There is disclosed a printer or copying machine which operates according to several different functional and operational modes, a host computer which sends a print or copy order to the printer or copying machine, which order may include the number of copies to be made, the time of printing or copying, and an operational mode, such as size of copy, two-sided copying, collating, stapling, etc., and an accounting means which calculates charges based on the order before it is carried out by the printer or copying machine and which transmits those charge to the host computer.