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GFI FaxMaker (3x3 Video) - Fax Blasts

Author: Luis Fernandes Updated

Overview

This article provides information on how to create Fax Blasts with GFI FaxMaker.

Process

The video demonstration of Fax Blasts. (Attached the video file for reference)

This 3x3 video explains how to send Fax Blasts with GFI FaxMaker and is divided into the following sections:
  • Create a list of contacts.
  • Use Microsoft Word to create a mail merge.
  • Verify fax transmission.

Let us discuss each section in detail.

Create the List of Contacts

The list of contacts can be created using Microsoft Excel. Perform the following procedure to create your list of contacts:

  1. Open Microsoft Excel.
  2. Create a list of contacts you wish to send your fax blast to, in the following format:
    • Column 1: Fax_Number
    • Column 2: Name
    • Column 3: Company
    • Column 4: Invoice_Number
      • Note: You can have as many columns and recipients as you like within the contact Excel Sheet.
  3. Save and close the contact sheet.

Use Microsoft Word to Create a Mail Merge

  1. Open Microsoft Word.
  2. Click on the Mailings tab.
  3. Click on the Start Mail Merge button and select Letters.
  4. Now click on the Select Recipients button and select Use Existing List.
  5. In the Select Data Source popup, specify the contact Excel sheet created in Step #1, and click on Open.
  6. From the Select Table dialogue box, select 'Sheet1'.
    • Note: Ensure that the 'First row' of data containing column headers checkbox is selected.
  7. You can now create your fax which you wish to send. You are able to insert any fields you have entered in your contact sheet by clicking on the Insert Merge Field button and selecting the appropriate field.
    • Note: Since the fax will be sent out using the NetPrintQueue2Fax printer, you will need to insert a "FAX:" before your fax number in the mail merge
    • Example: FAX:<Fax_Number>.
      • <Fax_Number> would be your column containing your recipient fax numbers in your Excel contact sheet.
  8. At the end of the page, include "@#" to indicate that that is the last line of the fax page
    • Note: You can use the Preview Results button in Microsoft Word to check if Microsoft Word is correctly populating the data from your contact sheet.
  9. Once you are satisfied with the results, click on the Finish & Merge button, and select Print Documents.
  10. Select the network NetPrintQueue2Fax printer located on your GFI FaxMaker server and select OK.

Verify Fax Transmission 

Once the mail merge is completed and sent to be printed to the NetPrintQueue2Fax, you can confirm if you faxes are being sent out correctly from Microsoft Outlook and the GFI FaxMaker monitor.
 

GFI FaxMaker Monitor 

  1. Open the GFI FaxMaker Monitor.
  2. Click on the Fax Server node. You will able to see which faxes are currently being sent out from your mail merge.
  3. Click on the Queued Faxes node. Depending on the number of lines you have connected to your fax server and the number of recipients in your mail merge, you can see the remaining faxes to be sent out once lines are free.

Microsoft Outlook 

For every fax sent out, a transmission report is received in your mailbox, also containing a copy of the actual fax which has been sent.

Confirmation

The Fax Blast is created successfully with the GFI FaxMaker.

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