Print server, image forming apparatus, method of controlling printing operation and recording medium

An image forming apparatus connectable to an information processing apparatus via a network, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive one or more print jobs transmitted from the information processing apparatus via the network;
• processing circuitry configured to
• extract one or more group names to which one or more users belong, from the one or more print jobs received by the receiver,
• accumulate the extracted one or more group names in a job storage in association with the one or more print jobs,
• identify, in response to receiving a job acquisition request of print job and based on identification information of a specific user who has input the job acquisition request to the image forming apparatus, a primary group to which the specific user who has input the job acquisition request belongs, and a secondary group set at a specific hierarchy level in a specific hierarchical group structure with respect to the primary group, and
• acquire, from the job storage, a primary print job associated with the identified primary group, and a secondary print job associated with the identified secondary group;
• and
• a display to display the primary print job associated with the primary group and the secondary print job associated with the secondary group on an operation panel collectively or separately.

A method of controlling a printing operation using an image forming apparatus, the method comprising;

• receiving one or more print jobs transmitted from an information processing apparatus via a network;
• extracting one or more group names to which one or more users belong, from the received one or more print jobs;
• accumulating the extracted one or more group names in a job storage in association with the one or more print jobs;
• in response to receiving a job acquisition request of print job from the image forming apparatus and based on identification information of a specific user who has input the job acquisition request to the image forming apparatus, identifying a primary group to which the specific user who has input the job acquisition request belongs, and a secondary group set at a specific hierarchy level in a specific hierarchical group structure with respect to the primary group;
• and
• transmitting a primary print job associated with the identified primary group and a secondary print job associated with the identified secondary group, to the image forming apparatus.