Patent ID: 7805418

Claim:
A data-processing apparatus including memory storing a program for processing form data including predetermined layout information and image-forming data formed by merging variable data in the form data, comprising: a processor for executing the program; a storage unit configured to store, when the image-forming data for printing is formed, information of a user instructing to form the image-forming data, form identification information and variable data identification information in a corresponding manner and a plurality of version information of the variable data by correlating with the variable data identification information, wherein the stored form identification information identifies the form data used for forming the image-forming data and the stored variable data identification information identifies the variable data used for forming the image-forming data; a checking unit configured to check, according to the user's instruction of reusing image-forming data previously formed, whether or not any one of the stored plurality of version information of variable data, which is newer than version information of the variable data used for previously forming the image-forming data instructed to be reused by the user, is stored in the storage unit; a display unit displaying, according to the user's instruction of reusing image-forming data previously instructed to be formed by the user, a screen for the user to designate which among the version information of variable data used for previously forming the image-forming data and the newer version information of variable data is to be used, in response to the check result verifying that the stored plurality of version information is newer than version information of variable data; a reforming unit configured to reform the image-forming data by using the form data, base on the form identification information stored in the storage unit and the variable data, the variable data designated by the user via the screen displayed by the displaying unit; and a management unit configured to delete, in response to the designation of using the newer version information of variable data via the screen displayed by the display unit, the version information of variable data used for previously forming the image-forming, which is no longer in use, from the storage unit.