Many years ago, I attempted to use software to send faxes from my computer. It was so clunky and weird, I went out and bought a stand-alone fax machine. Fortunately, times have changed and faxing from your computer is a lot easier than it used to be. If you have Windows XP and a fax modem, you don’t need a dedicated fax machine anymore, since XP has a built-in fax function that’s easy to use.
Many people don’t use the feature because it’s not installed by default. But it’s easy to add, assuming you still have your Windows XP CD lying around somewhere. If it’s not installed, choose Start|Settings|Control Panel and choose Add/Remove Programs. On the left side, click Add/Remove Windows Components and then select Fax Services to run the installation wizard.
After you’ve installed the Fax Services, you access it by choosing Start|Programs|Accessories|Communications|Fax Console. The Fax Configuration Wizard runs so you can set up all the fax options. First you need to tell it about your modem, which you select from the fax device list. During setup, you also need to decide whether you want to just send faxes or both send and receive (by default, only sending is enabled). You also need to set various other options. If you want, you can have it print your incoming faxes automatically or store a copy on your computer.
Once it’s set up, faxing a document is as easy a printing. From a Windows program such as Word, you choose File|Print. Instead of selecting your printer, you select Fax from the Name drop-down menu. The Send Fax wizard starts so you can type in the recipient’s name and fax number. You can select a template for the cover page and edit the information by clicking Sender Information. When you finish the wizard, your fax goes off with no printouts involved. With the Windows fax functions, you may be one step closer to that mythical "paperless office."