How to Send or Receive Faxes

Send and receive faxes via a telephone line.

According to the Thinkquest website, fax technology allows document copies to be sent to users via telephone lines. Virtually every business or office uses fax transmission because it allows information to be exchanged much quicker than using the postal system. In addition to sending and receiving fax messages, a fax machine may be used both to track prior document transmissions and as a a small copy machine.

Things You'll Need

• Fax machine
• Telephone cord
• Telephone line

Instructions

Sending Fax Messages

1. Inspect the fax machine. Look to see if the fax machine is on and connected to a working telephone line. Depending on the type of fax machine, you may receive a message indicating that the fax machine is ready to operate.

2. Complete a cover sheet or cover page. Address the cover sheet to the person or business to whom the fax is intended. Indicate the fax phone number of the recipient. Provide a subject indicating the reason for sending the fax. Fax cover sheets should include the name and contact information of the sender, as well as the number of pages included in the fax. The cover sheet must be the first page of the fax transmission. Put documents in their proper sequence.

3. Load the documents into the fax machine. Document loading may vary, depending on the fax machine. As explained in the Monster Guide website, documents are generally loaded face down into a fax machine.

4. Pick up the telephone receiver on the fax machine. Listen for a dial tone. Use the telephone keypad located on the fax machine to dial an outgoing fax number. Double-check the fax number to ensure that the fax message will be sent to the correct person or firm. Wait for a fax tone, which sounds like a long beeping noise. As mentioned on the Monster Guide website, some fax machines may require an actual person to answer the telephone in order to confirm an incoming fax.

5. Press the send key located on the fax machine. The send key should be easily identifiable, as it may be colored or bigger as compared to other buttons on the fax machine. Watch the documents pass through the fax machine one at a time. Hang up the telephone receiver once the fax transmission begins. Upon completion of the fax transmittal, a fax machine may sound off a loud beeping noise.

6. Print a fax confirmation sheet. Most fax machines automatically print a confirmation sheet, which indicates the success or failure of a fax transmission. Failed fax transmissions need to be re-submitted. This may occur as a result of an inactive or busy fax number. Furthermore, a fax confirmation number will indicate the number of pages that were successfully sent. Always print a confirmation sheet as it serves as proof that a fax was successfully sent.

Receiving Faxes

1. Check the ink and toner cartridges on the fax machine. This ensures that an incoming fax is readable. Stock the fax machine with an adequate supply of paper. This prevents the fax machine from running out of paper in the middle of receiving a fax.

2. Check the options for receiving faxes on your fax machine. Many fax machines are able to receive faxes automatically. Incoming faxes will be signaled by the fax machine ringing, just as a telephone rings. The ring will be immediately followed by a long beeping noise. The fax message will start to print on the fax machine.

3. Answer the fax phone when it rings. This step occurs for manual fax users, or in situations wherein a telephone line has the dual purpose of fax and telephone use. Upon hearing a fax tone, press the receive/send button. Hang up the telephone receiver. The fax document will begin to arrive.

4. Check the cover sheet to ensure that you have received the correct number of pages. Call the sender to confirm receipt of the fax.

References

• Tip Deck: How-to-use-a-fax -machine
• Monster Guide: How-to-use-a-fax -machine
• Thinkquest: Fax machine