Frequently asked Questions - Fax Server

What is FaxFacts?
FaxFacts comprises a family of enhanced fax software applications designed to keep facsimile communication current and effective for business. FaxFacts Server sets up outbound and inbound faxing from networked workstations. FaxFacts Fax-on-Demand creates a virtual library of documents your customers can download to a fax machine any time, day or night. This document contains frequently asked questions about FaxFacts Server. For frequently asked questions about FaxFacts Fax-on-Demand, call 888-332-6742 and request Document 88012.

FaxFacts Fax Server sets up fax capabilities at each workstation on a network. That means each workstation can send and receive faxes to or from any fax machine in the world, 24-hours per day. Users can have incoming faxes directed to a printer, a mailbox, or an e-mail address. FaxFacts Fax Server resides on a dedicated workstation, operating from Windows NT operating system. It uses high-end fax boards that reside on the server workstation. Because FaxFacts is not installed on the network file server, it can process faxes quickly and efficiently without straining other network applications. Features of FaxFacts Server include Fax From Windows, Fax Mail, Fax Tracking (Status), and Broadcast. Mail Merge to Fax and Graphical Cover Sheets are optional.

Questions

1. What hardware is required for FaxFacts Server?
2. What are the benefits of using a fax server over a fax machine?
3. What makes FaxFacts Server the best fax server package on the market?
4. How does FaxFacts send a fax?
5. What are some features of FaxFacts that streamline the transmission process?
6. Does FaxFacts include phone books for storing fax numbers?
7. How many fax/phone lines does my office need?
8. What is FaxFacts Fax Mail?
9. How does the Mail Merge to Fax feature work?
10. What is X/Mail?

What hardware is required for FaxFacts Server?
FaxFacts Server requires a fax board and a dedicated Pentium or higher PC with 32 MB RAM available (Graphical Coversheet and Mail Merge will require more memory). Copia can supply fax boards and the necessary software. FaxFacts integrates with most high-end fax boards like Brooktrout, Commetrex, Dialogic and GammaFax. Is FaxFacts Server a Windows application? Yes. The FaxFacts server needs a Windows NT (server or workstation, (4.0, 2000)) operating system. Client workstations need a Windows platform (3.x, 95, or NT (4.0, 2000)) to operate. Windows NT is the preferred solution when the FaxFacts server will operate as a stand-alone island and not part of a network.

What are the benefits of using a fax server over a fax machine?

• For companies that fax more than five or six pages per hour, on average, the dollar savings in terms of employee and phone time saved are tremendous. Faxing documents with FaxFacts Server is significantly faster than using a manual fax machine because the phone connections are more reliable, FaxFacts can direct the transmission to a free phone line, and the queue system will automatically fax the entire document according to the priority the sender assigns it.
• Fax capability at workstations eliminates trips to the fax machine, manually feeding pages, and resending failures.
• A Status utility tracks faxes to tell you if faxes complete or fail so you don't have to call and say "Did you get it?"
• Incoming faxes are routed directly to a general mailbox on the network. This saves paper, and offers more confidentiality.
• Faxes can be manually routed to individual mailboxes and users alerted that faxes are waiting
• Sending one document to a large number of people can be done quickly from a workstation.

What makes FaxFacts Server the best fax server package on the market?

• Copia's FaxFacts Server software has unique features that other fax servers do not.
• The system is open, inviting customization. Users (or Copia) can tweak the program to meet individual needs.
• FaxFacts Server was designed as a team player in terms of integrating with network modules and office systems. It runs on its own-networked workstation. This arrangement serves two purposes. First, it eliminates network overload and complexity. Second, it allows unlimited expansion of the FaxFacts Server. Users can band CPU's together to build ever-larger FaxFacts systems. Using 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, or 24 line fax boards you can drive 2 to 96 lines per CPU.
• Features like Fax From Windows, FaxMail, Graphical Cover Sheets, Fax Status (Tracking), and Broadcast address nearly every faxing need that arises.
• Our patented Mail Merge to Fax module is one of the most exciting modules available for FaxFacts Fax Server. Other products on the market offer bulk faxing, but Copia's Mail Merge to Fax launches "fax merges" from any word processing program that supports mail merge. Personalizing faxes will encourage customers to read them.
• Operating in a Windows environment, FaxFacts Server uses intuitive icons and dialog boxes that guide you easily through tasks. On-line help is also available at each screen.

How does FaxFacts send a fax?
Once a file is created (in a word processing program, for example), the user "prints" the file using the FaxFacts on Fax print driver. (After you install the FaxFacts software, FaxFacts on Fax will be an option in your Print menu.) A dialog box appears for the recipient's name, fax number, any attachments, and a cover sheet. Click once on the Continue button and the file is forwarded over the network to the fax server and formatted as a Fax Send (.FS) file. The fax is then forwarded to the fax queue where it is transmitted over the next free fax line. FaxFacts Status tracks the transmission and confirms the transmission completed.

What are some features of FaxFacts that streamline the transmission process?
When sending a fax you can define a time and day for transmission. This feature saves you money by sending long distance faxes in the evening when phone rates are lower. FaxFacts can be configured to redial unanswered phone lines and you determine the frequency (every one-minute or every five minutes). The FaxFacts' Intelligent Retry feature can detect if a fax was interrupted mid-call and resend only the missed pages.

Does FaxFacts include phone books for storing fax numbers?
Yes, FaxFacts includes easy to setup phone books that can hold as many entries as you need. You can also create as many different phone books as necessary. FaxFacts can access any xBASE database application for data groups to use as phone book entries, eliminating the need to manually re-enter names and numbers. It can also import and convert database files from Microsoft Access and other database packages. When phone books are created they can be designated public or private, limiting or allowing access.

How many fax/phone lines does my office need?
Estimate conservatively that it takes one minute to fax one page of a document and the average fax document is four pages long. If you fax 30 pages per hour, the fax/phone line will be tied up for 30 minutes, refusing incoming faxes and outbound faxes from other workstations. Two fax/phone lines will be tied up for only 15 minutes. Broadcasting documents will keep the lines busy, as well, however with FaxFacts priority software you can send broadcasts at night when line activity is lower.

What is FaxFacts FaxMail?
FaxFacts FaxMail creates a virtual mailbox where all incoming faxes are delivered. From this mailbox, faxes are manually routed to other mailboxes or a specific printer. You can read faxes in mailboxes with the FaxFacts Viewer before printing or forwarding them. With Direct Inward Dial, DTMF (reading the last four digits of the fax number), or OCR (reading specific characters on the cover sheet) FaxFacts FaxMail can deliver faxes directly to specific workstations, bypassing the main mailbox. Direct Inward Dial is the most effective means of delivering faxes to individual boxes.

How does the Mail Merge to Fax feature work?
Mail Merge to Fax takes a mail merge operation and actually broadcasts the merged documents over fax lines to a specified list of customers. By simply adding one to three merge fields to the original data file, FaxFacts Mail Merge to Fax automates dispensing the mail merge, even attaching additional documents to each fax. This eliminates the time and money spent on printing, stuffing envelopes, and postage. Copia has a patent-pending on this exciting technology, so it is not available on other fax server products.

What is X/Mail?
X/Mail allows Exchange users to have a universal outbox for their Exchange address books. Internet and enterprise e-mail is supported transparently using existing Exchange services. How many telephone lines can FaxFacts Server support? Copia's software could support 9,999 phone lines. However, computers are limited in the number of fax boards they can accommodate. Copia can accommodate up to 96 lines in one mid-tower computer. These computers may be networked to support all 9,999 lines if necessary.

Back to top