Can You Fax a Test? Sure. Comply with These Steps to Do it Safely

There are most likely a dozen methods of sending cash which can be simpler than faxing a examine. Even so, it’s nonetheless doable and authorized to ship a examine with fax — and also you would possibly end up in a scenario the place it’s your solely alternative.

In the event you ever must fax a examine, it’s necessary to comply with just a few steps to ensure it’ll work correctly and that you simply’re doing it securely.

What to know earlier than you fax a examine

Most individuals moved on from faxing, however the know-how nonetheless works, and it’s nonetheless round.

Some companies (usually in extremely regulated markets) and a few authorities businesses nonetheless depend on the power to work with faxed checks. There are people preferring faxing checks when they should pay a enterprise with a examine by a sure deadline and wouldn’t be capable to mail it in time.

Since a fax goes via immediately, it may assist prevent from late charges if you end up in that unlikely scenario. Moreover, faxing a examine can also be safe as a result of it leaves a paper path so that you can show that you simply despatched within the examine by a sure date.

Earlier than you fax a examine, there are some things you need to do first to make sure it goes effectively.

• Affirm that the enterprise accepts checks. Generally, for those who’re faxing a examine to companies, it’s as a result of they’ve particularly requested you to take action; in the event that they haven’t, double-check earlier than you ship a faxed examine that gained’t be accepted.
• Make a photocopy of your examine. Most fax machines require full-sized paper to ship faxes, so a examine is more likely to be too small to place via the machine. Make a duplicate of the examine first on printer paper, and maintain onto the unique.
• Discover a fax machine or an internet fax service. You possibly can ship faxes with nearly any laptop or cellphone for those who use an internet fax service, or you possibly can go to a print store or UPS retailer to make use of an analog fax machine. You probably have your individual Multi-Operate Printer (MFP) at house, you would possibly be capable to ship a fax utilizing that.
• Draft a fax cowl sheet. Faxes want cowl sheets so the recipient is aware of what they’re getting. Write that you simply’re sending a examine for a certain quantity and embrace the explanation you’re sending the examine—for example, “Fee for account 123.”
• Fill out the examine memo. This may also be, “Fee for account 123,” or no matter the reason being that you simply’re sending the examine. This goes within the memo discipline of the examine itself.
• Preserve the corporate’s contact info shut by. You’ll clearly want the fax quantity, however you’ll additionally need to comply with up with the enterprise through cellphone or e mail as quickly as you ship the fax to ensure it went via.

Concentrate on the potential safety points with on-line faxing, and take steps to mitigate them. Whereas most cloud faxing companies are extremely safe, it’s price taking the time to ensure the service you select is respected and has safety safeguards in place.

For optimum safety, search for companies which have been round for some time, in addition to these which can be designed to adjust to business laws like HIPAA. When you aren’t more likely to be sending any healthcare info alongside together with your examine, merely complying with these sorts of regulatory measures is an effective indication that it’s safe sufficient to cowl monetary issues as effectively.

What’s one of the best ways to fax a examine?

You possibly can both ship a fax the old school approach by utilizing an analog fax machine, or you need to use an online fax service.

Most individuals choose to make use of an internet fax service lately due to the comfort and lack of {hardware}. I do know I do. For instance, on-line choices permit you to ship a fax out of your iPhone or Android. That’s normally much more handy than monitoring down a fax machine or ordering a fax modem to allow your laptop to ship faxes.

On-line fax companies are typically very safe — particularly for those who’re utilizing one which’s been designed for sending monetary, authorized, or healthcare paperwork. They’re typically very low-cost, too, with a variety of costs based mostly on the quantity of paperwork it is advisable to ship.

Moreover, on-line fax companies permit you to ship and obtain faxes from wherever, and with out having to pay for a fax machine, paper, or ink toner. The entire course of is extra much like sending a scan through e mail than the normal means of sending a fax — you simply kind in a cellphone quantity as an alternative of an e mail deal with.

In the event you’re working with a enterprise that requires you to ship faxes through an analog machine within the first place, then there’s not a lot you are able to do about that. In the end, you will have to fax utilizing the popular methodology of the particular person or enterprise you’re sending the examine to.

Find out how to fax a examine utilizing an internet service

Sending utilizing a superb on-line fax service is simple. There are a variety of simply accessible, low-cost fax companies obtainable on-line, from fundamental companies that ship easy faxes to extra complicated companies with superior safety, fax historical past, e mail notifications, and extra.

