Patent ID: 8191112

Claim:
An image forming apparatus which is connected to an authentication apparatus via a network, converts document data that requires authentication by the authentication apparatus, and executes a process using converted data, comprising: an authentication information acquisition unit configured to acquire authentication information to be used for authentication of the document data an authentication result acquisition unit configured to transmit the authentication information to the authentication apparatus to request authentication and to acquire an authentication result; a conversion unit configured to convert the document data into the converted data when the authentication result of the document data acquired by said authentication result acquisition unit indicates successful authentication; an adding unit configured to add specific information to specify the authentication apparatus to the converted data converted by said conversion unit; a storage unit configured to store the converted data to which said adding unit has added the specific information; a request unit configured to acquire the specific information from the converted data to which said adding unit has added the specific information, transmit the specific information to a transmission destination of the converted data, and request the transmission destination to confirm establishment of a communication path from the transmission destination to the authentication apparatus specified by the specific information; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the converted data to the transmission destination upon receiving information indicating establishment of the communication path from the transmission destination.