Printing system, workflow management method for printing system, and program therefor

A workflow management method for a printing system having a post-processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus, wherein the post-processing apparatus is configured to apply post processing to a sheet material output from a printing apparatus related to execution of a print job and the information processing apparatus is configured to manage a print workflow that includes operations arranged order of process in a plurality of operation positions, the workflow management method comprising:

• generating, in the information processing apparatus and in accordance with a print setting condition set to the print job, a first print workflow;
• acquiring, in the information processing apparatus, operation information related to a replacement schedule of components of the printing system;
• determining, in the information processing apparatus and based on the acquired operation information and the print setting condition set to the print job, whether a target component will need to be replaced during the execution of the print job;
• distinguishing, in the information processing apparatus and in response to determining that the target component will need to be replaced during the execution of the print job, whether the target component is a part of the printing system whose characteristic affects quality of the output sheet material;
• deciding, in the information processing apparatus and according to the distinguishing of the target component characteristic, an operation position at which a component replacement operation associated with the target component is to be incorporated into the plurality of operation positions of the first print workflow;
• and
• updating, in the information processing apparatus, the generated first print workflow to create a second print workflow by incorporating the component replacement operation into the plurality of operation positions of the generated first print workflow at the decided operation position,
• wherein deciding includes incorporating the component replacement operation associated with the target component before execution of a print job for which replacement of the target component is required, in a case where it is distinguished that the target component is a part of the printing system whose characteristic affects quality of the output sheet material.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to cause a printing system having a post-processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus to perform a workflow management method, wherein the post-processing apparatus is configured to apply post processing to a sheet material output from a printing apparatus related to execution of a print job and the information processing apparatus is configured to manage a print workflow that includes operations arranged order of process in a plurality of operation positions, the workflow management method comprising:

• generating, in the information processing apparatus and in accordance with a print setting condition set to the print job, a first print workflow;
• acquiring, in the information processing apparatus, operation information related to a replacement schedule of components of the printing system;
• determining, in the information processing apparatus and based on the acquired operation information and the print setting condition set to the print job, whether a target component will need to be replaced during the execution of the print job;
• distinguishing, in the information processing apparatus and in response to determining that the target component will need to be replaced during the execution of the print job, whether the target component is a part of the printing system whose characteristic affects quality of the output sheet material;
• deciding, in the information processing apparatus and according to the distinguishing of the target component characteristic, an operation position at which a component replacement operation associated with the target component is to be incorporated into the plurality of operation positions of the first print workflow;
• and
• updating, in the information processing apparatus, the generated first print workflow to create a second print workflow by incorporating the component replacement operation into the plurality of operation positions of the generated first print workflow at the decided operation position,
• wherein deciding includes incorporating the component replacement operation associated with the target component before execution of a print job for which replacement of the target component is required, in a case where it is distinguished that the target component is a part of the printing system whose characteristic affects quality of the output sheet material.