What is a FAX Server?

Remember the paper FAX machine?

Back in the day, when you wanted to send information to a colleague across town either you, or an office assistant, took the crisp white sheet to the FAX machine, punched in a phone number and pushed SEND.

Now, telecom systems enable desktop computers to communicate to FAX servers, so digital FAX transmissions can appear on the receiving end, just like their paper parents did.

From PDF conversions to PowerPoint displays, sending a FAX is like using a FAX modem. Modems typically worked from one centralized location, but with digital FAX services residing on PCs, anyone can send a FAX message at any time.

The server may sit on a desktop, or it may be located in an IT department, or it could be housed in a facility across the country. The FAX server dials the destination phone number and sends the transmission. Simple.

Digital FAX transmissions can be stacked on a server for later use. Servers can be used to run activity reports for a specified time period. Reports can be set to run from a specific PC, or to capture any number you need further information regarding, so an electronic paper trail can be established and printed when it’s needed.

Direct Inward Dialed (DID) FAX transmissions can be sent to a specific phone number for distribution based on the number dialed.

For example: Sam Smith of XYZ Co. needs to send a purchase order for widgets.

Sam sends his FAX order to ABC Inc. and because Sam is typically placing orders, his number is correctly routed to the sales department at ABC.

And because sales has Sam’s account information, and knows he needs his widget order quickly, the order comes through as an email to Sally. Since Sally is the account representative for Sam’s company, she sends out the widgets, pronto.

But when Sam has a question about how the new feature on his latest widget order works, he can FAX that request to engineering. Tony in engineering can receive this request, and by double clicking on the sending FAX number, Tony can immediately respond to Sam.