An information processing apparatus is operable to be connected to a first external apparatus and one or more second external apparatuses. The first external apparatus receives and stores therein a job and first identification information. The one or more second external apparatus transmits second identification information to the first external apparatus, acquires and executes the job associated with the first identification information specified based on the second identification information. The information processing apparatus includes: a job transmitting unit that transmits the job and the first identification information to the first external apparatus; a requesting unit that requests state information from the first external apparatus; and a state receiving unit that receives state information, indicating a first stage in which the job is accumulated in the first external apparatus and a second stage in which the job is executed, as the state information.