Fax Server Software

Businesses are continually looking for ways to improve the fax service to improve processes such as customer invoicing and customer experience. Using a fax machine burdens them with the manual tasks of printing and faxing, managing paper and consumables, and maintaining equipment.

Fax server software is an easy and convenient way for organizations looking for a solution that is easy to set up and flexible enough to satisfy changing needs. The software performs the same function as a fax machine, i.e. sending and receiving documents through a fax number.

Here's what we'll cover:

• What is fax server software?
• Common features of fax server software
• What type of buyer are you?
• Benefits of fax server software
• Fax server software pricing
• Key considerations

What is fax server software?

Fax server software is an online tool that enables users to send and receive scanned documents as fax messages by allowing a computer and scanner to effectively imitate a dedicated fax machine. The fax messages can be stored as PDFs, spreadsheets, etc.

The software helps businesses reduce communication costs and streamline process workflows.

For example, the software can automatically send invoices and purchase orders to customers and suppliers at set times.

Electronic faxes in Cocofax (Source)

Common features of fax server software

Each vendor offers a unique mix of features, however, there are some common features in all fax software solutions.

Electronic faxes	Create, edit, preview, and send faxes electronically.
Delivery tracking	Track the delivery of outgoing faxes through notifications, statuses, etc.
Archiving and retention	Archive and store data that is not actively used or retain the data for compliance purposes.
Fax to email	Send and receive faxes directly in the email using a fax number.
Encryption	Convert fax messages into a code while transmitting for data security.
Whitelisting/blacklisting	Control system access and deliverability for applications and fax addresses.

What type of buyer are you?

Before purchasing a fax server solution, you should assess what kind of buyer you are and what are your requirements. The majority of use cases fall into one of these categories:

• For personal use: If you expect limited fax traffic, you might want to opt for a tool with a simple user interface and basic functionalities without having to worry about its IT integration capabilities.
• For business use: If you are a business owner, you will have to come up with a monthly estimate of faxing requirements such as the number of incoming and outgoing faxes. Also, if you run a business that is tightly regulated, such as a medical practice, it would benefit you to consider a software system with stringent data security measures.

Benefits of fax server software

Here are the biggest benefits you will see from using online fax software in your organization:

• Reduced operational costs: One of the most-recommended reasons to adopt fax server software is to reduce office costs. Regular maintenance, ink and toner costs, and dips in productivity as employees stand around a machine while they send or wait to receive faxes are eliminated when the entire process is done online from a computer or mobile device.
• Regulatory compliance: Fax server software allows to store sent and received faxes online. This is important for businesses wherein regulatory guidelines require storing messages digitally instead of printing them as documents and storing in cabinets.

Fax server software pricing

Fax server software is usually priced based on the number of pages you need to send or receive every month. The more the number of pages and the greater the depth of functionality, the higher the price.

Many vendors offer tiered pricing plans. With the first, most basic tier, buyers might pay a monthly fee to access basic functionality and services.

As the price scales up, buyers can add more functionality to the system. These additional capabilities might include fax numbers, email to fax option, and developer APIs with dedicated account managers for support.

Monthly subscription pricing is more common with fax server software (where the software is accessed via Web browser). However, if you don't have high-volume needs, a pay-per-use model may be the cost-effective choice. In such a setup, users are generally allowed only to send faxes and are charged for each page transmitted through the software.

Key considerations

With so many options and feature sets to choose from, selecting the right fax server software can quickly become an overwhelming task. To narrow the search list, here are three key factors to keep in mind when you evaluate different products:

• System complexity and ease of use: Without an easy-to-understand interface of the fax server software, users might not be able to follow the status of their requests (such as if faxes were sent in the right file format or if they were sent to the right recipient), which defeats the purpose of having a software system in place. Therefore, businesses should pay particular attention to ease-of-use while they evaluate options. They should consider solutions with smart and intuitive interfaces. They can also take advantage of the demos and trials offered by vendors to get a real sense of how user-friendly the system is.
• Compatibility with existing IT infrastructure: Businesses should consider fax server software that integrates with the programs they already use. For instance, integration with email clients such as Outlook and Gmail will make it much easier to import contacts and conversations into the new fax solution. It also allows employees to continue using the programs they’re comfortable with while ensuring the contact list remains comprehensive and up-to-date.
• Electronic signature capabilities: Sometimes digital faxes need to be signed before they can be sent. Being able to sign faxes electronically allows users to add legally binding signatures to documents without the need to print or scan paper copies.

Note: The applications selected in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.