A brief explanatory note that lets the recipient know what the fax is, what its purpose is, and how and when to respond to it

Cover Page

When you send a fax, make sure your cover page includes the following information:

1. The name of the sender and his or her fax and phone numbers. The phone number is important because it enables the recipient to report an incomplete transmission.
2. The name of the recipient and his or her fax and phone number. The recipi- ent’s correct fax and phone numbers should be included to ensure delivery of the message.
3. The total number of pages being faxed. Note that the total number of pages includes the cover page itself.
4. A brief explanatory note that lets the recipient know what the fax is, what its purpose is, and how and when to respond to it.

Sending a Document

Follow these four guidelines to fax a clear and complete document:

1. Make sure the original documents you send are clear. An unclear faxed docu- ment will be difficult for the recipient to read. For example, penciled comments may be too faint to fax clearly.
2. Avoid writing on the top, bottom, or edges of the documents to be faxed. Any comments written on the outer edges may be cut off or blurred during transmittal.
3. Do not send overly long faxes. Be careful about sending anything longer than three or four pages because you will tie up both your own and the recipient’s fax machines.
4. Respect the recipient’s confidentiality. Because faxes may be picked up by other employees in your office, don’t assume your message will be confidential unless, of course, the recipient has a private fax machine.