Copyright: Copyright 1998-2003 Thought Communications, Inc.
Citation: FaxTalk(r) is a registered trademark and FaxTalk Communicator, and FaxTalk CallControl are trademarks of Thought Communications, Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.


Introduction

FaxTalk Communicator makes it easy to send faxes from your PC. With a few easy steps, you can send a fax from a Windows program, the Windows Explorer, or directly from FaxTalk Communicator. FaxTalk Communicator uses the operating system’s multitasking abilities to send your faxes in the background, so you can continue to work on other tasks.

FaxTalk Communicator installs a printer driver named FaxTalk Communicator. This printer driver allows you to send faxes from Windows applications by simply printing to the FaxTalk Communicator printer from that application’s Print command. The FaxTalk Communicator printer then converts the document into a fax, and sends it to the selected recipients.

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Sending faxes from FaxTalk Communicator

You can send faxes directly from FaxTalk Communicator or from the CallControl tray application. When you select Send a Fax from the FaxTalk Communicator or the CallControl application, either the Fax Wizard or Send a Fax dialog will appear depending on how your defaults are set. You can then specify your recipients, coversheet, and other information.

Tips

•	You can disable the Fax Wizard by turning off the Use Fax Wizard when Sending Faxes option on the Fax tab in Program Configuration. FaxTalk Communicator will then use the Send a Fax dialog instead of the Fax Wizard when sending faxes.


Sending faxes from Windows applications

Sending a fax from any Windows application is just like printing a document. When you install FaxTalk Communicator, a printer named FaxTalk Communicator is added to the list of printers installed under Windows. When you want to fax a document from a Windows application, simply select the FaxTalk Communicator printer from the application’s print menu and print the document. FaxTalk Communicator displays options for selecting recipients, adding a coversheet, and scheduling the fax. FaxTalk Communicator then converts the document into a fax and sends it in the background, allowing you to continue to work on other tasks.

To send a fax from a Windows application:

1.	Select FaxTalk Communicator as the current print driver from the Windows application's Print Setup dialog box.

2.	Choose the Print command. The Print dialog box will appear. Make sure the FaxTalk Communicator printer driver is selected and click the OK button.

3.	Enter the recipient information, attach a coversheet if desired, and set the scheduling options.

Tips

•	Most Windows applications include a Setup button on the Print dialog box or a separate Print Setup menu command that allows you to change printer settings for the FaxTalk Communicator printer driver. Settings include the page size you are sending, the page orientation, and fax resolution.

•	You can send faxes directly from the Windows Explorer. Highlight the document you wish to send in Explorer and click the right mouse button. Select the Send To > FaxTalk Recipient command. FaxTalk Communicator displays options for sending the fax.


Selecting recipients

The Select Recipients screen is the first step of the Fax Wizard. On this screen you can enter fax information for one or more recipients. You can access fax numbers from the FaxTalk Phonebook by clicking the phonebook button.

When you are finished entering the recipient information, click the Next button to continue with the Fax Wizard.

Tips

•	You can access the more advanced Send a Fax dialog by clicking the Advanced Fax.


Select a coversheet

The Select a Coversheet screen is the second step of the Fax Wizard. On this screen you can choose to add a coversheet to the fax and fill in a short memo on the coversheet.

When you are finished entering the coversheet information, click the Next button to continue with the Fax Wizard.


Attaching files

The Attach Files screen is the third step of the Fax Wizard. On this screen you can attach documents and files to be sent with the fax.

When you are finished entering the coversheet information, click the Next button to continue with the Fax Wizard.


Scheduling the fax

The Schedule the Fax screen is the fourth and last step of the Fax Wizard. On this screen you can select when and how you want the fax to be sent. The default is to send the fax immediately after exiting the Fax Wizard.

When you have selected when you would like to send the fax, click the Send or Finish button to send the fax and exit the Fax Wizard.

Note

•	Depending on which scheduling option you select, the Finish button will either read Send or Finish. If the fax is sent immediately the button reads Send. If the fax is scheduled to send at a later time the button reads Finish.


Sending a fax to multiple recipients

You can send a fax to multiple people by simply adding them to the Recipient List.

To add any recipient to the list:

1.	Enter the desired fax recipient information in the fields or select the recipient from the phonebook.

2.	Click the Add button to add the recipient to the list.

3.	Highlight the recipient and click the Remove button to remove a recipient from the list.


Fax file options

The Fax File Options allow you to specify the range of pages of the attached fax document to attach to the current fax transaction.


Sending a fax during a voice call

If you are talking on a telephone handset attached to your modem, it is possible to send a fax at the end of that call.

