How to schedule a fax to send later

Good reasons to schedule a fax

Scheduling is not only for convenience. A landlord, insurer or agency that receives your fax on the right day is less likely to set it aside, and you are less likely to forget to send it at all. Many readers keep a short list of recurring faxes, such as monthly reports, and schedule each one as soon as the document is ready.

• The recipient's office is closed, and their fax machine may be switched off overnight or at weekends.
• The recipient is in another time zone, and you want the fax waiting when they arrive rather than buried under overnight faxes.
• A document must not arrive before a certain date, such as a notice, a renewal or a payment authorization.
• You are going on vacation and want routine faxes to go out while you are away.
• You want to batch your faxing: prepare several in one sitting and spread them over the week.

Choosing the right time

Aim for shortly after the recipient's office opens, for example 9:15 a.m. their time. Right on the hour, many faxes arrive at once and busy lines are more likely. Avoid lunchtime at small offices where nobody may be watching the machine.

Mind the time zones. A fax scheduled for 9 a.m. Eastern lands at 6 a.m. Pacific, before most West Coast offices open. Also check for public holidays, both federal and the recipient's own state or local holidays, and avoid scheduling a deadline-sensitive fax for the last possible moment in case the line is busy.