Patent ID: 8127177

Claim:
A workflow execution apparatus that processes a plurality of processing steps in accordance with workflow setting information that defines a sequence of processing, the apparatus comprising: a processing interrupting unit configured, if an error has occurred in any of the plurality of processing steps of a first device, to interrupt a processing step in which the error has occurred; a searching unit configured to search the workflow setting information including the processing step interrupted by the processing interrupting unit; a device specifying unit configured to specify a second device in which another processing step other than the processing step interrupted by the processing interrupting unit among the plurality of processing steps included in the searched workflow setting information is executed; an error notifying unit configured to transmit an error notification to the second device; a processing restarting unit configured to restart the processing step interrupted by the processing interrupting unit when it is recovered from the error; and a recovery notifying unit configured to transmit a recovery notification to the second device.