Patent ID: 7743364

Claim:
A work flow management system comprising: a plurality of devices connected to a network; and a work flow management apparatus connected to the network and configured to manage a work flow which causes the devices to perform at least one job in collaboration with each other in accordance with work flow information which includes a work flow ID specifying the work flow and at least one machine ID specifying each of the devices that performs a job in the workflow, each job including one or more processes; the work flow management apparatus including: a work flow history information storage section configured to store work flow history information having the work flow ID, the at least one machine ID and at least one job ID specifying a performed job, a designation accepting section configured to accept a designation of the work flow ID, a job history information requesting section configured to extract the at least one job ID and the at least one machine ID from the work flow history information having the designated work flow ID, and transmit the extracted at least one job ID to the devices specified by the extracted at least one machine ID, a receiving section configured to receive job history information having the extracted at least one job ID from the devices specified by the extracted at least one machine ID, and a display section configured to display the received job history information; and each of the devices including a job history information storage section configured to store the job history information having the at least one job ID specifying the job performed by the device and performance information which indicates performed job contents, a job history information extracting section configured to extract from the job history information storage section the job history information having the at least one job ID sent from the work flow management apparatus, and a job history information transmitting unit configured to transmit the extracted job history information to the work flow management apparatus.