To send a fax at the end of a voice call:

1.	Click on the Send Fax command from FaxTalk Communicator or FaxTalk CallControl.

2.	If the Fax Wizard appears, click the Next button on the Select Recipients screen. (Don’t fill out any recipient information for this fax). At the end of the Fax Wizard there are options for scheduling the fax. Make sure the "I want to send this fax by manually dialing the fax number" option is selected and click the Finish button.

3.	If the Send a Fax dialog appears instead of the Fax Wizard, click the Schedule button and make sure the Manual Dial option is selected. Click the OK button to return to the Send a Fax dialog and click the Send button.

4.	FaxTalk Communicator creates the fax and prompts you to click OK when the recipient is ready to receive the fax. Tell the recipient to start the receive feature on their fax machine and then click OK on the Manual Dial dialog. You can now hang up the phone and the fax will be sent.


Saving a document in fax format

The Send a Fax dialog includes the ability to print a document from an application and save it in fax format for later use. This is convenient when you have a datasheet or sales brochure that you send often and do not want to load the original application and print every time you want to send that document as a fax.

To save a document in fax format:

1.	Open the document in the application that it was created in and print the document to the FaxTalk Communicator printer.

2.	In the Send a Fax dialog, click the File It button. If the Fax Wizard appears instead of the Send a Fax dialog, click on the Advanced Fax button to switch to the Send a Fax dialog.

3.	The File It As dialog appears. Enter the desired name for the saved fax document and click the Save button.

4.	The fax document is created and stored in the File Cabinet directory for later use.

Tips

•	Fax documents that are saved and stored in the File Cabinet directory appear in the File Cabinet window of the Attach Files tab in the Send a Fax dialog. This allows for easy attaching of saved faxes to a fax transaction.


Send a Fax

The Send a Fax dialog is divided into two main sections. The top portion of the dialog includes fields for entering recipient information, selecting contacts from the phonebook, and adding multiple recipients to the fax.

Phonebook>>

Opens the phonebook section of the Send a Fax.  When the phonebook section is open you can add contacts from a phonebook to the fax, add new contacts to the phonebook, and modify existing contact information. Clicking the button again closes the phonebook section.

New

Creates a new recipient in the recipient list. You can then enter new recipient information in the Fax Number, Name and Company fields and the recipient will appear in the recipient list.

Remove

Removes the currently selected recipient(s) from the recipient list.

Attachments

The Attachments button allows you to attach or add other documents found on your computer to the fax.

Schedule

Use the Schedule button you will find settings for determining when and how a fax is sent, how a number is dialed when sending a fax and whether you want to poll the receiver’s fax machine.

The bottom portion of the Send a Fax dialog includes coversheet settings that allow you to select the coversheet to include, enter subject and memo text directly, and preview the coversheet before sending the fax.

Send Coversheet

This enables the attachment of a coversheet to a fax document or enables sending of just a coversheet with a memo. You can select which coversheet to send from the list.

Subject

Enter the subject of this coversheet or fax. The information entered in this field appears in the Subject field on the coversheet.

Memo

If desired, enter a memo that will be displayed in the Memo section of the coversheet.

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Changing coversheet options

You can manually enter the information displayed in the From and Callback fields of the coversheet or overwrite the default information entered on the User tab under Program Configuration.

To change the coversheet options:

1.	In the Send a Fax dialog click the Options button in the coversheet section.

2.	Enter the From and Callback information in the appropriate fields.

3.	Click the OK button to save the changes to the fax.

Note

•	The changes made on the Coversheet options dialog will only take effect for this fax transaction only. To change the default settings for the From and Callback fields go to the User tab under Program Configuration.


Adding fax recipients to a phonebook

You can add a contact to the phonebook directly from the Send a Fax dialog.

To add a contact to the phonebook from the Send a Fax dialog:

1.	Click the Phonebook>> button to display the phonebook section.

2.	Click on the Add to Phonebook button.

3.	The New Contact dialog will appear. If there is information entered in the Fax Number, Name, or Company fields it will be automatically entered in the New Contact dialog.

4.	Enter additional information if desired and click the OK button.


Selecting fax recipients from a phonebook

You can send a fax to hundreds of recipients with just a few mouse clicks. The Send a Fax dialog shows the contacts and groups from your current phonebook. To view the phonebook click on the Phonebook>> button. The Send a Fax dialog will enlarge to reveal the phonebook section.

To add phonebook contacts to a fax:

1.	Click the Phonebook>> button to display the phonebook section.

2.	Double click on the contacts in the phonebook.


File options

The File Options let you specify if you want to send the attached file as a fax or data file.

Send File As

This setting controls whether the document is to be sent as a fax or as a data file using Binary File Transfer. If you select Facsimile in the Send File As dropdown list, you can change the fax resolution, orientation, and page size of the selected file.

