Electronic fax, commonly known as e-fax, digital fax or online faxing, is a relatively new form of sending sensitive data through an internet connection without a fax machine.
As technology advances, fax machine usage has dropped with the rise of electronic fax services.
An e-faxing service is built to allow individuals and organisations to continue to use the function of a fax machine and have all the features integrated with online technology. Due to being hosted online, e-faxing services are also readily accessible to anyone who needs to send a fax.
Do you want to implement e-faxing in your business? Already use fax but want to move online? Here’s everything you need to know about e-fax, how to send one and why it’s still being used today.
How do you send an e-fax?
Sending an electronic fax is easy with GoFax. We offer multiple options that are based on your preferences.
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Web browser – you can send an e–fax by opening up your web browser to access the GoFax dashboard. Once you login, you can start sending e–fax straight away. The GoFax dashboard is compatible on any web browser including Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.
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Email – no matter what email client you use, you can easily send a –fax quickly and conveniently through email. All you need to do is compose a new message, attach a file containing your fax and send the email to your intended recipients’ fax number.
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App – constantly on the move? You can download a simple GoFax app to manage your fax communications across any device, anywhere.
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API – looking to integrate e–fax in your business? Our API provides you with the ability to merge our e–fax service with your existing software.
How do you receive an e–fax?
To receive an e–fax, you will need a fax number. All of our receive fax plans come with free fax number rental. This means you can choose a new fax number to receive e–faxes straight to your GoFax dashboard or direct to your email client and more. The receive fax plan you choose will determine if you can keep your fax number and port it away in the future.
If you already have a fax number, we provide the option to transfer it online so you can continue to receive faxes without the hassle of changing numbers.
What is e–faxing used for?
E–faxing is used across a wide range of industries worldwide including finance, Government, healthcare and legal. These industries rely on fax as a secure method of sending sensitive and confidential data between clients, patients and customers. E–faxing can be used to send documents including (but not limited to):
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Why e–faxing over other communication methods?
Although email was introduced before electronic fax in 1971, organisations that implemented fax in their business back when the fax machine was popular still rely on this method of document transfer in their everyday business communications.
In a 2019 ABC news article The history of the fax machine (and why it’s not dead yet) Historian Jonathan Coopersmith says that “Overall as email and other digital communications improve, fax use has faded, but in some countries fax usage seems to be holding steady.”
“It seems counterintuitive because we have email, we have the worldwide web, but people are still using the fax machine and businesses are still finding it useful.”
Some major benefits to using e–faxing over other communication methods include:
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E–faxing has multiple layers of encryption and follows strict security protocols
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Email is vulnerable to dangerous attachments such as spyware and can be used to conduct scams like phishing
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Documents sent by fax are considered by many industries and organisations to be legally binding, rather than documents that are sent via email
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You can send and receive an e-fax multiple ways
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It allows for a number of different file types to be transferred through the platform, including PDF, JPG, PNG and more.
GoFax: Australia’s premium electronic fax service
If fax is already integrated into your organisation, don’t be afraid to make the move to an online fax method. At GoFax, we’re committed to ensuring your transition to an online fax service is as seamless as possible. Our Australian-based support team is here to help you make the switch. Get in touch with our team today to find out more, or signup to start faxing today.