You don’t want a landline to ship faxes with an internet service. You simply want an web connection, the fax supplier will host all the normal infrastructure required to ship and obtain faxes.

If you’re utilizing a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) cellphone service, your supplier might provide on-line fax options you need to use straight away with out having to join something new. Keep in mind, fax is a separate service from VoIP — not each supplier provides it, and fax could also be an add-on service.

DOWNLOAD this VoIP Options Function Comparability from TechRepublic Premium

Whereas the precise steps for sending a fax utilizing an internet service will differ relying on the service you select, the steps will typically be the identical.

Step 1: Get your documentation within the correct format

Whereas a conventional fax machine works like a copier or top-feed printer that requires you to place a doc right into a machine which then scans and spits it out the opposite facet, an internet fax service requires you to scan or take an image of your paperwork together with your cellphone.

The actual on-line fax service you’re utilizing will specify which format your paperwork have to be in. Some distributors assist a variety of file varieties and sizes, whereas others are extra restricted. When unsure, use PDF.

If the recipient requires a fax cowl sheet, remember to embrace one. It solely takes just a few seconds. Be at liberty to make use of a fax cover sheet template.

Step 2: Enter the fax quantity and hit ship

This normally occurs on the subsequent display screen, and also you’ll kind within the fax variety of the enterprise or particular person you’re sending the fax to on a quantity pad, identical to you do if you’re about to make a cellphone name.

Be sure you add any extensions or nation codes for those who’re sending a fax outdoors of the U.S.

After you have reviewed all of the essential particulars. Hit ship. Your examine is on the way in which.

Step 3: Affirm your examine was faxed

Most fax companies will robotically present you a affirmation web page as soon as your fax has been despatched, however typically you could must request this relying on the service or the way in which the settings are configured together with your on-line fax service.

Both approach, you need to get this affirmation and comply with up with the enterprise to ensure not solely that the fax you despatched was obtained, but additionally that they’ll clearly learn the account and routing numbers on the examine.

Find out how to fax a examine utilizing conventional fax

It’s nonetheless doable to ship a examine utilizing a conventional fax machine, and a few companies nonetheless require you to do it this fashion. The method is similar to sending an internet fax, with just a few notable changes.

Step 1: Discover a fax machine

In the event you don’t have a fax machine at your own home or workplace, you possibly can usually discover one in co-working areas, workplace shops, and public libraries. UPS, FedEx, and different print & ship shops usually have public fax machines. If it is advisable to discover a place to photocopy your examine, this is usually a good guess, too.

Faxing delicate info, like a examine, over a public community has its dangers. If something rubs you the flawed approach in regards to the co-space fax machine, for instance, it is perhaps higher to make use of UPS as a result of you realize the corporate has invested closely in community safety.

Step 2: Place fax paperwork within the feeder on the high of the machine

After you find a fax machine, place your paperwork — together with your cowl sheet, the photocopy of your examine, and anything it is advisable to ship — face up within the doc feeder on the highest of the machine.

The machine ought to have an icon exhibiting you which of them approach is up, however for those who’re undecided, ask the one who owns the machine or check with the guide; oherwise, you could possibly find yourself sending a clean fax.

Step 3: Enter the fax quantity and hit ship

Fax machines have quantity pads like conventional landline telephones, so use that to kind within the variety of the particular person or enterprise you’re sending the fax to. Once more, remember to add on any extensions or nation codes as wanted.

As soon as you’re completely satisfied the whole lot is right, hit ship. On most machines, this appears like an enormous inexperienced button, and it normally says “Ship” or “Begin” on it.

Step 4: Get the affirmation web page or examine the fax log

Most fax machines will robotically print out a affirmation web page after your fax goes via, but when the one you’re utilizing doesn’t, you could must examine the fax log. The machine ought to hold a document of all of the faxes it’s despatched and obtained, and you may usually get the machine to print out a duplicate of that log so you could have a paper path.

Be sure to comply with up with the enterprise to ensure your fax has gone via and is legible on their finish. One other good concept is to be sure that the particular person or enterprise you’re sending the fax to is aware of it’s coming, to allow them to be looking out to your fax and never go away it sitting within the machine for nosy individuals to go snooping.