Patent ID: 8327362

Claim:
A workflow information generation unit configured to construct workflow, using a processor, having a plurality of processes, information of the plurality of processes includable in the workflow and storable in a workflow information storage using the workflow information generation unit, the workflow information generation unit comprising: a process-designation information obtaining unit configured to obtain process-designation information using the processor to design a process to be included in the workflow; an advance notice output unit to output, using the processor, advance notice information notifying that information of the process designated by the obtained process-designation information is to be stored in the workflow information storage before storing information of the designated process in the workflow information storage; an implementation-determination information obtaining unit to obtain implementation-determination information using the processor, when the advance notice information is output, the implementation-determination information indicating whether the designated process is allowed to be included in the workflow; a process information output unit to store information of the designated process to the workflow information storage using the processor, when the obtained implementation-determination information indicates that the designated process is allowed to be included in the workflow; a result information output unit to output result information for the designated process by preliminarily running the designated process using the processor, when constructing the workflow, the result information prepared based on the obtained implementation-determination information indicating whether the designated process is allowed to be included in the workflow; and an implementation-determination unit configured to determine, using the processor, whether the designated process is allowed to be included in the workflow based on usage condition information for an application program, if the designated process is implementable by the application program, usage condition information for an external device, if the designated process is implemented by the external device communicably connected to the workflow information generation unit, given information transmitted by a transmission process to a designated distribution location, if the designated process includes the transmission process, and billing information for the designated process prepared from charge information, if the designated process is associated with the billing information.