Image forming apparatus, sheet containing device, sheet inserting device, book-binding system, and sheet processing apparatus

Abstract

There is provided an image forming apparatus that is capable of preventing input errors and eliminating the necessity of complicated input operations in making settings for a sheet mixing operation in which color image output sheets and black-and-white image output sheets are mixed into one group. A stacker tray stores sheets with color images formed thereon by a color MFP and is equipped with a storage device, into and from which information relating to the sheets can be written and read. A black-and-white MFP operates in response to attachment of the stacker tray to an inserter attached to the black-and-white MFP, to execute an image formation job by providing control such that the sheets with color images formed thereon stored in the stacker tray and sheets with black-and-white images formed thereon by the black-and-white MFP are mixed according to the information stored in the storage device of the stacker tray.