Patent ID: 8085420

Claim:
An image processing apparatus provided with a hot folder function that associates a box that accepts data with a process to be performed on data inputted into the box, the apparatus comprising: a storage for storing a box management table that stores definitions of processes for data inputted into the box, and a user management table in which usage histories of boxes are registered and stored per user and per box; processing unit that, in the case where data has been inputted into the box by a user, refers to the user management table and determines whether or not there is a record of the user inputting data into the box, executes the process associated with the box on the inputted data if there is a record, or outputs a message indicating there is no record if there is no record and accepts a confirmatory input, and executes the process associated with the box on the inputted data and records a usage history of the box as used by the user in the user management table in the case where the confirmatory input has been accepted from the user; and process parameter maintenance unit that deletes the usage history of the box from the user management table in the case where the process defined in the box management table has been changed in response to an operation performed by the user.