Abstract: An efficient and effective method for managing a plurality of print jobs is implemented on a print job management apparatus. The method includes receiving a plurality of print jobs, prescribing grouping criteria, grouping the plurality of print jobs into one or more of groups in accordance with the grouping criteria, the grouping being performed without user intervention, and transmitting a result of the grouping.

Abstract: A method is described for managing a print shop system in which a plurality of printers are connected to and managed by a server. When a document to be printed contains both color and black and white pages, the server splits the print job into a color and a black and white sub-job. Each print job includes a job ticket containing a plurality of parameters and the document to be printed. The server splits the original print job by generating a color sub-document and a black and white sub-document based the color characteristics of the pages of the original document, and generating a color sub-job ticket and a black and white sub-job ticket based on the original job-ticket parameters, by suitably retaining some original parameters, overriding some, deleting some, retaining some with page shifting, and adding some parameters. The two sub-jobs are printed by two different printers and then merged.

Abstract: A useful method for analyzing a print job in a multiple-printer environment is provided. The method includes receiving a print job, the print job specifying values of job parameters, reading out values of the job parameters specified in the print job, determining whether the printer settings of the plurality of printers conform to said read out values of the job parameters of the print job, and communicating a result of the conformity determination to a user.

Abstract: A method for managing a plurality of pint jobs is implemented in a print job management apparatus connected to printers. The method includes receiving print job, and visually presenting a display screen to a user, the display screen including first, second and third panels for classifying the received print jobs according to processing phase thereof, the first panel being provided for listing print jobs that are awaiting assignment of printers thereto for processing the print jobs, the second panel being provided for listing print jobs that have been assigned to printers and that have not been completed by the assigned printers, the third panel being provided for listing at least one of first and second categories of print jobs, the first category including print jobs that have been completed, the second category including print jobs that have been cancelled.

Abstract: A method is described for managing a print shop system in which a plurality of printers are connected to and managed by a server. When a document to be printed contains both color pages and black and white pages, the server makes a determination as to whether to submit the entire print job to a color printer, or to split the print job into two sub-jobs by submitting the color pages to a color printer and the black and white pages to a black and white printer. The server preferably makes the decision based on a cost calculation so as to minimize the total cost of printing the entire job, but can also made the decision based on some other considerations.