Abstract: A printing system comprises a printer for conducting stencil making and printing, a finisher such as a sorter for receiving and holding printed sheets discharged from the printer and aligning the received printed sheets, and control means for starting stencil making in the printer without waiting for the finisher to finish aligning the printed sheets. The control means is preferably responsive to completion of printed sheet insertion in the finisher for substantially simultaneously starting the stencil making operation in the printer and the aligning operation in the finisher. The printing system enables a reduction in overall printing time.