Find Missing Faxes in 3 Quick Steps

3 Steps to Track Missing Faxes

In the days when faxes were received on a traditional fax machine or fax server, then printed directly to paper, you could know for sure it was received. However, the world of fax machines and fax servers has merged with the digital computer world creating much more efficient online fax sending and receiving, it now integrates with mobile devices, phones, desktop and laptop computers.

Online Faxing, can be accessed from many sources, an office phone system, online fax service provider, virtual office services, local phone company, and through internet service providers. We still tend to think of fax as machine to machine, not realizing it can pass through other services before reaching the target. So, that fax you just sent could be delivered by a hundred different services, using email, ftp, fax machine, fax server, internet folder, etc. 

Now, if the recipient says it didn't arrive, but we know it was sent. Where could it go?
These 3 Steps will help you find that missing fax and diagnose the source of the problem.

FIRST STEP: Find out How Faxes Arrive at the Recipient?
Ask the recipient how they receive faxes?
    Is it an Online Faxing service?
    Is it by a fax server?
    A fax machine?
    From the in-house phone system?
    Is it from a hosted phone service/system?
    Does it arrive in email?

SECOND STEP: Here are suggestions to check if faxes are captured by in-house equipment.
If they use a fax machine have them check if it is working properly?
    Start by printing the machine log report looking for the senders fax number?
    Does it have paper, ink or show any error message on the display?
If they use a fax server have them check with the company computer support person, is it working properly?
If the faxes are handled by there in-office phone system they need to check with the telephony support person, is it working?

THIRD STEP: Here are things to check if faxes are captured by outside or hosted services.
If the faxes are processed by a hosted (out of the office) phone system, Online Faxing service, virtual office, hosted telephone number provider, etc, they need to check with the service, there could be a problem with the service provider? Normally faxes are delivered by email from a service provider and 99% of the time email is the weakest link in receiving faxes.

Be sure to check your junk email or spam folder of the computer you are using in case a spam software update now views those critical faxes as junk.

As always happy Online Faxing!