “print request C1”, “print request B1”, and “print request A1”. As a result, the first effect (providing a fair actual printing opportunity for an effective distribution destination) described in connection with the description of the electronic form actual printing instruction sub-loop 63203 can be obtained.

  In addition, here, “form state management ID: 0011” (abbreviation of print request is “print request B2”), “form state management ID: 0012” (same as “print request D3”), And “form status management ID: 0013” (referred to as “print request A5”) are added, “waiting for printing” of the electronic form virtual print request when there is an add request at the bottom of FIG. It is interpreted as waiting in the order of broken-line arrows of “state (schematic diagram)”.

  At this time, paying attention to “print request B2”, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 13, as a whole, there are ten “print request B2” electronic form print status management information before “print request B2”. As shown in the lower part of FIG. 13, this is interpreted as waiting for the seventh (after waiting for six prints). As a result, the second effect described in the description of the electronic form actual printing instruction sub-loop 63203 (reduction in waiting time for actual printing when a new electronic form virtual printing request is issued) is obtained.

  Both of the two effects obtained in this way are fair actual print processing that suppresses the influence of bias in other standby situations from the viewpoint of each form user belonging to the “effective distribution destination”. Appears as a control.

  Similarly to the fair real print processing control, a load index indicating the priority for each distribution destination is provided in the section management table 65101 of the electronic form distribution management database 6510, and the electronic form actual print instruction sub-loop 63203 It is also possible to control the instruction frequency of the actual printing instruction by controlling the selected number of electronic form printing status management information in the “waiting for printing” state in consideration of the load index. include.

  Subsequently, in the electronic form actual print processing step 63205, the distribution form, the print destination, and the electronic form print state management information in the “print waiting” state selected as the actual print target in the electronic form actual print target presence / absence confirmation processing step 63204 are described. The actual printing means is confirmed and discriminated, and an actual printing instruction is issued.

  FIG. 14 shows an example of a processing block diagram for explaining more detailed processing of the electronic form actual print processing step 63205 included in the electronic form print monitoring process and actual print process resident program 6320 of FIG.

  In the electronic form actual print processing step 63205, the electronic form distribution destination confirmation processing step 632051, the electronic form print destination confirmation processing step 632052, the electronic form print destination confirmation processing step 632052, and the electronic form print destination confirmation processing step 632052 are selected for the electronic form printing status management information in the “waiting printing” state selected as the actual print target. A form actual printing means confirmation processing step 632053 and an electronic form actual printing means execution processing step 632054 are performed.

  In the electronic form distribution destination confirmation processing step 632051, the electronic form distribution management database 6510 in the electronic form management database 6500 is referred to, and the electronic form printing status management information in the “print waiting” state selected as the actual print target is distributed to the distribution destination section. And get the distributor.

  In the electronic form printing destination confirmation processing step 632052, the section management history ID whose deletion flag is “0 (= not deleted)” in the section management table 65101 in the electronic form management database 6500 is the same as the acquired distribution destination section. The section management history ID having the section code is acquired, and the printing apparatus ID corresponding to the section management history ID is acquired from the printing destination management table 65107.

  Thereby, when the past asset before the change of the divisional organization is reprinted, the form user can designate an appropriate printing apparatus without being aware of the change.

  In the electronic form actual printing means confirmation processing step 632053, the actual form in the electronic form management database 6500 corresponds to the extension of the file name held in the electronic form printing status management information in the “waiting printing” state selected as the actual printing target. The actual print command is acquired from the printing means management table 65108.

  In this embodiment, a “text editor print command” corresponding to the extension “.TXT”, a “PDF reader print command” corresponding to the extension “.PDF”, and a “word” corresponding to the extension “.DOC”. File print command "is stored.

  In the electronic form actual printing means execution processing step 632054, the actual printing command obtained in the electronic form actual printing means confirmation processing step 632053 is used for the printing apparatus obtained in the electronic form printing destination confirmation processing step 632052. Issue a print instruction.

