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  Frequently asked Questions - Fax-On-Demand  

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 Fax-on-Demand. For frequently asked questions about FaxFacts Fax Server, call 888-332-6742 and request Document 88011.

FaxFacts Fax-on-Demand
Fax-on-Demand is an automated fax attendant system that dispenses pre-formatted documents in response to telephone requests. Callers can reach Fax-on-Demand by regular telephone or fax phone and then respond to voice prompts by entering alpha or numeric responses to a telephone keypad. Fax-on-Demand configurations vary depending on the needs of the buyer. A special credit-card approval option provides the necessary procedures to verify credit card charges when callers are charged for documents. The system can also be configured to recognize handwritten characters and bubbles on faxed-in forms. Fax-on-Demand includes Voice Broadcast, a collection of voice scripts designed to call a number and play a message.

What hardware is required for Fax-on-Demand?
Fax-on-Demand requires fax and voice boards, FaxFacts software, and a dedicated Pentium II or higher PC with 32 MB RAM. Copia can supply fax boards, voice boards, and the necessary software. FaxFacts integrates with most high-end fax/voice boards, including Brooktrout, Commetrex, Dialogic, and GammaFax,

Is FaxFacts a Windows application?
FaxFacts operates from a Windows NT platform, which is the preferred solution when FaxFacts is not running as part of a network. Client workstations can run on Windows®3.1, Windows® NT, Windows® 2000, or Windows® 95/98.

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 can Fax-on-Demand do for my company?
Automation is key to Copia's Fax-on-Demand value. This system allows your clients and sales force to access up-to-date company and product information twenty-four hours a day. It's easier for customers to make purchasing decisions and for sales people to make sales when they can access documents quickly. Dispensing information with Fax-on-Demand increases a company's technological prestige. Conversely, it also confirms the time-tested business adage of "doing more without spending more." Once the system is in place, it is low maintenance and can perform tasks previously requiring someone's full-time attention.

What are some examples of how Fax-on-Demand is used?
Medical associations post literature on medical conditions and treatments for patients and health professionals to download. Government agencies post documents of consumer interest on Fax-on-Demand. A consumer research company posts product evaluations and charges the customer for each report using Copia's Credit Card feature.

Who pays for the call when faxes are transmitted from Fax-on-Demand?
There are two ways you can set up Fax-on-Demand transmissions. One-call transmissions are the most economical for your company because the customer/user dials in from a fax machine and the requested document is delivered on the same call. The company doesn't pay for the cost of the call. If Fax-on-Demand is configured for two-call, customers/users dial in from a telephone and enter their fax number to the telephone keypad. Because Fax-on-Demand is sending the fax on a second call (by calling back the fax number), the company pays for that call. But two-way calls also may be restricted by area code, automatic call routing, time of day (sending faxes when phone rates are low), or simply limiting the number of document requests.

How many documents will fit onto the Fax-on-Demand system?
A base system of Fax-on-Demand can accommodate up to 99,999,998 documents. More documents can be added easily with custom configuration or additional software.

How are documents organized?
Documents available for FaxFacts Fax-on-Demand are stored in an Image Catalog and are referred to as images. Images are grouped into logical directories so the system can locate the image. Directories can reside on local or network drives.

How are documents placed in the image catalog?
Documents in the image catalog have been specially formatted and are fax ready. When you want to put a document in the Image Catalog, follow these steps:

  1. Open document
  2. Choose FaxFacts on Fax as the selected Printer
  3. Print, then click on Image Catalog
  4. You will then be prompted for a document number. Any eight-character alphanumeric will do. If you don't use 8 characters, FaxFacts will add leading zeros.

How do I advertise document numbers to my clients?
The system administrator usually assigns image numbers as documents are posted to the catalog. Sometimes the image number can be correlated to the product, like part numbers or catalog numbers. Once numbers are assigned, they can be referenced in catalogs, advertisements, direct mail, and other company documents. Or the system administrator can assign one image number that accesses a directory (catalog) of all available image numbers. The caller downloads the directory and calls back with the necessary image number.

How many telephone lines can Fax-on-Demand support?
Copia's software could support 9,999 phone lines. However, computers are limited in the number of fax and voice boards they can accommodate. Most CPU's have slot space for three to six boards, voice or fax. FaxFacts can currently accommodate up to 72 lines in one CPU.

How are documents posted to Fax-on-Demand?
There are a few ways to post documents, but the easiest is to "print" documents using the FFWIN print driver in Fax from Windows. Choose FaxFacts on Fax from the Print menu in any Windows application and the open file can be placed into the image catalog used by Fax-on-Demand. There are other ways of posting documents to a Fax-on-Demand system:

  • Fax the document into the FaxFacts system. This is called "remote image update."
  • Convert Postscript files to fax image files.
  • Scan images into a graphical format file and convert them to fax format.
  • Fax ASCII files with FaxFacts utilities
  • Use FFMERGE from Mail Merge to Fax print directly to the image catalog.

How much disk storage is needed per document?
One fax page in fine resolution (203 dpi x 192 dpi) takes up 50 - 120 KB of space. One second of recorded speech requires 8 KB. Conservatively, companies should allow 1 MB for every 8 to 12 pages of fax images, including some voice response.

How does the voice feature of Fax-on-Demand work?
Fax-on-Demand comes with over 70 pre-recorded voice prompts. You can also record your own prompts or hire a professional announcer to record new messages (Copia recommends one for you in the User Manual). Recording your own messages is easy. Call the FaxFacts phone number and select a special infobox number and begin recording messages. You can play back messages and re-record them. Pre-recorded voice prompts are even available in a number of different languages. You can advertise a separate telephone number for each language, or prompt the caller to choose one at the beginning of the call. There is no limit to the levels of voice menus you can have, but surveys have shown users prefer fewer menus so they have more direct access to the documents they want.

How can I keep track of who uses my system?
Using the utility FFREPORTS, Fax-on-Demand creates reports (40 to choose from) in a dBASE format. In these reports you can find out who has used your system, the documents they request, and the originating phone or fax number. The system can also request and record caller information such as name, company, and location, or provide a form that can be downloaded by the caller.

What if I need to charge callers for the documents available through my Fax-on-Demand system?
Copia's Credit Card Charge option allows callers to enter a credit card number, after which the program solicits bank approval for the purchase. This application requires a dedicated computer terminal for the process of securing bank approval.

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Copia International Ltd.
1220 Iroquois Drive
Naperville, IL 60563

800-689-8898 (Sales)
630-388-6900 (Main Number)
630-388-6964 (Technical Support)
630-778-8848 (Fax)
888-FFCOPIA (Fax-on-Demand) or 888-332-6742

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