Fax Merge

[r***@gmail.com]

Hello,

We currently have a networked Imagerunner 2020 fax/printer/copier/
scanner which we use extensively for requesting proposals from
subcontractors.

We send mass faxes out using the print-to-fax driver that came with
the equipment in conjunction with Outlook contact lists. However,
this only allows us to send generic invites out.

What we'd like to do is do a fax merge from inside Word to send
customized invites. Is there any way to do this without using
Microsoft's fax software (which only works on direct-connect fax
machines)? Canon support is basically non-existent for this piece of
hardware, so now I come to the real-world experts.

Thanks,

Ryan

[i***@snapsinc.com]

More than likely, you will need to outsource this to a service bureau
like Xpedite or get yourself a small fax server, like Rightfax, which
can easily perform this. Actually, a fax server will allow you to send
faxes from your desktop and not have to walk to your Canon MFP (too
late now, but you don't need to purchase the fax option in the
Imagerunner either) You could also receive faxes at your desktop too.
Depending on how often you need to send out bid requests, you may be
able to pay for the fax server by bringing the "broadcast faxing" in-
house. Hope this helps.

http://www.paperkinetics.com

Post by r***@gmail.com
Hello,
We currently have a networked Imagerunner 2020 fax/printer/copier/
scanner which we use extensively for requesting proposals from
subcontractors.
We send mass faxes out using the print-to-fax driver that came with
the equipment in conjunction with Outlook contact lists. However,
this only allows us to send generic invites out.
What we'd like to do is do a fax merge from inside Word to send
customized invites. Is there any way to do this without using
Microsoft's fax software (which only works on direct-connect fax
machines)? Canon support is basically non-existent for this piece of
hardware, so now I come to the real-world experts.
Thanks,
Ryan

[r***@gmail.com]

Post by i***@snapsinc.com
More than likely, you will need to outsource this to a service bureau
like Xpedite or get yourself a small fax server, like Rightfax, which
can easily perform this. Actually, a fax server will allow you to send
faxes from your desktop and not have to walk to your Canon MFP (too
late now, but you don't need to purchase the fax option in the
Imagerunner either) You could also receive faxes at your desktop too.
Depending on how often you need to send out bid requests, you may be
able to pay for the fax server by bringing the "broadcast faxing" in-
house. Hope this helps.
http://www.paperkinetics.com

Thanks,

On a normal week, we send out between 500 and 1000 faxes to
subcontractors. I've only just started seriously researching this,
but many of the internet fax services seem to base their rates on a
few hundred faxes per month.

I have never worked with a fax server before. Would this in theory
integrate into my existing network with the Imagerunner?

I appreciate your suggestions, and will check into Rightfax and
similar offerings.

Thanks,

Ryan

[i***@snapsinc.com]

Post by i***@snapsinc.com
More than likely, you will need to outsource this to a service bureau
like Xpedite or get yourself a small fax server, like Rightfax, which
can easily perform this. Actually, a fax server will allow you to send
faxes from your desktop and not have to walk to your Canon MFP (too
late now, but you don't need to purchase the fax option in the
Imagerunner either) You could also receive faxes at your desktop too.
Depending on how often you need to send out bid requests, you may be
able to pay for the fax server by bringing the "broadcast faxing" in-
house. Hope this helps.
http://www.paperkinetics.com

 Thanks,
 On a normal week, we send out between 500 and 1000 faxes to
subcontractors.  I've only just started seriously researching this,
but many of the internet fax services seem to base their rates on a
few hundred faxes per month.
 I have never worked with a fax server before.  Would this in theory
integrate into my existing network with the Imagerunner?
 I appreciate your suggestions, and will check into Rightfax and
similar offerings.
 Thanks,
 Ryan

Actually, you wouldn't even need the ImageRunner to accomplish what
you desire, but there is an interface that allows you to walk up to
the IR and scan in a document, then have that document faxed out of
the fax server. In a scenario where a company might have multiple
IR's, they would all centrally fax out of a single fax server. For
instance, if you had IR's on multiple floors or, for that matter, in
multiple office sites (tied together via a LAN/WAN) they would all
centrally "talk" to your fax server and send from a single fax server.
You would then have no need for the fax option in each IR, nor would
you need a dedicated telephone line to each IR. To do what you desire
can be done with no IR at all.

Pete
http://www.paperkinetics.com
http://www.snapsflow.com