Send & Receive a Fax
    • 23 Feb 2024
    • 4 Minutes to read
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    Send & Receive a Fax

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    Article Summary

    Internet faxes can be sent and received easily without the need for bulky fax machines. To send a fax, users can select the Fax Icon, enter the recipient's name or phone number, upload a file, and click send. Supported file types include .doc, .pdf, .ppt, .tif, .jpg, .png, .xls, .txt, .html, and .gif. When receiving a fax, users will receive a notification and can open the conversation thread to view and download the fax. Faxes can be deleted by selecting the options menu beside the fax and choosing delete. Email notifications can also be set up for receiving faxes. Dialpad offers 1000 free faxes per month with additional charges of $0.10 per domestic fax page after reaching the limit. Faxing with Dialpad is HIPAA compliant.

    Internet faxes (sometimes referred to as eFaxes) are easy! They don't require any big bulky fax machines, just a simple Dialpad fax license, and phone number.

    Let's go over how to send and receive faxes. 

    Who can use this feature

    Before you can use virtual fax, you need a fax license. Once you have a license, you (or the Admin) can add fax lines to shared lines or individual team members.

    Faxing is not available on our mobile app — you'll need to use Dialpad from a computer. 

    Send a fax

    You can send a fax from either a Main Line, Department, and Contact Center or your direct user account. If you want to send a fax from your direct line, have your Admin add a fax line to your user account.

    To send a fax:

    1.  Select the Fax Icon to open a new compose screen
    2. Type the recipient's name or phone number
    3. Click Upload a file to send
    4. Choose the file

    Once selected, the file will immediately send as a fax

    While sending, you'll see the "Pending" status under the fax icon in your conversation.

    Once successfully sent, the confirmation will change to "Status: Success" with a timestamp.

    fax_success.png

    You can also review faxes that you've sent by navigating to the Faxes tab of your Inbox 

    fax_inbox.png

    Supported file types

    Dialpad permits the following file types to be faxed: 

    • .doc and .docx
    • .pdf
    • .ppsx
    • .ppt and .pptx
    • .tif
    • .jpg and .jpeg
    • .png
    • .xls and .xlsx
    • .txt
    • .html
    • .gif

    Each file must be less than 10MB

    Receive a fax

    When someone sends you a fax, you'll receive an incoming message notification.

    Click the notification to open the conversation thread and open the fax. 

    If you miss the live notification, you'll also see the fax appear in the Unread tab of your Inbox, as well as in the Faxes tab.

    Click Download fax to download and open your fax. 

    download_fax.png

    Delete a fax

    To delete a fax click the options menu beside the fax (that's the 3 vertical dots) and select Delete.

    Delete_fax.png

    Email notifications

    Want to receive an email notification when you receive a fax? No problem! 

    Shared line fax notifications 

    To set up email notifications for shared lines, head to your Admin Settings from Dialpad.com

    1. Navigate to Office
    2. Select Main line
    3. Select Advanced Settings
    4. Navigate to Email Address
    5. Select Add an Email Address
    6. Enter the email address you want to receive notifications
    7. Select Add email

    Individual user fax notifications 

    To set up email notifications for your individual line, head to Your Settings from Dialpad.com  

    1. Select Call Handling & Voicemail
    2. Select the box beside Receive email notifications for new faxes


    Once checked, we'll send you an email (with a quick download link) every time you receive a fax.

    Frequently asked questions

    Why does my fax line have a busy tone?

    Anyone sending a fax must dial 1 before your number. Otherwise, the fax will return a busy tone and not go through. Sending a fax locally does not incur any fees (as the area code is the same).

    How much does faxing cost?

    Fax pricing does vary — with Dialpad, you get 1000 free faxes per month (this includes both inbound and outbound faxes), and once you reach your monthly limit, it costs $0.10 per domestic fax page after that. At the beginning of your next billing cycle, we'll refresh your account back to 1000 pages.

    Is the cost per page or per fax?

    Dialpad charges per page. Meaning, if you send one fax that is 8 pages long, you will be billed for 8 pages. 

    Can I send an international fax?

    Not at this time. 

    Can I send or receive a fax on my mobile device?

    Not at this time. 

    Is faxing HIPAA compliant?

    Yes, faxing with Dialpad is HIPAA compliant. 

    Can I use a number for both faxing and calling?

    No. When a number is assigned to a fax line it cannot be used for voice calls or SMS messaging.

    Can I send multiple faxes at once?

    This depends on your plan. 

    • Users on a Free Trial can send 1 fax at a time, per fax number.
    • Users on a Standard Account can send 2 faxes at a time, per fax number.
    • Users on a Pro Account can send 2 faxes at a time, per fax number.
    • Users on Enterprise Accounts can sent 10 faxes at a time, per fax number. 

    Is there a maximum number of pages I can send per fax?

    Yes, and the page limit depends on your plan. 

    • Users on a Free Trial can send up to 10 pages per fax
    • Users on a Standard Account can send up to 200 pages per fax
    • Users on a Pro Account can send up to 200 pages per fax
    • Users on Enterprise Accounts can send up to 250 pages per fax

    Remember, each file must be less than 10MB, so depending on your file size, you may not be able to send the maximum number of pages per fax.

    Why doesn't the fax timestamp match my timezone?

    The timestamp of a fax is noted in UTC. This is to avoid confusion and misinterpretation from the recipient of our fax messages (Dialpad to Non-Dialpad fax line).

    Currently, you cannot change the fax timezone, but stay tuned, it's coming soon! 

    Want to learn more?
    Check out Dialpad University's free courses covering our products and services, as well as insightful tips and best practices.

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