What Is Efax And How Does It Work

Faxing is one of the most secure communication methods, and with analog fax machines being phased out, electronic faxing offers a viable alternative.

This blog answers “what is efax” and how it works, so you’ll know if it’s necessary to modernize your business.

Table of Contents

What Is Efax?

Efax (electronic fax) sends and receives faxes online instead of a traditional fax machine. Originally, faxes were delivered as analog signals through copper-based phone lines. With the copper switch off and advances in communication technology, faxes can now be converted to digital signals and transmitted through wireless or fiber-optic cables.

Electronic fax lets you send a document, like a PDF or picture, through email or a special website, and it gets delivered as a fax to someone else. If they have a fax machine, it prints out like a regular fax. If they also use an efax solution, they get the fax as an email. This makes faxing faster, easier, and paper-free.

How Does Efax Work

To better understand the efax definition, here’s a rundown of how it works:

Sending a Fax

You access the service through an efax login page, usually on its web portal, mobile app, or desktop app. Most efax services also provide an email-to-fax feature.
You upload a document in a supported format (e.g., PDF, DOCX, PNG, TIFF). If you’re using email-to-fax, you will email the document to an address like [faxnumber]@[efaxservice].com.
The efax service processes the document and converts it into a fax-compatible format (TIFF/Fax image format). The system generates a header with the fax number, timestamp, and sender details.
The efax server determines whether the recipient uses another internet fax service or a traditional fax machine.
- If the recipient has an efax service, the file is directly sent as an email attachment (PDF, TIFF, etc.).
- If the recipient has a traditional fax machine, the efax service dials the fax number using a T.38 or G.711 protocol (Fax over IP) or routes it through a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). The recipient’s fax machine receives and prints the fax.

Receiving a Fax

If you receive a fax from another efax service, it goes to your email or efax dashboard.
If the sender dials your fax number from a traditional fax machine, your efax service intercepts the signal and converts it from an analog to digital format (PDF, TIFF). The service applies Optical Character Recognition (OCR) if text extraction is needed. It then forwards the fax to your email or web portal.
You can now view, download, sign, or forward the fax from your device.

Efax software guarantees secure transmission since it uses TLS encryption for email-based faxing and AES encryption for stored faxes. Faxes can also be automatically stored in Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or CRM systems. Furthermore, you can integrate efax with your workflows using REST APIs for automated faxing.

What Are The Benefits of Efax?

Switching to electronic faxing offers several advantages.

1. Cost savings

There are plenty of cheap efax services for which you only pay a small monthly or annual fee. The costs are significantly lower than spending for a phone line service, paper, toner, and fax machine. You also don’t have to consider maintenance and repair costs. Here’s a detailed cost comparison of analog vs electronic faxing.

2. Convenient and accessible

Electronic faxing lets you send and receive faxes anywhere with an internet connection. You can use any device, such as a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Since documents are saved on the cloud, you can access them 24/7.

3. Faster and more efficient

Internet fax is instantly delivered, and unlike traditional fax machines, you don’t have to wait on a busy line signal. You also get instant confirmation when faxes are received, and you can automate fax routing so it goes directly to cloud storage. Some efax services offer OCR, which lets you search and extract text from faxes.

4. Integration and automation

Electronic fax services connect with business tools like CRMs, EHR & EMRs, accounting software, cloud storage, etc. You can use APIs to integrate an efax solution into your proprietary or enterprise system. Most efax services also support electronic signing, so you can eliminate the need to print and sign faxes manually.

5. Security and compliance

With electronic faxing, you’ll get detailed audit trails and access controls to ensure compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, and other regulations. All transmissions are also encrypted, so you’re safe from cyberattacks. Furthermore, secure cloud storage prevents lost or misplaced faxes.

Who Is Efax Best Suited For?

Electronic fax is ideal for businesses and industries that rely on secure, fast, and reliable document transmission. Besides cost-efficient electronic fax prices, internet fax is useful for compliance, document security, and high-volume faxing.

Healthcare and medical organizations that need to securely send patient records, prescriptions, and insurance claims and comply with HIPAA regulations on data privacy and security
Legal and law firms that rely on secure electronic signatures and cloud storage for better transmission of contracts, court filings, and confidential documents
Finance and banking institutions that use encrypted transmissions for sending loan applications, financial statements, and account documents while ensuring compliance with financial regulations (e.g., GDPR, SOX)
Real estate and property management companies that need electronic signatures and cloud access to streamline the processing of lease agreements, contracts, and mortgage paperwork
Manufacturing and supply chain that benefits from efax integration with ERP systems for seamless document management, helping them efficiently send purchase orders, invoices, and compliance documents

How Do I Get Started With Efax

Getting started with electronic faxing is easy. First, check out various efax pricing options and sign up for an online account with your preferred provider. Next, choose your fax number or port an existing one. Once your account is settled, you can send and receive faxes immediately.

With iFax, you can upload documents, enter a recipient’s fax number, and send faxes securely from any device—no fax machine required. It also ensures top-tier security with 256-bit encryption and HIPAA/GDPR compliance, making it the best choice for businesses that need reliable and secure electronic faxing.