How to resend a failed fax

Why faxes fail

• Wrong number: a typo, an old number, or a phone number instead of a fax number. If a person answers, it is a voice line.
• Busy line: the recipient's machine is receiving another fax, which is common at busy offices first thing in the morning.
• Machine problems: out of paper, a paper jam, out of toner on some models, or switched off for the night.
• No answer: the line rings but nothing picks up, often after hours.
• International format: a missing country code, or a leading zero that should have been dropped after the country code.
• Call dropped partway: on long faxes, a poor connection can cut off the call.

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If it keeps failing

Two or three failures to the same number usually point to a problem on the receiving end. Ask the recipient to check their machine or to give you another fax number. For very long documents, split the PDF into smaller parts and send them one after another, so a dropped call only affects one part.

If you are working to a deadline, keep a record of each attempt: the status and time of each try show you made a reasonable effort. Then ask the recipient whether another delivery method is acceptable.

To cut down on future failures, save confirmed fax numbers in one shared list for your office, note the best time of day to reach busy recipients, and add the recipient's phone number to your notes so you can call quickly when a fax does not go through. A cover page with your own callback number also helps the recipient reach you if pages arrive unreadable.