Patent ID: 8384931

Claim:
An image processing system in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected via a network and cooperate to execute image forming using a printing material, the system comprising: a storage unit configured to store service information representing whether each of the plurality of image processing apparatuses permits counting usage of the printing materials in order to allow charging of service for providing the image forming associated with each user identification information, and a priority table indicating a priority for the plurality of image processing apparatuses that execute printing, wherein an image processing apparatus that inputs image data to be printed has a higher priority than a local image processing apparatus or a cooperating image processing apparatus; a counting destination selection unit configured to select, as an image processing apparatus for storing count information by using the service information and the priority table corresponding to the user identification information, an image processing apparatus which permits the service and has the higher priority; and a count information storage unit configured to, when the plurality of image processing apparatuses cooperate to execute image forming, cause the selected image processing apparatus to store the count information by transmitting the count information to the selected image processing apparatus.