This invention enables storing and managing one document of respective parts as electronic data created by a plurality of applications regardless of the type of application program which creates each part of one document. For this purpose, a plurality of shared folders are set on a network, and attributes in printing are set for the shared folders. A hot folder program supervises the shared folders. When a document image data file scanned by a multifunction apparatus is stored in one of the shared folders, the hot folder program causes an action program to perform a process complying with the attributes set for the shared folder which stores the file, and a bookbinding application to import the file.