A method for dispatching a job for printing an original document from an original document set to a printer. The method includes routing the job to a printer group based on the characteristics of the original document via a dispatcher. When exactly one printer group has all capabilities required by the job, the job is routed to the one printer group. When more than one printer group has all capabilities required by the job, the dispatcher routes the job to a printer group that requires the shortest estimated time to complete the job. When no printer group has all capabilities required by the job, the dispatcher notifies a user via the operating screen for manual treatment of the job.