PURPOSE: To retrieve a document object in a folder by providing a state that selects any document stored in an information processing system and displays a list of document objects relating to the selected document.

CONSTITUTION: A document management system 10 generates a folder by communication between an end user EU and an interactive manager 14 and files it to a library 12. In the initial filing, a request application program 16 sends a document index table data area in an idle folder with the document and a server 18 holds a folder index list of documents stored in the library 12. When the EU desires to check a document object in the folder, the EU designates nesting, then the program 16 sends a retrieval request to the server 18 in response to the information collected by the interactive manager 14. The server 18 copies the designated object and returns it to the interactive manager and the EU processes the document while observing the index list.