  After the above-described electronic form actual print processing step 63205, in the electronic form actual print information registration process step 63206, for the electronic form print status management information for which the actual print processing has been performed, the print status of “printing success” and “printing failure” And the print history are stored in the electronic form print management database 6520 of the electronic form management information database 6500.

  The basic flow for actual printing of electronic forms is as described above in the electronic form printing monitoring processing main loop 63201, and the electronic form printing monitoring processing and actual printing processing resident program 6320 (fifth program) is resident. The electronic form print monitoring processing main loop 63201 includes an electronic form print monitoring end processing step 63207 at the end of the electronic form print monitoring processing main loop 63201, and the resident program start / stop request 6300 shown in FIG. In accordance with the instruction of the electronic form printing monitoring process and the actual printing process resident program stop request 63004, the electronic form printing monitoring process main loop 63201 is exited, and the electronic form printing monitoring process is terminated. The residency of the print processing resident program 6320 (fifth program) is canceled.

  FIG. 15 shows a screen configuration example of the electronic form management information management screen 5300 in the present embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, the electronic form management information management screen 5300 displays an electronic form management information confirmation request 5310 to be issued in detail to the electronic form management information search processing program 6360 (sixth program). An electronic form management information list display for displaying an electronic form management information search result 5320 that is a response from the electronic form management information search processing program 6360 (sixth program) to the condition setting unit 53001 and the electronic form management information confirmation request 5310 A unit 53002 and an electronic form management information management operation unit 53003 for providing various operations on the electronic form management information management screen 5300 including issuing the electronic form management information confirmation request 5310 and issuing the electronic form management information editing request 5330 Composed.

  In the electronic form management information management screen 5300 shown in FIG. 15, the electronic form management information confirmation condition setting unit 53001 has search condition item options that can be used in accordance with the authority given to the user used by the form user for authentication. Each screen element set in advance is displayed.

  In the electronic form management information confirmation condition setting unit 53001 in FIG. 15, a “distribution section” pull-down for selecting a section within a referenceable range according to the granting authority, a “distribution section” pull-down for selecting a section belonging to the distribution section, and a “form ID” "Partial match search text box" and "Form name" partial match search text box.

  The form user designates a search condition in the electronic form management information confirmation condition setting unit 53001 and presses a “search” button in the electronic form management information management operation unit 53003, thereby making the electronic form management information of the server PC 6000. An electronic form management information confirmation request 5310 can be issued to the search processing program 6360 (sixth program).

(G) <Description of Electronic Form Management Information Search Processing Program 6360 (Sixth Program)>
FIG. 16 is a processing block for explaining the processing of the electronic form management information search processing program 6360 (sixth program) that starts in response to an instruction of the electronic form management information confirmation request 5310 specifying the search conditions in FIG. An example of the figure is shown.

  Upon receiving the electronic form management information confirmation request 5310, the electronic form management information search processing program 6360 (sixth program) starts an electronic form management information search processing step 63601, and according to the specified search conditions, the electronic form management information search processing step 6601 is started. Electronic form distribution management information that matches the specified search condition is acquired from the electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the database 6500.

  The electronic form distribution management information acquired in this way is shaped in the electronic form management information search processing step 63601, and the electronic form management information list display unit 53002 of the electronic form management information management screen 5300 displays the electronic form management information search result. 5320 is displayed.

  In this embodiment, the electronic form management information list display unit 53002 includes an electronic form distribution management information search result list display and change / delete designation unit 530021, an electronic form distribution management information addition designation unit 530022, and an electronic form print management information search. A result list display and change designation unit 530023 is included.

  When receiving the electronic form management information search result 5320 from the electronic form management information search processing program 6360 (sixth program), the management information related to the name and distribution destination of the electronic form is displayed in the electronic form distribution management information search result list and Management information regarding the print destinations of all valid distribution destinations (that is, the sections whose deletion flag is “0 (= not deleted)” in the section management table 65101) displayed on the change / deletion designation unit 530021 is electronic form printing. Displayed on the management information search result list display and change designation section 530023.

