Fax can replace mail in all situations, use with full of functions as mail.

Email is an important method of business communication that is fast, cheap, accessible and easily replicated. Using email can greatly benefit businesses as it provides efficient and effective ways to transmit all kinds of electronic data.

Advantages of using email

Email can increase efficiency, productivity and business readiness. Using email in business is:

  • cheap - sending email costs the same regardless of distance and the number of people you send it to
  • fast - an email should reach its recipient in minutes, or at the most within a few hours
  • convenient - your message will be stored until the recipient is ready to read it, and you can easily send the same message to a large number of people
  • permanent - you can keep a record of messages and replies, including details of when a message was received

One of the main advantages of email is that you can quickly and easily send electronic files such as text documents, photos and data sheets to several contacts simultaneously by attaching the file to an email. Check with your internet service provider if there is a limit to the size of email attachments you can send. Some businesses may also limit the type and size of attachments that they are willing to receive.

You can further increase your efficiency by setting up your email software to:

  • automatically create entries in your address book for every message you send or receive
  • respond to incoming emails automatically, eg to confirm receipt of an order, or to let people know that you are on leave or out of the office

Disadvantages of using email

Despite the benefits, email can pose certain risks that are worth being aware of, such as:

  • spam
  • viruses
  • data storage issues
  • data protection issues

Unsolicited email can easily overwhelm your email system unless you install a firewall and anti-spam software. Viruses can spread through email attachments or links, and other internet and email security issues may arise, especially if you're using the cloud or remote access. Electronic storing space can also become a problem, particularly where emails with large attachments are widely distributed.

The less formal nature of email can lead to careless or even libellous remarks being made which can damage your business. Equally risky is sending emails by mistake, where an email can go to the wrong person accidentally, potentially leaking confidential data and sensitive business information.

To minimise these risks, you should create and implement an email and internet acceptable use policy for your business and take steps to minimise the likelihood of business data breach and theft.

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Fax can replace mail in all situations, use with full of functions as mail.
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HP Digital Fax automatically saves incoming faxes to a folder on the network, or sends them to an email account.

This feature helps save paper and ink as an alternative to printing faxes, and can provide access to faxes when you are away from your printer.

Prepare for HP Digital Fax setup

Set up faxing with your printer and install the HP software before setting up HP Digital Fax.

Note:

Available setup options vary by printer model and how it connects to the computer. Network connections support saving faxes to a network folder and fax to email. USB connections support saving faxes to a local folder only.

  • Make sure your fax-capable printer is connected to a telephone land line or digital telephone service, and can send and receive faxes.

  • Install the HP Smart app or the HP software package that includes the HP Digital Fax setup tool.

    • HP Smart: Go to HP Smart - Microsoft Store (in English) or HP Smart - Mac App Store (in English).

    • HP software: Go to HP Software and Driver Downloads to download HP Easy Start that includes the full-feature software and driver package.

  • The administrator computer needs a user name and password. If you are saving to a network folder, make sure it has full read and write access.

  • Keep the computer or server where the destination folder is located powered on and in a ready state at all times. Faxes cannot be saved if the computer or server is turned off or in a hibernate state.

Create a shared network folder

Set up a shared folder that can be accessed by other users or devices on the network.

Create a shared network folder (Windows)

Set up a shared folder from a Windows computer that can be accessed by other users or devices on the network.

  1. Create a folder on your computer.

  2. Right-click the folder, and then select Properties.

  3. Click the Sharing tab, and then click Share.

    Fax can replace mail in all situations, use with full of functions as mail.

  4. In the Choose people on your network to share with window, select Everyone from the drop-down menu, set the Permission Level to Read/Write, and then click Share.

  5. In the Network discovery and file sharing window, select access for a private network or all public networks.

  6. Write down the network path from the Your folder is shared window. You will enter this path later when sharing this folder with other users or devices.

Create a shared network folder (macOS)

Set up a shared folder from a Mac that can be accessed by other users or devices on the network.

  1. Make sure the printer is connected to the same network as the Mac.

  2. On your Mac, create a new folder to set up for sharing.

  3. Click the Apple icon , and then click System Preferences.

  4. Click Sharing.

  5. Click the File Sharing check box, and then click the Plus sign under Shared Folders.

  6. Navigate to the folder you created, and then click Add.

  7. Under Users, make sure your name is listed with Read & Write access.

    • If your name is not listed, click the Plus sign to add your name.

