S 2.180 Setting up a fax mail centre

Initiation responsibility: Head of IT, IT Security Officer

Implementation responsibility: Administrator

To ensure smooth operation of the fax server(s), a fax mail centre must be set up and a person in charge of the fax system must be appointed. The fax mail centre is responsible for a number of organisational and technical tasks which also depend on the operating mode of the fax server.

As the employees in the fax mail centre generally have access to all incoming and outgoing fax messages, the personnel chosen must be subject to the same rigorous selection procedure as it is necessary for administrators.

The fax mail centre also needs to collaborate closely with those responsible for other communication services (especially e-mail and private branch exchange (PBX)).

The fax mail centre should be accessible to all users at all times. The substitution arrangements must ensure that the fax mail centre is always manned.

Typical tasks of a fax server mail centre are as follows:

• Administration of the fax server application. This includes:
  • configuration of new users,
  • assignment of access authorisations to users and user groups,
  • resetting of passwords,
  • checking of communications links,
  • analysis of any log data generated,
  • point of contact for users in case of problems,
  • maintenance of central address books and distribution lists,
  • carrying out of data backups unless these are the responsibility of the operating system administrator(s),
• Delivery and archiving of faxes,
• Elimination of errors when delivering faxes,
• Coordination between those responsible for PBX systems and e-mail systems.

Finally, the fax client software installed on the workstation computers must be supported. This task can be performed both by the fail mail centre and by the organisational unit providing support to the workstation computers.

Particular consideration should be given to the tasks in the context of incoming faxes, because they depend on the operating mode of the fax server.

Manual forwarding of incoming faxes

If incoming fax messages are not automatically delivered to recipients, they must be forwarded manually to the fax mail centre.

This could, for example, take place in the form that the fax mail centre prints out copies of the incoming faxes which are then forwarded to recipients using the usual channels. This procedure does not differ greatly from that applied to the use of a conventional fax machine. However, it is possible for incoming fax messages to be digitally archived on external data media.

Automatic forwarding of incoming faxes

If incoming fax messages are automatically forwarded to recipients (automatic fax routing), it is also possible for the fax mail centre to print out copies of them for archiving purposes. In this respect, incoming fax message can also be archived digitally on external data media.

If it is not possible to deliver fax messages, the fax mail centre must be informed and try to eliminate the source of the error. If attempts to deliver faxes fail completely, the senders of such faxes must be informed accordingly. Possible reasons why it is not possible to deliver incoming faxes might include the following:

• The sender has used a wrong direct dial number.
• The recipient has left the organisation.
• Automatic forwarding of incoming faxes is performed based on the caller sender identification (CSID) and the sender is not known in the organisation yet or there is no corresponding assignment rule.

In all these cases, incoming faxes must be manually forwarded by the fax mail centre. If all attempts to deliver incoming faxes fail, the senders must be notified.

Review questions:

• Has a fax mail centre been set up and a person in charge of the fax system appointed?
• Is it ensured that the fax mail centre is accessible for the users at all times?
• Have procedures for the forwarding of incoming faxes been defined?
• Is there a procedure controlling the handling of fax messages which cannot be delivered?