In the example of FIG. 15, the management information regarding the name and distribution destination of the electronic form whose distribution section is “business management section” is searched and displayed on the electronic form distribution management information search result list display and change / deletion designation unit 530021. Yes. When the number of hits of the search is 86, the electronic form distribution management information search result list display and change / deletion designation unit 530021 displays up to 10 cases at a time. An operation unit for changing the display page of the list is also displayed at the bottom of the list display and change / deletion designation unit 530021 (“←, 1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8”). , 9 , → ”).

  Also, management information relating to all valid distribution destination printing destinations is retrieved and displayed on the electronic form printing management information retrieval result list display and change designation section 530023. At the time of display, the following control is performed according to the authority given to the user used by the form user for authentication.

  In the case of administrator authority represented by “authority code: Special”, a column indicating the printer assigned to the printing destination of the own section is displayed in a pull-down, and a column indicating the printer assigned to the printing destination of the other section Is displayed with a label whose contents cannot be changed, thereby indicating that only the self-printing destination printer setting can be changed with the administrator authority.

  In the case of the general user authority represented by “authority code: General”, all the columns indicating the printers assigned to the printing destinations of the own section and the other section are displayed with labels whose contents cannot be changed. The general user authority indicates that the print destination printer settings of the own section and other sections can only be referred to.

  The user having the administrator authority changes the management information regarding the electronic form name and the distribution destination with respect to the electronic form management information search result 5320 displayed in the electronic form distribution management information search result list display and change / deletion designation unit 530021. (Distribution section change (from own section to other section), distribution section change, change of form ID, change of form name) or deletion is designated, and the “edit management information” button of the electronic form management information management operation unit 53003 By pressing, an electronic form management information editing request 5330 regarding editing / deletion of electronic form distribution management information can be issued to the electronic form management information editing processing program 6370 (seventh program) of the server PC 6000.

  A user having administrator authority sends management information (distribution section (own section), distribution section, form ID, form name) regarding the distribution of an electronic form to be newly added to the electronic form distribution management information addition designation unit 530022. By specifying and pressing the “edit management information” button in the electronic form management information management operation unit 53003, the electronic form distribution management information is added to the electronic form management information editing processing program 6370 (seventh program) of the server PC 6000. An electronic form management information editing request 5330 can be issued.

  A user with administrator authority designates the printer to which the electronic form print management information is to be changed after the change to the electronic form print management information search result list display and change designation unit 530023, and the electronic form management information management operation unit 53003. By pressing the “Edit Management Information” button, an electronic form management information editing request 5330 relating to editing of the printing destination printer linked to the distribution section is issued to the electronic form management information editing processing program 6370 (seventh program) of the server PC 6000. can do.

(H) <Description of Electronic Form Management Information Editing Processing Program 6370 (Seventh Program)>
FIG. 17 shows an example of a processing block diagram for explaining the processing of the electronic form management information editing processing program 6370 (seventh program) started in response to the instruction of the electronic form management information editing request 5330 of FIG. .

  Upon receiving the electronic form management information editing request 5330, the electronic form management information editing processing program 6370 (seventh program) starts an electronic form management information duplication processing step 63701, and in accordance with the designated electronic form management information editing request 5330, The electronic form distribution management information is obtained from the electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the electronic form management information database 6500, the contents of the electronic form distribution management information are copied to the work area, and a new management history ID is given.

  Next, in the electronic form management information logical deletion processing step 63702, the deletion flag of the electronic form distribution management information acquired in the electronic form management information replication processing step 63701 is changed to “1 (= deleted)”. The electronic form distribution management information is managed as logically deleted.

