Send & Receive a Fax
    • 08 Jan 2025
    • 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 using Dialpad without bulky fax machines. To send a fax, select the recipient, upload a file, and Dialpad will send it. Supported file types include .doc, .pdf, .jpg, and more, each under 10MB. Cover letters can be added for individual users or shared lines. Incoming faxes trigger notifications, and they can be downloaded or deleted. Email notifications for faxes can be set up. Pricing varies based on the plan and recipient. Faxing with Dialpad is HIPAA compliant. Each plan has a limit on the number of faxes and pages that can be sent. Fax timestamps are in UTC.

    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

    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

    Faxes can be sent from your direct Dialpad number, as well as from a Main Line, Department, or Contact Center.

    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

    2. Type the recipient's name or phone number

    3. Select Upload a file to send

    4. Select the file

    That’s it! Once a file is selected, Dialpad will send your 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.

    You can review your sent faxes in the Faxes tab of your Inbox

    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 (including the cover letter) must be less than 10MB.

    Using cover letters

    Want to add a cover letter to your fax? No problem!

    Cover letters can be assigned to individual users, as well as shared lines.

    Note

    Fax lines purchased before April 2023 may not support the cover page functionality. If you encounter issues uploading your fax cover sheet, please contact our Customer Care team for assistance.

    Cover letters cannot be selectively used — once uploaded, the cover letter is automatically included with the fax and adds to the page count.

    Add a cover letter for a shared line

    To add a cover letter to a shared line, head to your Dialpad Admin Settings.

    1. Select the shared line (Department or Contact Center)

    2. Select Upload fax cover sheet

    3. Select the desired cover letter

    To change the cover letter, simply upload a new file.

    Add a cover letter for an individual line

    To add a cover letter to an individual fax line, head to Your Settings.

    1. Navigate to your Fax number

    2. Select Upload fax cover sheet
      User profile settings with highlighted option to upload a fax cover sheet.

    3. Select the desired cover letter

    To change the cover letter, simply upload a new file.

    Receive a fax

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

    Select 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.
    Select Download fax to download and open your fax.

    Delete a fax

    To delete a fax,

    1. Select More actions (that's the 3 vertical dots)

    2. Select Delete

    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 Dialpad Admin Settings.

    1. Navigate to Office Settings

    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

    Your fax notifications use the same settings as your message notifications.

    To customize these for your individual line, go to your in-app settings.

    1. Navigate to Customize notifications & Sounds.

    2. Select Notifications & Sounds

      1. Check the box beside Messages

      2. Check the box beside Play a sound when new messages are received
        Dialpad app preferences showing notification settings for messages and sounds options.

    Once enabled, you’ll get an app notification and 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 varies depending on your plan, and who you're sending a fax to.

    Is the cost per page or per fax?

    Dialpad’s faxing service is built on our phone network, meaning, when we send a fax, we’re actually placing a call. Please refer to this Help Center article for details on pricing.

    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 send 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 paid Dialpad account can send up to 100 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.

    Tip

    Faxing page limits are for security and performance purposes.
    For optimal experience, it’s best to split large faxes into smaller batches of 100 pages or less.

    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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