Page Size

This controls the page size of the document to be converted.

Resolution

This controls the resolution of the document to be converted. The options are 200 x 200 dpi (Fine) and 200 x 100 dpi (Standard)

Orientation

This controls the orientation of the document to be converted. The options are Portrait (tall) and Landscape (wide).


Attaching files to a fax

The Attach Files dialog allows you to add documents and files to a fax transaction.

Look in:

Lists the folders and files in the selected location. To look for a file or folder use the list to see the hierarchy of folders.

File name:

Field for directly entering a filename of a file you wish to attach to the fax transaction.

Files of type:

Select the type of files you want listed in the Look in: list.

Attach

Adds selected file(s) to the Attached files list to be sent with the fax transaction.

Open

Opens the selected file in the application that is associated with the file type.

Options

Allows you to set the file options for the currently selected file on the Attached files list. The options vary depending on the type of file in question.

Remove

Removes the selected file(s) from the Attached files list.

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Setting schedule properties

The Schedule properties dialog includes settings for when and how a fax will be sent.

Schedule Fax

Allows you to select the specific scheduling method for the fax. Options are:

Send fax immediately	Sends the fax as soon as the Send button on the Send a Fax dialog is clicked.
Schedule this fax to be sent at	Allows the user to select a specific time and/or date in which to send the fax.
Place fax on "hold"	Places the fax transaction in the Outbox but the fax will not send unless the user releases it from hold.
Manual dial fax number	Prepares the fax to be sent and prompts the user to dial the fax number with a phone connected to the modem. When the other side answers click the OK button and the fax is sent.

Dialing

Dial as a long distance call	Specifies whether the number should be dialed as a long distance call.
Ignore Windows dialing location information	Does not use Windows dialing properties for sending faxes. Dials the number exactly as it is entered on the Send a Fax dialog.

Poll recipients fax machine

This option allows you to poll a fax machine for any available documents. Polling allows you to call a fax machine and receive any documents that the fax machine’s owner programmed to be polled.


Ignoring the Windows dialing location when sending faxes

FaxTalk Communicator uses the Windows dialing properties when dialing numbers. You can have FaxTalk Communicator ignore the Windows dialing properties when sending a fax.

To ignore the Windows dialing properties:

1.	On the Send a Fax dialog click the Schedule button.

2.	Check the Ignore Windows dialing location information option.

3.	Click the OK button to return to the Send a Fax dialog.


Sending faxes using the Fax Wizard

If you are new to sending faxes with your PC you may want to use the Fax Wizard. The Fax Wizard makes sending faxes easy by guiding you through the process of sending a fax in four simple steps. The wizard is broken down into four steps: Selecting Recipients, Select a Coversheet, Attaching Files, and Scheduling the Fax.

If the Use Fax Wizard when Sending Faxes option is enabled in the Configuration Manager Fax tab, the Fax Wizard will appear whenever you print to the FaxTalk Communicator printer or click Send Fax from FaxTalk Communicator or CallControl.

Tips

•	You can disable the use of the Fax Wizard by turning off the Use Fax Wizard when Sending Faxes option in the Configuration Manager Fax tab. FaxTalk Communicator will then use the Send a Fax dialog instead of the Fax Wizard when sending faxes.

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Sending faxes using the Send a Fax

The Send a Fax dialog is designed to provide you with a quick and powerful method for sending faxes. The Send a Fax dialog includes direct access to recipient and coversheet information plus includes advanced attachment and scheduling options not found on the Fax Wizard.

Tips

•	You can jump to the Send a Fax dialog from the Fax Wizard by clicking the Advanced Fax button on the Select Recipients screen in the Fax Wizard.

•	You can use the Send a Fax dialog by default for all faxing by disabling the Use Fax Wizard when Sending Faxes option in the Configuration Manager Fax tab.

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Coversheet options

The From and Callback fields displayed on the coversheet are filled in with information entered on the User tab under Program Configuration. You can overwrite the default information or manually enter the information displayed here.


Including other documents with a fax

You can add additional documents to a fax on the Send a Fax dialog.

To add additional documents:

1.	On the Send a Fax dialog click the Attachments button.

2.	Use the Look In list to select the directory where the document(s) are located.

3.	Select the documents and click the Attach button.

4.	The documents now appear in the Attached files list.

5.	Click the OK button to return to the Send a Fax dialog.


Sending a coversheet

A coversheet is used to identify who and where the fax came from and who the recipient of the fax is. The coverpage also displays the number of pages in the fax and includes a small memo area for quick notes.