    • If your name does not have Read & Write access, click the up and down arrows to open the drop-down menu, and then select it from the list.

  8. Click Options.

  9. Click the Share files and folders using SMB check box, click the On check box next to any Windows user accounts you want to share with, and then click Done.

  10. Under File Sharing, copy or write down the folder address starting with smb. You will enter this path later when sharing this folder with other users or devices.

  11. Close System Preferences.

Set up HP Digital Fax

Run the guided HP Digital Fax setup tool from a Mac or a Windows computer.

Set up HP Digital Fax (HP Smart app)

Run the guided HP Digital Fax setup tool from HP Smart advanced settings.

  1. Open the HP Smart app, and then create an account or sign in.

  2. If your printer is not already available, click Add Printer or the plus sign to add the printer.

  3. From the app home screen, select your printer name or image.

  4. Scroll down the list of settings to select Advanced Settings or Printer Home Page (EWS).

  5. If a login or certificate window displays, complete the information to finish opening the EWS.

    • If a website security certificate displays, click Continue to open the printer homepage.

    • If a login window opens, type admin for the username, and then type the PIN found on the label located underneath or on the back of the printer, or the password set by the printer administrator.

  6. From the Home or Fax tab, click HP Digital Fax.

  7. Click Modify next to the preferred Digital Fax option to complete the setup.

To see if your printer supports additional Digital Fax options, check the Fax or Setup menus on the printer control panel.

Set up HP Digital Fax (HP Easy Start)

Run the guided HP Digital Fax setup tool from the full-feature software and driver that installs with HP Easy Start.

Note:

Available options during setup vary by printer model and how it connects to the computer. USB connected printers can save faxes to a local folder only. Network connected printers support saving to a folder on the network and fax to email.

  1. Open the HP printer software.

    • Windows: Search Windows for your printer model name and number, and then click the name in the search results to open HP Printer Assistant.

    • Mac: Open Finder , click , double-click the Hewlett-Packard or HP folder, and then double-click HP Utility.

  2. Run the Digital Fax setup tool.

    • Windows: In HP Printer Assistant, click the Print, Scan & Fax tab, and then click Digital Fax Setup Wizard.

    • Mac: In HP Utility, click All Settings, and then click Digital Fax Archive.

  3. Follow the instructions to complete setup.

To find out if your printer supports additional Digital Fax options, check the Fax or Setup menus on the printer control panel.

Send a test fax

Send a fax to HP, and then wait for a return fax to make sure you are able to send and receive faxes.

  1. Create a one-page black and white test fax.

  2. Add your fax number to the fax header. The service uses the header number to send the return fax. Make sure your full 10-digit fax number is in the header, and that it matches the number of the phone line connected to the fax.

  3. Temporarily suspend or disable any conflicting phone line services such as voice mail, call waiting, anonymous call rejection, privacy manager, and caller ID, as these can interfere with incoming faxes. Pressing *82 before dialing the HP Fax Test Service number unblocks the Caller ID blocking feature in most areas. Contact your telephone company if any of these services are interrupting fax communication.

  4. Send the test fax to 1-888-HPFaxme (1-888-473-2963 U.S.).

  5. Wait 5 to 7 minutes for the service to send a return fax.

If a fax is not received after 10 minutes, check fax settings and try again.

Why are fax use instead of email?

Fax is more secure than email, in many regards. The main thing that can make fax more secure than email is the limited exposure to the internet and internet connected devices. Fax machines communicate through phone lines, which are harder to access than public internet connections.

Can a fax be an email?

You can send and receive a fax with email by using an online fax service, including email services such as Gmail, Hotmail, and Outlook. You can send and receive a fax using a connected fax machine or multifunction printer as a relay.

What can replace fax?

Use Snail Mail: Snail mail is a slower alternative to faxing that's worse in many ways, but it's not always bad. If you don't have a fax machine and the document isn't urgent, you can generally mail a document to most organizations instead of faxing it.

Is fax better than mail?

Fax vs Email: The Verdict Use emails for sending messages that don't require high-end encryption. Use fax to transmit sensitive documents. You can also use fax to send and receive documents on a much larger scale. This way, you are getting the best of both worlds.