  Finally, in the management information addition processing step 63703 after editing the electronic form management information, a new management history ID is assigned in the electronic form management information duplication processing step 63701 to the electronic form distribution management information secured in the work area. On the other hand, the contents are edited according to the electronic form management information editing request 5330, and the electronic form distribution management information is added to the electronic form distribution management database 6510 of the electronic form management information database 6500.

  In this way, distribution management information related to past electronic form assets is required by adding new electronic form distribution management information while retaining the electronic form distribution management information of the electronic form management information editing request in a logically deleted state. It can be pulled out and used accordingly.

  In this embodiment, change of electronic form distribution management information (change of distribution section (from own section to other section), change of distributor, change of form ID, change of form name), deletion of electronic form distribution management information, electronic It is an example of providing a user interface for adding form distribution management information and editing the printer to be printed that is linked to the distribution section. For example, in the user authority setting, the organization administrator authority represented by “authority code: Reorganizable” And providing a user interface that enables editing (addition, change, deletion) of the distribution section and the distribution staff on the electronic form management information management screen 5300, and the electronic form management information management screen 5300 and the electronic form management information editing processing program In the flow of processing related to 6370 (seventh program), management information related to the distribution section and distribution section of multiple electronic forms is compiled automatically in the same manner as described above. It is included in the natural application of the processing flow relating to the electronic form management information management screen 5300 and the electronic form management information editing processing program 6370 (seventh program).

  The above-described electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process resident program (first program) shown in FIG. 3 (corresponding to the first means), the electronic form printing status search process program (second program) shown in FIG. Program), the electronic form virtual print processing program (fourth program) shown in FIG. 9 (corresponding to the second means), and the electronic form print history search processing program (third program) shown in FIG. Processing, processing of electronic form printing monitoring process and actual printing process resident program (fifth program) shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 (corresponding to the third means), electronic form management information search processing program (first program) shown in FIG. 6), the electronic form management information editing process program (seventh program) shown in FIG. 17, the CPU and memory constituting the server 6000, It is realized by executing a program corresponding to each processing by hardware such as a register. Programs corresponding to these processes can be distributed to the market via computer-readable recording media such as FD, CD-ROM, and DVD, and networks such as the Internet.

  By applying the present invention, electronic forms can be created and distributed in a situation where a predetermined printing device installed in a division organization (distribution destination) is used via a network system for mass storage and printing of electronic forms. , Storage, and printing, a form user can sort the printed matter without being aware of the arrangement of the printing apparatus, and the priority and fairness of the distribution destination can be controlled.

In addition, even when the distribution destination for each electronic form is changed due to a change in organizational structure, etc., it is possible to easily manage and control the electronic form corresponding to the change, and it is possible to refer to and use authority for the accumulated electronic form. Management and control can be easily performed, and the accumulated electronic form can be reprinted to an appropriate printing destination.
In the operation, management, and control scenes as described above, significant labor can be reduced.

