Fax is still being used by several businesses to send essential documents. Some companies have switched to a new form of fax communication that is a fax to email service. If you are wondering how to send a fax to email, read on to find out.

What is Fax to Email Service?

The traditional way of faxing involves two fax machines; one is used to send a fax and the other is used to receive a fax. An online fax service does not necessarily use a fax machine though you can send a fax from your computer to fax machine.

Online fax service is a virtual fax machine where the service provider arranges the infrastructure required to send a fax over email. The faxes that arrive are forwarded to an email program that can be accessed through an application interface (installed on the computer) or web interface of the service provider.

With Internet faxing, you can attach documents to the email and send them to an analog fax machine that prints it. If you are using an online fax service, all faxes sent to your fax number are converted into digital documents and sent to an email address.

Online fax service is a hosted service, and you don’t need to buy modems, install fax servers or special software. The service provider converts faxes to emails and emails to faxes for you.

How Fax to Email Services Work?

To send faxes to email, you need three things.

· Internet connectivity

· Ability to send and receive emails

· A subscription to fax to email service

Receiving Faxes

1. When you subscribe to an online fax service, the service provider assigns you a local fax number or a toll-free fax number.

2. The sender dials your fax number from an analog fax machine and feeds the document in the fax machine.

3. The fax is received by your service provider who converts the data into an email attachment which is then sent to your email address.

4. To read the fax, you need to open the attached document.

Sending Faxes

1. The sender attaches a file like a scan of a paper document or word document to an email message or through the web interface provided by the online fax service.

2. The sender types the recipient’s fax number which can be a traditional fax number that has digits only. If the recipient also uses online fax service, the fax number may look like 18002221234@internetfaxes.com or something similar.

3. The online fax service translates the attachment so that the recipient fax machine can read and print it.

4. After proper conversion, the data is sent over the phone line to recipient’s fax machine.

5. The fax machine decodes the data and prints the fax.

Since email is the only software required to send an internet fax, you can send a fax to email even from a handheld device.

Advantages of Internet Faxing

Paper Problems

Paper jams are a common thing with traditional fax machines. If the paper gets jammed, the fax document may get damaged, rendering it useless.

Such things do not happen in online faxing. The reason is there is no printing of fax as it is sent as an email attachment to your inbox. Online fax service gives you freedom from paper problems.

Saves Costs

Since faxes are sent as an email attachment, you don’t need to print it unless required. The faxes are stored as an email attachment, and you can get a print whenever needed. Also, you don’t have to keep a record of faxes received as they are always accessible through the application/web interface of the service provider.

Security

Security is a big issue connected to the traditional fax method. You always need a person to be physically present at the fax machine while sending or receiving a fax. If someone is sending a confidential document over fax, the recipient needs to be present at the fax machine to receive the fax.

With an online fax service, the faxes are sent as an email attachment, and only you have access to your email. Hence, the confidentiality of the faxed document can be easily maintained.

So do you have any questions about fax to email service?