Fax
6 min read
UCBC can receive faxes to email and send faxes from a web form, using a virtual "fax extension" the same way you would set up a phone extension. This article covers creating a fax extension, sending a fax, and checking on fax delivery status.
Overview#
A fax extension is a number on your system dedicated to fax traffic. Incoming faxes sent to that number are converted to PDF (or TIFF) and emailed to one or more addresses you choose ("fax to email"). If your plan includes fax sending, the same extension can also be used to send an outbound fax from a simple web form, with an optional cover sheet.
Fax is only available if your system has the fax feature turned on for your account. If you don't see a Fax menu option, this feature has not been enabled for your domain.
The Fax Extensions list
Screenshot needed · fax-extensions-listHow to Create a Fax Extension#
- Go to Fax.
- Click Add.
- Enter a Name for the fax extension (used for display only).
- Enter the Extension number — this is the number people will dial or send a fax to.
- Enter one or more Email addresses to receive incoming faxes. You can list multiple addresses; leave extra blank rows empty.
- Choose how the fax arrives by email: as an Attachment (the fax document itself is attached) or a Download Link (the email contains a link to retrieve it instead of attaching the file).
- Optionally set a Caller ID Name and Caller ID Number to control what shows up on the recipient's fax machine when you send a fax from this extension.
- Optionally set a Forward Number if you want incoming faxes automatically relayed to another extension or external fax number.
- Optionally enter a Description for your own reference.
- Click Save.
Once saved, you can assign specific users to the fax extension (so only those users see it in their own portal) from the same edit screen — pick a user from the list under the extension and click Add.
How to Edit a Fax Extension#
- Go to Fax.
- Click the fax extension's name to open it.
- Change any fields as needed (name, email addresses, caller ID, forward number, description, etc.).
- Click Save.
How to Send a Fax#
If your account has fax sending enabled, each fax extension in the list has a New link.
- Go to Fax and click New next to the extension you want to send from.
- Enter the Recipient name and Fax Number to send to (you can add more than one number to send the same fax to several destinations).
- Attach one or more files to fax (most common document and image formats are accepted).
- Choose the Resolution and Page Size for the outgoing fax.
- If a cover sheet is required on your system, fill in the Subject and Message fields; otherwise these are optional.
- Click Send.
How to Check Fax Status (Inbox, Sent, and Queue)#
Each fax extension in the list offers quick links:
- Inbox — faxes received on that extension.
- Sent — faxes that extension has sent.
- Log — a detailed delivery log per fax (success/failure, result code and text, pages, transfer rate, retry attempts, and the destination number/URI).
- Queue — (if your system sends faxes through a queue rather than immediately) shows faxes waiting to send, sending, or that failed, across all of your fax extensions.
Fax Queue#
Go to Fax > Queue (or click Queue from the fax extension list) to see every queued fax with its status:
- Waiting — not yet attempted.
- Sending / Trying — actively attempting delivery.
- Sent — delivered successfully.
- Busy or Failed — delivery did not succeed; the retry count and next retry date are shown.
You can filter the queue by status, search it, and (depending on your permissions) resend or delete a queued fax.
Field Reference#
Fax Extension#
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Display name for the fax extension. |
| Extension | The number used to reach this fax line. |
| One or more addresses that receive incoming faxes. | |
| Fax File Delivery | Whether the incoming fax email contains the file as an attachment or a download link. |
| Email Confirmation | Address(es) that receive a delivery confirmation after an outbound fax is sent. |
| Caller ID Name / Caller ID Number | What's displayed on the receiving fax machine when this extension sends a fax. |
| Forward Number | An extension or external number incoming faxes are automatically relayed to. |
| Toll Allow | Controls what class of outbound numbers (e.g. long distance) this fax extension is allowed to dial when sending. |
| Description | Free-text notes, for your own reference. |
Send Fax Form#
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Sender | Caller ID name shown on the outgoing fax (pulled from the extension by default). |
| Recipient / Fax Number | Who you're sending to; you can add multiple numbers. |
| Fax Files | The document(s) to send. |
| Resolution | Fax image resolution. |
| Page Size | Page size for the outgoing fax. |
| Subject / Message / Footer | Cover sheet text (required only if your system is configured to require a subject/message). |
Fax Queue#
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Date / Time | When the fax was queued. |
| Caller ID Name / Number | The identity the fax was sent from. |
| Fax Number | The destination number. |
| Status | Waiting, Sending, Trying, Sent, Busy, or Failed. |
| Retry Date / Retry Count | When the next retry is scheduled, and how many attempts have occurred. |
Tips & Common Issues#
- If incoming faxes aren't arriving by email, double-check the Email field on the fax extension for typos, and check your spam folder — the email comes from your system's own outbound mail address.
- A fax stuck in Trying or Failed in the Queue usually means the receiving fax machine's line was busy or didn't answer — check the retry count, and confirm the destination number is correct.
- If you can't send a fax with a long-distance or international number, check the Toll Allow setting on the fax extension — this limits what the extension is permitted to dial, the same way it does for a phone extension.
- The New (send) and Queue links only appear if fax sending is enabled on your account; if you only need fax-to-email, you can ignore them.