100: Electronic form reception monitoring instruction 1000: Electronic form reception / registration management apparatus 1010: Electronic form reception monitoring means 1020: Directory for electronic form reception management 1030: Electronic form 1040: Confirmation information for completion of electronic form reception 1050: Electronic form registration means 200 : Electronic form print instruction 2000: Electronic form print management apparatus 2010: Electronic form registration management directory 2020: Registered electronic form 2030: Electronic form virtual printing means 250: Electronic form print monitoring instruction 2510: Electronic form print monitoring means 2520: Electronic Form actual printing means group 2530: Electronic form distribution destination judging means 2540: Electronic form printing destination judging means 2550: Electronic form actual printing means judging means 2560: Electronic form actual printing means 3000: Electronic form management information group 3010: Electronic form name management Information 3 20: Distribution destination management information 3030: Electronic form distribution management information 3040: Print status management information 3050: Print destination management information 3060: Print history management information 4000: Electronic form printing device group 4010: Electronic form printing device 4020: Printed electronic form 5000: Client PC
5100: Electronic form printing status confirmation screen 51001: Electronic form printing status confirmation condition setting unit 51002: Electronic form printing status list display unit 50003: Electronic form printing status confirmation operation unit 5110: Electronic form printing status confirmation request 5120: Electronic form printing status Search result 5130: Electronic form print request 5200: Electronic form print history confirmation screen 52001: Electronic form print history confirmation condition setting part 52002: Electronic form print history list display part 52003: Electronic form print history confirmation operation part 5210: Electronic form print history confirmation Confirmation request 5220: Electronic form print history search result 5230: Electronic form reprint request 5300: Electronic form management information management screen 53001: Electronic form management information confirmation condition setting part 53002: Electronic form management information list display part 530021: Electronic form distribution management Information inspection Search result list display and change / delete designation unit 530022: Electronic form distribution management information addition designation unit 530023: Electronic form print management information search result list display and change designation unit 53003: Electronic form management information management operation unit 5310: Electronic form management information Confirmation request 5320: Electronic form management information search result 5330: Electronic form management information editing request 6000: Server PC
6010: Mechanism for receiving an electronic form from outside such as a file transmission / reception program 6100: Directory for electronic form reception management 6110: Electronic form file 6120: Electronic form reception completion file 6200: Directory for electronic form registration management 6210: Registered electronic form file 6300 : Resident program start / stop request 63001: Electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process Resident program start request 63002: Electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process Resident program stop request 63003: Electronic form print monitoring process and actual print process resident program start request 63004: Electronic form print monitoring process and actual print process resident program stop request 6310: Electronic form reception monitoring process and registration process resident program (first program)
6320: Electronic form print monitoring process and actual print process resident program (fifth program)
6330: Electronic form printing status search processing program (second program)
6340: Electronic form virtual print processing program (fourth program)
6350: Electronic form print history search processing program (third program)
6360: Electronic form management information retrieval processing program (sixth program)
6370: Electronic form management information editing processing program (seventh program)
6500: Electronic form management information database 6510: Electronic form distribution management database 65101: Section management table 65102: Section management table 65103: Form name management table 65104: Form distribution destination management table 65105: User management table 65106: Printer management table 65107: Printing Destination management table 65108: Actual printing means management table 6520: Electronic form printing management database 65201: Form state management table 65202: Print history management table 7000: Printer group for electronic form printing

Claims (6)

