Information forming apparatus for determining whether to accept a setting change request from another device

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes: a first change unit that changes a setting content of a provided function based on a setting change request received from an external device; a second change unit that changes a setting content of a provided function based on a setting change request inputted from an operation part of the apparatus; a storage unit that, when a setting content of a function is to be changed, stores necessary/unnecessary information indicating presence/absence of necessity not to receive a setting change request from a device other than the external device or the operation part of the apparatus to change the setting content, by each function; a determination unit that, when the first and second change units are to change a setting content of a function, determines whether or not exclusive processing not to receive a setting change request from the other device is necessary, based on the necessary/unnecessary information stored in the storage unit; and a controller that, when the determination unit determines that the exclusive processing is necessary, controls the first and second change units not to receive a setting change request from the other device.