Patent ID: 8571432

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a job accepting portion to accept a print job; a printing portion to carry out printing based on the accepted print job; a requesting portion to, when said printing portion is not available for executing the print job, transmit an alternative instruction including the accepted print job to an alternative printer; and an adding portion to add the number of alternative sheets to the number of sheets printed by said printing portion, the alternative sheets being printed by said alternative printer based on the print job included in the alternative instruction, wherein when a unit charge for printing employed in said image forming apparatus is lower than a unit charge for printing employed in said alternative printer, said adding portion adds the number of alternative sheets to the number of sheets printed by said printing portion; and when the unit charge for printing employed in said image forming apparatus is not lower than the unit charge for printing employed in said alternate printer, said adding portion does not add the number of alternative sheets to the number or sheets printed by said printing portion.