PURPOSE: To simplify a control program to prepare and verify a program efficiently and also to facilitate the correspondence to a complicated operation, as to a copying machine provided with many complicated operation patterns.

CONSTITUTION: The minimum unit for controlling in the copying machine is used so as to control the processing for one pair of documents till it circulates once, or the processing for one document is completed, and the copying machine is controlled by combining the minimum units for controlling. For example, a job corresponding to the operation pattern is decided in accordance with a copying condition set by a user. One job is constituted of one or more part jobs. The processing for one pair of documents till it circulates once or the processing for one document is completed as each part job. As to the copying device provided with a recirculatingly automatic document feeder, the processing for making one pair of documents till it circulates one by use of the automatic document feeder, or the processing for one document is regarded as one unit as to the operation pattern for controlling, then, by making each part job correspond to the processing for making one pair of document come back where started, or the processing for one document, each part job can be efficiently used in common.