A server PC having an electronic form management information database including an electronic form distribution management database storing management information related to distribution of electronic forms and an electronic form printing management database storing management information related to printing of electronic forms; a plurality of client PCs; And an electronic form management system that manages printing on the plurality of printers by program control in the server PC.
The server PC, the following <first means> comprises <second means>, and <third means>
The electronic form distribution management database includes a section management table that manages information about sections among divisional organizations that are distribution destinations of electronic forms, and a relation management table that manages information about divisions among divisional organizations that are distribution destinations of electronic forms. A form name management table that manages name information of electronic forms to be distributed, a form distribution destination management table that manages the relationship between the electronic form and the divisional organization that is the distribution destination, and the authority related to the electronic form A user management table, a printing device management table that manages a printing device that is an actual printing destination of the electronic form, a printing destination management table that manages a relationship between the printing device and a division organization that is a distribution destination, It has an actual printing means management table that manages the relationship between the type of electronic document to be actually printed and the actual printing command,
The electronic form printing management database includes a form state management table for managing state transition information related to electronic form printing, such as electronic form reception, registration, waiting for printing, printing success, and printing failure, and an electronic form printing process execution result. A print history management table for storing and managing
The electronic form management system, wherein the form state management table and the print history management table in the electronic form print management database include a print reference number indicating an order in which actual printing is performed .
<First means>: Electronic form reception monitoring means for monitoring the electronic form reception management directory with reference to the contents of the electronic form management information database, and completion of electronic form reception for prompting reception of the electronic form and the electronic form It is detected that the confirmation information is stored in the electronic form reception management directory, and the electronic form is identified as a printable target, and registration information is recorded in the electronic form management information database. Are registered as electronic forms registered in the electronic form registration management directory.
<Second means>: For a registered electronic form stored in the electronic form registration management directory, a print request is identified (virtual printing), and waiting for printing in the electronic form management information database Electronic form virtual printing means for recording information is provided.
<Third Means>: An electronic form print monitoring means that refers to the contents of the electronic form management information database, detects a registered electronic form that is waiting to be printed, and issues an actual print instruction, and the electronic form An electronic form that receives an actual printing instruction from a print monitoring unit, refers to the contents of the electronic form management information database, and causes an electronic form printing apparatus as an appropriate printing destination in an electronic form printing apparatus group related to the distribution destination to print Actual printing means. A deletion flag indicating logical deletion for each distribution destination and / or a load index indicating priority is provided in the electronic form distribution management database, and actual printing can be controlled with reference to the deletion flag and / or the load index. The electronic form management system according to claim 1, wherein: The print reference number is the date when the virtual print request was issued and the order of the virtual print requests issued on that date in the simultaneous request unit (how many times were the virtual print requests issued on this date) And a serial number representing the order of each virtual print request in the simultaneous request (which number is actually printed in the simultaneous request). Item 1. The electronic form management system according to item 1 . A server PC having an electronic form management information database including an electronic form distribution management database storing management information related to distribution of electronic forms and an electronic form printing management database storing management information related to printing of electronic forms; a plurality of client PCs; And an electronic form management method for managing printing to the plurality of printers by program control in the server PC,
An electronic form reception monitoring step of monitoring the electronic form reception management directory with reference to the contents of the electronic form management information database;
Detecting that the electronic form and the electronic form acceptance completion confirmation information that prompts acceptance of the electronic form are stored in the electronic form reception management directory, and identifying the electronic form as a printable target, An electronic form registration step of recording registration information in a form management information database and storing the electronic form as a registered electronic form in the electronic form registration management directory;
An electronic form virtual for identifying a print request (virtual printing) and recording print waiting information in the electronic form management information database for registered electronic forms stored in the electronic form registration management directory A printing step;
An electronic form printing monitoring step of referring to the contents of the electronic form management information database, detecting a registered electronic form that is waiting to be printed, and issuing an actual print instruction;
Electronic form actual printing step that receives the actual printing instruction, refers to the contents of the electronic form management information database, and causes the electronic form printing apparatus as an appropriate printing destination in the electronic form printing apparatus group related to the distribution destination to print It has a door,
The electronic form distribution management database includes a section management table that manages information about sections among divisional organizations that are distribution destinations of electronic forms, and a relation management table that manages information about divisions among divisional organizations that are distribution destinations of electronic forms. A form name management table that manages name information of electronic forms to be distributed, a form distribution destination management table that manages the relationship between the electronic form and the divisional organization that is the distribution destination, and the authority related to the electronic form A user management table, a printing device management table that manages a printing device that is an actual printing destination of the electronic form, a printing destination management table that manages a relationship between the printing device and a division organization that is a distribution destination, An actual printing means management table for managing the relationship between the type of the actual printing target electronic form and the actual printing command;
The electronic form printing management database includes a form state management table for managing state transition information related to electronic form printing, such as electronic form reception, registration, waiting for printing, printing success, and printing failure, and an electronic form printing process execution result. A print history management table for storing and managing
The electronic form management method, wherein the form state management table and the print history management table in the electronic form print management database include a print reference number indicating an order in which actual printing is performed . The print reference number is the date when the virtual print request was issued and the order of the virtual print requests issued on that date in the simultaneous request unit (how many times were the virtual print requests issued on this date) And a serial number representing the order of each virtual print request in the simultaneous request (which number is actually printed in the simultaneous request). Item 5. The electronic form management method according to Item 4 . The program for functioning a computer as each means in the electronic form management system in any one of Claim 1 to 3 .

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