Patent ID: 8490109

Claim:
A printing control apparatus comprising: a memory; and a processor comprising: an authentication unit configured to perform authentication of document data wherein, a generation time is embedded into the document data; the generation time is a time at which a print command for printing the document data was created before the document data was sent to the printing control apparatus; the authentication unit determines a time difference between the generation time and a current time; in a first case in which the time difference is less than a time limit, the authentication unit sets an authentication flag as successful; and in a second case in which the time difference is greater than the time limit, the authentication unit displays a screen for entering authentication information; the authentication unit verifies that the authentication information entered in the displayed screen is associated with the document data; in a third case in which the authentication information is associated with the document data, the authentication unit sets the authentication flag as successful; and in a fourth case in which the authentication information is not associated with the document data, the authentication unit sets the authentication flag as unsuccessful; and an execution unit configured to execute printing of the document data when the authentication flag is successful.