Screen generating method, image forming apparatus, and computer program product

A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program codes embodied in the medium that, when executed, causes a computer to execute a screen generating method that is implemented on a distribution managing system in which an image forming apparatus that transmits metadata set for an input document and image data generated from the input document to a managing server that manages distribution of the image data, the managing server, and a client device that includes an input receiving unit, a definition generating unit, a communication unit, and a display unit that displays a generating screen for generating an input screen on which the metadata is set are connected via a communication network, the screen generating method comprising:

• the input receiving unit of the client device receiving input for designating an item for setting the metadata on the generating screen;
• the definition generating unit of the client device generating definition data on the input screen based on a descriptor that is arbitrary determined by a user for displaying the item on the input screen and the item designated on the generating screen;
• and
• the communication unit of the client device transmitting the definition data to the image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus that is connected to a managing server that manages distribution of image data and a client device that generates definition data on an input screen for setting metadata on the image data, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• a generating unit that generates the image data from an input document;
• a receiving unit that displays the input screen in accordance with the definition data received from the client device and receives input of the metadata from the input screen;
• and
• a communication unit that receives the definition data generated in the client device and transmits the metadata and the image data to the managing server.