Disclosed is a system and method for managing files in a network system and, in particular, a network printing system. A processing unit, such as a printer manager detects an update to a file, such as a print file, maintained in a storage unit. At least one network device, such as a printer controller, maintains a copy of the file to update that is a previous version of the file to update maintained at the storage unit. The processing unit processes a data structure indicating network devices that include previous versions of the file and determines the network devices that include at least one previous version of the file. The processing unit then transmits a message to the network devices that include at least one previous version of the file to delete the previous versions of the file.