Faxing has been a very popular means of communication in the business world since the late 1980s. With the advent of more modern communication methods, you might expect faxing to have already become obsolete. However, online services, such as eFax internet faxing, are allowing faxing to remain relevant.

Why Businesses Use Fax

Fax continues to be widely used in several fields, including government, legal, logistics, and health care. Its popularity in these areas can make it necessary for other businesses and individuals to use it, too.

Faxing is much faster than snail mail, and it can often be quicker than scanning a document to attach to an email. This convenience is one of the reasons faxing is still around.

Confirmation of receipt is essential in many business settings. When you send a fax and receive the confirmation page, it’s an important proof of receipt, as it lists the day and time as well as the number of the sender and the receiver. It’s the equivalent of sending certified or registered mail, but much faster.

How Does Online Faxing Work?

When starting to fax online, you’ll need a subscription to an online service. Most of these services are free for the first month. After that, you can expect to pay about $10-15 a month for approximately 200 to 300 faxed pages.

With an online fax service, you can send any document that can be attached to an email. While PDF and Microsoft Word are the most common file formats, other files like Excel, PowerPoint, Open Office, and image files can also be sent.

The online service converts email to a form that can be received by a regular fax machine. There are several ways to access these services: through a web browser, computer software, app, or email address.

Sending via Web Browser or App

To send a fax through the web or an app, you’ll open a new message and import the files you would like to attach. This process is almost like writing an email.

After you’ve attached the files you would like to send, you’ll need to enter the recipient’s fax number. You’ll then send the message and await confirmation.

Sending a Fax from an Email Address

If you’re sending your fax via email, you’ll create a new email and attach the documents you’d like to transmit. The body of the email serves as the cover page. It includes details like your contact information, including address.

You’ll enter the recipient’s fax number in the “To:” field of your email. It must be structured as follows: (number)@(fax service’s domain). Next, you’ll send the email, and the service will dial the fax for you.

You’ll receive a confirmation page via email once the transmission is complete. If the fax isn’t completed for some reason, you’ll receive an email detailing what went wrong. For example, you might have the wrong number or have received a busy signal from the fax machine.

Receiving a Fax on Your Computer

With your internet fax subscription, you’ll receive a designated number. When someone wants to send you a message, they dial that number and send the document from a regular fax machine.

Your fax service receives the data and changes it into an email attachment, which is then sent to your email address. To receive your document, you just open the attachment.

The Best of Both Worlds

Online fax services give you the convenience of sending documents that are already on your computer or handheld device. They also provide many of the same essential features of traditional faxing.

Such services allow you to communicate with a traditional fax machine without having one. Your computer or handheld device takes the place of the machine.

Confirmation of receipt is another essential aspect of fax communication that’s maintained when you use an online service. Whether it’s a legal document or an invoice, you get proof that it was received, including the date and time it was transmitted.

Conclusion

Online services can give you access to fax without having to invest in a specific machine. In this way, you can exchange information with businesses or government agencies that use fax as a standard means of communication.

Through online services, you can quickly send documents that are on your computer or handheld device. You’ll then get confirmation that the message has been received, just like a traditional fax transmission.