The Esker Notes interface has significantly more power and flexibility than in the past.
To send out a fax, simply send an e-mail to:
<NAME>%<10 DIGIT PHONE>@eskerfax
For example: John%4022719999@eskerfax
If you wish to use spaces in the name or other parts of the address, you must enclose the entire address in double quotes.
For example: "John Doe%4022719999@eskerfax"
ONLY ONE @ sign should be present in the address. That one should immediately preceed the eskerfax name. Use the percent sign (%) to separate all other values. The name of the addressee should always go on the far left, and the
5014444@eskerfax
That will go to (402) 501 4444.
Notice that a ‘9’, ‘1’, or ‘8’ is NOT added to the beginning of the phone number. ONLY enter the actual phone number, including area code (unless the area code is 402). The server will dial any access codes if necessary.
You will receive an e-mail notification ONLY if the fax FAILS, for example, if an invalid phone number was provided.
The e-mail can include TEXT and ATTACHMENTS (such as MS Word, Excel, PDF, and image files). All text and attachments will be sent out as pages in the fax. However, unknown attachments will be dropped from the fax. Contact OSG if your image is not sent, so a program to convert it into a fax can be added to the server.
Many people have images in their signature -- e.g. UP logo or other image. This image is added to the end of the fax as a single image centered on the page, and consumes an entire page without adding any information. This can be suppressed by inserting the string 'killsig=1' into the address like this: "John Doe%killsig=1%4022719999@eskerfax".
By default, a Union Pacific cover page will be sent with the fax. To suppress the cover page, add the line
"cov=nocoverfile" prior to the phone number. As a word of caution, the "no cover page" fax does not provide your recipient with a ready means of sending you a return fax. You should include your name and contact information in the actual fax itself if you use this option.
For example: "John Doe%cov=nocoverfile%4022719999@eskerfax"
If you wish to have a department or business group-specific cover page created, contact OSG. If it is critical that the Union Pacific default cover not be sent, add the line "cov=default.rtf" to the phone number to use a generic cover sheet.
The reply name by default uses your internet email account. This is not very informative. If you wish, you can include the line "from=YOUR FULL NAME>" to set this to something more appropriate.
For example: "John Doe%from=J. Smith, Jr.%4022719999@eskerfax"
If you wish to get an acknowledgement regardless of whether the fax was a success or failure, insert the line "notify=A" in the address. As a side note, "notify=N" never notifies, "notify=S" notifies only on success, and the default (you do not need to include it) is "notify=F".
If your number needs special formatting -- for example, you need to send a fax to an international number using a calling card, or you need the fax machine to pause while the receiving line is connected, precede the number with a tilde (~), and include all numbers (including a 9 to get an outside line). Every comma in the number represents a 2 second pause.
For example: "John Doe%~9,18008746586,,,,9998887777,,,,,0119761112345@eskerfax"
would dial a 9, pause 2 seconds, dial the 800 number for the calling card, pause 8 seconds, dial the PIN for the calling card, pause 10 seconds, and then dial a number in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
On a more useful example,
"John Doe%~9,18005551212,,,1@eskerfax" will pause for 6 seconds after connecting, and then dial a 1 for using the fax machine.
If you are a developer, and are writing an application to send faxes via this fax interface, please email the notes address fax_admin, so that the applications can be tracked. This is so that if we upgrade the server or there are fax issues, you can be notified. The main information that is needed are sample input, and a group mailing address with at least one responsible party in it, so that timely notifications can be made.
