An image forming apparatus includes an authentication unit that authenticates an authorized user; a ticket generating unit that generates a job execution ticket including conditions for allowing execution of a job, a data acquiring unit that outputs the job execution ticket and an acquirement request for data selected by the authorized user who logs in through authentication, to a server device that is connected to a network; and a controller that allows processing of the data under the conditions even after the authorized user logs out, when the data having the job execution ticket attached thereto is received within a predetermined period of time since the log-out.