Patent ID: 7574475

Claim:
A work flow system for circulating a digital document file to a plurality of clients through a network, comprising: a transmission client for initially issuing a document file for circulation, comprising: a) a circulation transmission setup processing unit which sets a circulation information file including destination information to specify destination, order of circulation, and proxy destination information, and b) a transmission processing unit which sends said circulation information file and said document file to the next one of a plurality of circulation clients, which is preset so in said destination information; and said plurality of circulation clients for sequentially circulating said document file, transmitted by said transmission client, each comprising: a transmission processing unit which sends said circulation information file and said document file to the next one of said plurality of circulation clients, which is preset so in said destination information, wherein when the next one of plurality of circulation clients is incapable of circulation because the transmission of the circulation information file or the document file to the next one of the plurality of circulation clients terminates incorrectly, one of said plurality of circulation clients, having sent said document file and said circulation information file to said next one of said plurality of circulation clients being incapable of circulation, conducts at least one of (1) sending said document file and said circulation information file to other one of said plurality of circulation clients next to said next one of said plurality of circulation clients, and (2) sending said document file and said circulation information file to a proxy client of said next one of said plurality of circulation clients so that the circulation of said circulation information file and said document file is continued regardless of said circulation client being incapable of conducting circulation.