Fax Sheet

Most people know the Fax Sheet by the more proper vernacular, which is the Fax Cover Sheet. In plain English this is the first sheet of the fax that pretty much synopsis’s what the receiver can expect. You could say it is somewhat of a table of contents. It says whom it is from, to who’s attention it is going, if it is urgent and tells a brief few sentences about what it is about.

These can be elegant, formal or informal and which one you use is going to depend on the reason for the fax and the context in which it is being sent. You will obviously send a formal Fax Sheet if the content is business related and is from a business to another or between people in the business world.

If however the fax is personal you can certainly use a Fax Sheet that is informal and not worry about breaking any rules. Many folks don’t even use them except in a business situation. I however find that it is a good thing to be in the habit of using.

For one thing, the person getting the fax can glance at the Fax Sheet and know quickly if they need to attend to something immediately or can put it off a bit. This makes life easier for them. Another reason for using it is that should the entire fax not reach the destination machine, there is a call back number on that sheet and they can call you and see what happened and have you re-send the information.

A Fax Sheet can also simplify the process and you might find that because you use it you will get more positive response from the people you are faxing. I know that if I get a fax at my office from someone that does not use one I tend to put it on the bottom of the pile. I figure if I am not important enough to warrant the cover then maybe the issues isn’t important enough to warrant an immediate reply or quick attention.

I am certainly not saying that everyone reacts this way. I do have quite a few friends in the professional world that prioritize responses to faxes in the same manner. In fact one of my associates who is an attorney actually throws any faxes without a Fax Sheet directly into the trashcan because at his going rate of $250 an hour he can’t afford to waste time looking it over. He says if it is important enough they will use the proper fax etiquette and send the cover.

So while using a Fax Sheet or not is really a matter of personal choice. It is so easy to do I think it is foolish not to include it when you fax.

I wrote a guide you may be interested in reading: fax number directory and panasonic fax machine

Fax Sheet

fax cover sheet

Fax Sheet

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