Fax machines may seem outdated, but the ability to send or receive important documents and the like hasn’t lost its appeal. However, new technology is offering an innovative solution to doing so online.
Indeed, if you need to send or receive a fax, you have more options than you may have thought. Let’s look at different ways to get the job done (and which option may be the best for you).
Send an Email
Sending a fax via email is often quick and painless; it’s no wonder there are more than 3 million emails sent each second. Large email providers, such as Gmail, possess a storage cap. But there are ways around the limit if you fax via email a lot.
Instead, use a service, such as WinZip Enterprise or 7-Zip, to minimize the size of your file. That way, you can send larger files to send your fax via email. You’ll be able to manage your files, shrink their size, encrypt them, and fax them with ease. Reducing your file sizes definitely beats sending larger files over multiple emails.
Use Managed File Transfer Protocol
If you need to send secure faxes, choosing managed file transfer protocol (MFT) to move files between servers and clients is a fast option without restrictions on size. It’s also a popular option for large companies to send faxes anywhere.
When you opt for MFT, you meet guidelines for general data protection regulation, or GDPR, and payment card industry data security standard, or PCI DSS. Through MFT, employees can also automate file-sharing tasks without issue. With job monitoring and scheduling, plus a bevy of secure protocols to protect your fax, MFT can be a great way to help streamline file management across the board.
Find an Online Fax Provider
Let your old-school fax machine hibernate. These days, you can send faxes online—by computer, email, or with your mobile device (like a tablet or smartphone)—with one convenient solution. Online fax services like eFax let you fax from anywhere.
Organizations and small-business owners can send and receive faxes without dealing with special hardware or software. Fax online through a site like eFax so you can go paperless, stay organized, and save money. This way, you won’t have to deal with maintenance or supply costs.
Choose Cloud Storage
The choice is yours: you can opt for a cloud storage system like Dropbox or OneDrive to fax your files online and share files with a link. The free versions of these services can help you figure out how the service fits your business needs.
Over time, you may find you require a bit more storage. If you must hang onto your faxes for safekeeping, cloud storage can conveniently expand to suit your needs. You’ll be able to upgrade your account and instantly gain the space you want, so you never lose track of anything you’ve faxed.
Get a Virtual Private Network
A virtual private network, or VPN, encodes traffic and hides online browsing and other activities. The ISP cannot decipher your web traffic if you turn to a VPN. It’s also incapable of setting limits on your file transfer.
This more technical option lets you go about your business online and keep it just that: your business. Set up a site-to-site VPN or install the network on your side, so you can fax files without limits and without nosy ISPs watching what you’re doing.
The Bottom Line
There’s a surprising number of options to send a fax online. You could choose among methods like cloud storage, email, VPN, MFT, or online fax providers, like eFax, to make sending or receiving files a snap. Both efficient and secure, they could be the perfect way to help boost your business operations.
