Frequently asked questions

A fax server is software running inside your own network. A fax board in the server connects to the phone lines and handles all sending and receiving centrally. Nobody walks to a machine: staff send and read faxes in the browser, and everything is archived and searchable.

No. The system is browser-based and deployed on the server only. Staff use a current mainstream browser — there is no client application or fax driver to install on individual machines.

Yes. Several routing methods are evaluated in a fixed order: extension delivery, channel binding, routing rules (QR code / barcode / OCR keyword / DID / caller ID), DID number, default extension, and finally the default rule. The first match delivers the fax and notifies that user. If nothing matches, the fax lands in the shared inbox for an administrator to reassign.

When a fax arrives, the system scans every page for QR codes and barcodes anywhere on the page, and reads all of them if a page carries several. QR formats: QR Code, Data Matrix, Aztec, PDF417. Barcode formats: Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar, ITF, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E and others. The decoded content is then matched against your rules and delivered to the right user or department. A common approach is to print a QR code carrying the document number or staff id on the outgoing form, so that when the signed copy comes back it returns to whoever sent it.

Yes, with OCR enabled. The system reads the full page, and the result is used both for keyword routing and for the full-text index, so past faxes can be searched by what they say. Recognition runs locally on PaddleOCR — nothing is uploaded. Chinese (simplified and traditional) plus English, or English only, can be selected. Note that OCR requires a local Python runtime, and the first start takes a while because the model has to load.

A fax is a bi-level black-and-white image at roughly 200 DPI, so results depend directly on the quality of the original. Clean originals with a reasonably sized code, no severe skew and no damage read well; repeatedly photocopied pages, or a code sitting under a fold, noticeably hurt recognition. Pages that do not decode on the first pass are enlarged and retried, which helps with small codes at low resolution. We recommend testing with your real documents before going live, and keeping default routing or the shared inbox as a fallback so nothing goes unhandled.

User count follows your organisation, and the system handles multiple departments and roles. The practical limit depends on server specification and concurrent use — get in touch and we will assess it with you.

That depends on the fax board installed. At startup the system detects the actual channel count on the board and configures ports accordingly. More lines means adding another board — no software change is required. The exact number follows your board model and available slots.

Yes. The line answers automatically and the incoming fax is stored as a document you can view online. With voice prompts enabled, a caller who dials an extension has the fax delivered straight to that user’s inbox; faxes with no extension go to the shared inbox for reassignment.

Yes. The formats that can be uploaded directly are PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, ODT, XLS, XLSX, CSV, ODS, JPG, PNG, BMP, TIF, TIFF. The server converts them into the format fax transmission requires, so nobody has to export or print anything first.

Yes, and that is the primary way this product is used. The system installs on your own server, and fax documents, the database and the logs all stay inside your network under your own management and backup — with no dependency on an external fax cloud.

Yes. An HTTP API submits fax jobs and queries their status, authenticated with an API key, with idempotency support to prevent duplicate sends. See the API integration page for detail.

Yes. Any system able to make an HTTP request can call the fax API. The typical pattern is that once an OA approval passes or an ERP document is signed off, that system submits the fax job automatically, then polls the job id for the result and writes it back to the record.

Fax documents in both directions are stored in a data directory on the server, while job information, status and events live in the database. The two are linked, so faxes can be found by date, number or subject. Because everything is on your own server, it fits into your existing backup policy.

The system uses Synway analogue fax boards, such as the SHT-8B and SHT-16C, to connect to the phone lines. On the line side it works with ordinary analogue lines (PSTN) as well as PBX trunks. If you already have a board, or need a specific model, contact us to confirm compatibility.

Yes. Enter the remote extension when sending, and once the call connects the system waits for the voice prompt to play, then dials the extension by DTMF to complete the transfer. If the remote equipment collects digits slowly, the DTMF tone duration can be adjusted to suit the line.

The job records why it failed — line busy, no answer and so on — and retries automatically up to the configured number of attempts. Jobs that still fail stay in the list so the cause can be investigated and the job resubmitted. Nothing disappears silently.

Implementation covers environment check, board installation, software deployment, line configuration, live testing and handover training. For the specific implementation and support arrangement, please talk to the product lead.