To include a coversheet with a fax:

1.	On the Send a Fax dialog check the Send Coversheet checkbox and select the desired coversheet from the list.

2.	Enter the subject information in the Subject field.

3.	Enter any memo text you want to appear on the coversheet.

4.	To see a preview of the fax click the Preview button. During a preview the recipient information will not appear. This is added at the time of sending.


Scheduling a fax

You can control when and how a fax is sent with FaxTalk Communicator using the Schedule properties options in the Send a Fax dialog.

To change a fax’s schedule information:

1.	On the Send a Fax dialog click the Schedule button.

2.	In the Schedule Fax section select the desired schedule.

3.	Click the OK button to return to the Send a Fax dialog.


Polling a fax machine

FaxTalk Communicator includes the ability to poll a fax machine for any available documents. Polling allows you to call a fax machine and receive any documents that the fax machine’s owner programmed to be polled.

To poll a fax machine:

1.	On the Send a Fax dialog click the Schedule button.

2.	Check the Poll recipient’s fax machine option.

3.	Click the OK button to return to the Send a Fax dialog.


Working offline

If you are using FaxTalk Communicator on a laptop you can set the Outbox to Work offline which will prevent faxes from being sent until the Work offline option is disabled. This is useful when you are using a laptop that is not connected to a phone line. You can set the Outbox to Work offline and schedule faxes in the Outbox to be sent once you are at a location with a phone line.

To set the Outbox to Work offline:

1.	Open the Outbox from FaxTalk Communicator.

2.	Select the Work offline command on the File menu.

3.	Proceed to send faxes. They will stay in the Outbox until the Work offline option is disabled.

Tips

•	You can also access the Work offline option from CallControl’s right-click menu. Select the Work offline command on the right-click menu.


Dialing a fax number as a long distance call

This allows you to tell FaxTalk Communicator to dial a fax number as a long distance number regardless of the area code.

To dial a number as a long distance number:

1.	On the Send a Fax dialog click the Schedule button.

2.	Check the Ignore Windows dialing location information option.

3.	Click the OK button to return to the Send a Fax dialog.


Creating coversheet logos

FaxTalk Communicator includes several coversheet logos for your use when sending faxes. You may wish to create your own coversheet logo using a graphics package such as Windows Paint.

When creating a logo for use on a coversheet, keep the following in mind:

1.	Avoid using gradients, fills, or grays in your logo. These patterns transmit very slowly.

2.	Create your graphic at a resolution of 200 x 200 dpi

3.	Make it a maximum of 1675 pixels (8.375") across by 600 pixels (3") high.

4.	Leave approximately 0.3" of blank space at the top of your logo to accommodate the header.

5.	Use only monochrome (2-color) images, and be sure to obey the size/resolution limits listed above.

Once your logo is created, save it as a Bitmap (.bmp) in the User subdirectory under the directory in which you installed FaxTalk Communicator. When sending a fax, you can select your new logo by clicking on the file folder icon to the right of the coversheet list. This will open a dialog so you can select the logo file.


Sending a data file using Binary File Transfer

FaxTalk Communicator includes support for sending data files using the industry standard ITU/TSS T.434 Binary File Transfer protocol.

To send a file as a data file using Binary File Transfer:

1.	On the Send a Fax dialog click the Attachments button.

2.	Use the Look In list to select the directory where the data file(s) are located.

3.	Select the data file(s) and click the Attach button.

4.	The data file(s) now appear in the Attached files list.

5.	Select each data file in the Attached files list and click the Options button.

6.	On the Send File As list select the Data File option.

7.	Click the OK button to return to the Attach File dialog.


Send properties

The Send Properties dialog displays with the current properties of the scheduled fax. You can modify the properties and click the Send button to resubmit the fax using the new properties.


Contact properties

The contact properties dialog allows you to edit the properties of an existing phonebook contact. You can add or change any of the contact information and save the updated information by clicking the OK button.


Group properties

The group properties dialog allows you to edit the properties of an existing phonebook group. You can add or remove individual group members from the selected group.

To add contacts to a group:

1.	Select the contacts in the Contacts list.

2.	Click the Add button.

3.	The contacts are added to the Group Members list.

To remove contacts:

1.	Select the contacts from the Group Members list.

2.	Click the Remove button.

3.	The contacts are removed from the Group Members list.

When you are finished making changes to the group click the OK button to save the changes.


New contact

Enter the contact information including name, company, fax number, voice number, and comments. In order to save a contact to the phonebook the first name field must contain data.


New group

You can group certain contacts who will frequently receive the same fax information. This way you need only select a single group entry to send a fax to those contacts.

To create a group:

1.	Enter a name for the group in the Group Name field.

2.	Select contacts you wish to include in the group from the Phonebook Entries.

3.	Click the Add button to add the contacts to the Group Members list.

4.	Click the OK button to save the group.