Chapter 11: The Fax Box
Note: Faxing is an optional feature and requires an additional software/hardware purchase. See the Add-on Modules section for FaxTalker for more specifics and overall operation of faxing. The Fax option utilizes information in the \winnt\stplus.ini file, the fax box, and the section under Maintain, Fax Info. The FaxTalker section will give you specific information required. If you purchased the FaxTalker software, the enablement has been included in your package.
Box Number
If you do not select a box number when creating a new box, the system will generate a number of its own when a new box is created. When you create a new box you can select any number or range of numbers for you new box(es) between 0 and 999,999,999 as long as those numbers are not used by existing boxes on your system. If you try to create a box with the same number as an existing box you will get the error message that states that the box number you have chosen is a duplicate, invalid, or out of range. You may need to review existing box numbers by using the Box Finder Icon (Magnifying Glass) to find all box numbers in use on your system.
Box Name
You may give each Fax Box a name in the Box Name field. Boxes can later be found by information you enter in the Box Name field.
Client
Each box belongs to a Client that you have defined using a Client Box. If you are the system supervisor you will be the only Client, and you are Client O by default. Each Client has a password which allows the Client to remotely access and modify all of the boxes which it controls. If you wish to assign a box to a different Client, double-click on the Client Number field and the Client Finder screen will appear. This window will display a list of the Clients currently defined on your system. Double-click the Client you would like to assign to this box.
How to Send Faxes
In this area you can indicate how you would like to respond to callers who request a fax. There are two options for sending faxes - Call Back and Same Call.
Call Back - The first method of sending a fax is called Call Back. This feature only requires a minimum of one fax card in your system which is connected to a phone line which is dedicated to your fax card. When you select this option, the system will prompt the caller for a fax phone number. The fax(es) listed in the File List section of the Fax Box will be sent to the caller after the call is completed. One advantage to using this option is that the caller does not tie up an inbound line while a fax is being sent. If you are using the Call Back option and several callers request faxes, the faxes will be queued and sent by the fax card in the order they were requested.
Same Call - To use this option you must be sure the caller is calling on lines that are plugged into your fax voice card. When you select this option the system will prompt the caller to press the Start Key on their fax machine to begin receiving a fax.
Overwrite for Inbound
This option allows the caller to replace the first document listed in the File List. If this option is not checked, inbound faxes will be added to the fax box directory. You can manually add them to the File List using the browse button.
Receive Inbound Only
With this option selected the Fax Box will only allow the caller to send, or "upload" a fax. The fax will be stored in the current Fax Box directory as a .tif file. Upon entering the fax box when this is checked, the system will simply emit a fax tone and prepare to receive a fax - no greeting will be played, no password requested, etc., regardless of other settings.
Fax Description
This field is for you to enter a description of the fax that will be sent to the caller.
After Fax Goto
In this field enter the number of the box (or Phantom Key) you would like callers sent to after a fax is requested. You might send callers to the "H" Phantom Key to disconnect the call, or you might send callers to any other destination on your system.
Note: This option only applies to Call Back operations, because if your system is configured for Same Call fax, the caller's fax machine will take control of the phone line and the call will end after a fax is sent.
Fax In Password (optional)
You can set a password that the caller must know to submit a fax. Use this option if you want to password-protect the fax(es) in the Fax Box. Before being able to upload a fax to this Fax Box the caller will have to correctly enter the password.
Fax Out Password (optional)
You may use this option if you would like to limit access to faxes within your system. If this option is checked, the caller will be prompted for the password you set in this field before the fax(es) may be sent. If the caller fails to enter the correct password the requested fax(es) will not be sent.
Name
Click on this button to record a name for this box.
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
Greeting
Click on this button to record a greeting for this box. The greeting is the voice announcement that is associated with this Fax Box. The greeting usually delivers information to the caller. For example, a greeting for a Fax Box might say, "Thank you for requesting more information about our company. You will be faxed the information you have requested as soon as your call has been completed."
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
Restrictions (submenu)
The Restrictions button brings up the Fax Options window.
Enter in this field the number of times a fax transmission will be attempted if the fax send cannot be completed due to a busy line or no answer.
Number of Minutes Between Calls
Enter in this field the number of minutes the system should wait before attempting to re-send a fax.
Dialing Rule
Select the Dialing Rule you wish to use from the drop-down menu. (See Dialing Rules in Chapter 20, The MAINTAIN Menu.)
Line Group
Select the Line Group you wish to use from the drop-down menu. (See Line Groups in Chapter 20, The MAINTAIN Menu.)
File List (submenu)
Click on the File List button to bring up the File List window. This is where you will indicate the documents that you would like to be sent from the currently active Fax Box. Along the right-hand side of the window are buttons that allow you to Add, Remove, or View documents in the fax list. Faxed in documents will go to the \stplus\boxes\60 directory (if you are using box 60, for example). You may add documents to the list which are saved in the following formats: .txt or .tif. The first file faxed in will be called 1.tif, the second - 2.tif, etc. You can choose any .txt or .tif file on your computer. A .tif file must be in the Dialogic .tif (TIFF/F) file format. Items will be faxed out in the order in which they appear in this list.
Use Header
With this option selected the system will add a descriptive line of text at the top of each fax page which states the name of the document, the sender of the document, today's date, and the page number.
Note: If you would like to use a global cover sheet for all faxes sent from your system, see Fax Info in Chapter 20 for more information.
Header - This is the information that you would like added to the top of the fax(es) sent from the Fax Box. This would typically be a title for the document(s) that have been entered into the File List.
From - The information you enter here is also added to the header line of each fax sent from the Fax Box. This would typically be your company or business name.
Add
The Add button brings up the standard Windows NT (tm) Open dialog box, which will allow you to locate documents to add to the current File List. Remember that only files of the type you specify in the List Files of Type field will be displayed for you to select. The acceptable fax formats are a text file and/or a *.tif (TIFF/F) file. After you have faxed a document into a fax box, you need to go to the 'add' to browse to locate the .tif file that was created in the fax box subdirectory. If your fax box is 60, the .tif file will be sent to \stplus\boxes\60.
*** Be sure to click on Save before exiting the File List window to confirm the additions you have made to the File List window.
Remove
To remove documents from the File List, click once to highlight the document you wish to remove, then click the Remove button.
Note: Using the Remove button only removes the selected document from the File List, it does not delete the actual document from your hard drive.
View
The View button will allow you view .txt documents in your File List. It is not currently possible to view .tif files using the View button. To view a document, click on the document you wish to view to highlight it, then click on the View button.
Send (submenu)
The Send button allows you to send a test fax to confirm that your fax card is working properly and the correct documents are being sent from the Fax Box. When you are ready to send a test fax, click on the Send button to bring up the Send Fax Info window. There are two fields in this window. In the first field enter the line number of the line you have plugged into your fax card for testing purposes. If you only have one fax card installed in your computer the line field should contain the number 1-4. If you have multiple fax cards they will be numbered sequentially. Enter the number of the line you wish to test. The second field is Phone Number. Enter the phone number of the fax machine that is to receive the test fax.