Although the death of faxing has been documented in several articles, this technology is still very relevant and valuable, especially in sending vital information between organizations. To remain beneficial in the digital world, faxing has evolved from traditional telecommunication to using the internet, also known as fax online.
Traditionally, both parties had to have a fax machine to communicate. The machines communicated using phone lines where the sending fax machine would scan a document and convert it into a binary code. It would then send the binary codes to the receiving fax through the phone line, and the receiver would print the document to access the information.
The process involves a lot of printing, which exposes the company’s documents to security risks. Business plans, contracts, and other valuable documents should only be handled by authorized personnel. Moreover, when in print form, the files could easily land in the hands of curious employees and other unwarranted people. Online faxing was introduced to the market as a secure way of sending a fax to avert the risk of the documents falling into the wrong hands.
This article will explore online faxing, why it’s secure, and how to do it.
What Is Online Faxing?
Online faxing uses the internet to send and receive a fax. Unlike traditional faxing, you don’t have to own a fax machine; you can communicate using this technology with a combination of an internet connection, a computer, and an online faxing service. You can send online faxes through the following channels:
- Android devices
- IOS devices
- Google Drive and
- Microsoft Word
You’re probably wondering, why not just use an email? For starters, note that faxing is used more in the corporate world than for personal and social communication. While it would be easy to send a quick email to a friend who isn’t on social, corporate communication requires more sophisticated features and protocols.
Faxing offers a combination of robust features that can’t be enjoyed using email. These features include legal protocols that must be followed, speed of communication, and security.
Unlike fax, an email is always at risk of cybersecurity attacks. For example, anyone could forge a job interview email from an organization and send it to you for extortion. Additionally, an email can be hacked easily, exposing a company’s information that could lead to its downfall. It’s for this reason that companies prefer online faxing to using emails.
Now that you know why faxing is a better alternative to email, here’s how to send a secure fax:
Step 1: Select An Online Fax Service Provider
Many companies offer online fax services. Select one that suits your needs and sign up on the platform.
Step 2: Log In To The Platform
Log in to the platform and access the dashboard. On the dashboard, select Send fax.
Step 3: Fill Out The Recipient Information
Enter the recipient’s information, such as the fax number, while considering the area code. Fill out the subject of communication and start writing your cover page information in the message field.
Step 4: Upload The Document
After you’re done with the cover page, upload your documents. Different service providers offer varying attachment capacities. Similarly, fax service providers accept different types of documents, such as spreadsheets, PDFs, and DOCX files, while others are limited to one or two.
Step 5: Preview The Fax and Click Send
Review the information you have filled in the different sections. Once you’re sure they communicate your intended information, click send. The other party will receive the fax shortly.
How To Send Fax Using Email
While the steps above are the standard procedure for sending online faxes, organizations, and individuals have also diversified into sending a fax by email. If you’d like to send a fax by email, the following steps will guide you:
- Open your email platform of choice, for example, Gmail or Outlook.
- On the recipient’s section, add the recipient’s fax number followed by the domain of the fax online service provider (e.g., [email protected]). In this case, the number is the recipient’s fax number, and the domain represents your service provider Brisk Fax. Please note that Brisk Fax is only an example. It’s otherwise a nonexistent company.
- Create a subject line for your email and proceed with the body. You can also have a cover letter depending on the nature of your communication.
- When you’re done with the body, attach your documents and send the email.
- Your recipients will receive the fax email.
With the two procedures highlighted above, you can now send virtual faxes using your device of choice.
Conclusion
Faxing is still a means of communication in today’s world. However, online faxing has advanced features as compared to traditional faxing. As such, it is the only sure way to send faxes securely. Although online faxing provides you with different channels of transmitting information, the two standard procedures in this article will help you navigate any channel presented to you.
