The present disclosure is directed to image forming apparatuses and methods that enable the sharing of one or more documents and one or more image forming apparatuses among user devices for the task of reproducing image data. The image forming apparatus comprises a processing unit, configured to execute a group management software stored on a computer-readable medium, a network interface, and one or more accessory units configured to reproduce documents. The first method for reproducing a document includes various actions performed by an image forming apparatus within a group such that the document is reproduced via an indirect request from one user device to the image forming apparatus through a secondary user device. An alternative method for reproducing a document includes various actions performed by an image forming apparatus within a group such that the document is reproduced via a direct request from one user device to the image forming apparatus.