Image forming apparatus and methods for managing print jobs based on the amount of consumables still available relative to the assigned print jobs

摘要

Informing the user when consumables and/or customer replaceable units will have to be resupplied, changed and/or replaced, relative to the jobs sent to the image forming system, is a beneficial way to avoid unnecessary printing delays. When a job is added to a job queue or repositioned within the job queue, a warning can be associated with that job (S900), and displayed to the user. With this information, the user can pre-emptively add a consumable and/or (S400) replace a customer replaceable unit to avoid delays and maintain productivity. Alternatively, if such a system fault would occur prior to an urgent job reaching the top of the job queue, the user can manipulate the order and/or presence of the various jobs in the queue to ensure the high-priority job is completed before the consumable is fully exhausted and/or the customer replaceable unit reaches the end of its useful life.