Outlook 2003 Faxing

[Guest]

I am currently using windows xp, Office xp and
fax4outlook to send and receive faxes through a fax
modem, and have the faxes appear in my Outlook inbox and
sent items folder. (I have been disappointed with
fax4Outlook as it does not work easily or reliably.)

I was trying to determine if Microsoft has added fax
services back into office 2003 with improved
functionality.

In the product information section of your web site,
there is some sparse information about sending a fax
using Outlook 2003 and having the sent fax appear in your
sent items folder. Does this really work?

I was unable to find any information about configuring
the fax service to receive a fax into the Outlook inbox.
It is now possible to do this in version 2003?

There also seems to be some information about how one can
use the Microsoft document imaging program to annotate an
image, either for faxing or e-mailing. my version of
this program does not have this functionality, does the
version that comes with Office 2003 really do this?

Thank you.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Nothing has changed in Outlook 2003 with regards to routing to the Outlook
Inbox because that limitation was in the Windows XP Fax Service, not
Outlook. The only update to faxing in Outlook 2003 is the addition of
integration to Internet Fax Services.

MODI in Office 2003 does add the ability to annotate faxes more easily.

 

[Guest]

Unless I am missing something in the functionality of
Microsoft products, I find it puzzling that Microsoft
will not include full functionality of incoming and
outgoing facsimile "messages" which in my experience
continue to constitute the majority of written
communication between businesses!

I would estimate that fewer than 10% to 15% of my clients
and vendors will communicate with me to provide products
and services via e-mail while they all continue to use
facsimiles, most of them exclusively so.

I know that there are third-party applications out there
which have attempted to fill the void, but frankly for
whatever reason they are unable to integrate with
Microsoft products without consistent functionality
snafus.

WinFax uses a ridiculous proprietary image format and
every version is riddled with functionality problems with
Microsoft products. fax4Outlook is primitive, buggy, and
unreliable. At the drop of a hat a user can lose all of
their faxes from Outlook!

Again, unless I missing something, Microsoft has dropped
the ball on this important facet of daily communication.
Here's hoping that someone in the organization is
listening and will bring that required functionality into
their products.

Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
Nothing has changed in Outlook 2003 with regards to routing to the Outlook
Inbox because that limitation was in the Windows XP Fax Service, not
Outlook. The only update to faxing in Outlook 2003 is the addition of
integration to Internet Fax Services.

MODI in Office 2003 does add the ability to annotate faxes more easily.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am currently using windows xp, Office xp and
fax4outlook to send and receive faxes through a fax
modem, and have the faxes appear in my Outlook inbox and
sent items folder. (I have been disappointed with
fax4Outlook as it does not work easily or reliably.)

I was trying to determine if Microsoft has added fax
services back into office 2003 with improved
functionality.

In the product information section of your web site,
there is some sparse information about sending a fax
using Outlook 2003 and having the sent fax appear in your
sent items folder. Does this really work?

I was unable to find any information about configuring
the fax service to receive a fax into the Outlook inbox.
It is now possible to do this in version 2003?

There also seems to be some information about how one can
use the Microsoft document imaging program to annotate an
image, either for faxing or e-mailing. my version of
this program does not have this functionality, does the
version that comes with Office 2003 really do this?

Thank you.

.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

May I quote you on this? Would you please put this on the record? You can
send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with "Outlook" in the
subject and to (e-mail address removed)

You are saying what most of the Outlook MVP's have been saying for years. I
think it's pretty clear that fax has been largely ignored in Outlook/Office
development for several years now. I can only speculate, but I suspect that
the reason it has received no attention is the general expectation has been
that fax would soon become obsolete. Only it hasn't, as you are pointing
out.
I do know that Microsoft listens to their customers and to the market. It
was interesting to see that they did add the capability for Internet Faxing
to Outlook 2003 (which does integrate with Outlook very well, by the way).
If they believe their customers want it, I suspect they will turn their
attention to "improving the experience" with modem faxing as
well--particularly since no third party players have stepped up to the
plate. It will be interesting to see.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Unless I am missing something in the functionality of
Microsoft products, I find it puzzling that Microsoft
will not include full functionality of incoming and
outgoing facsimile "messages" which in my experience
continue to constitute the majority of written
communication between businesses!

I would estimate that fewer than 10% to 15% of my clients
and vendors will communicate with me to provide products
and services via e-mail while they all continue to use
facsimiles, most of them exclusively so.

I know that there are third-party applications out there
which have attempted to fill the void, but frankly for
whatever reason they are unable to integrate with
Microsoft products without consistent functionality
snafus.

WinFax uses a ridiculous proprietary image format and
every version is riddled with functionality problems with
Microsoft products. fax4Outlook is primitive, buggy, and
unreliable. At the drop of a hat a user can lose all of
their faxes from Outlook!

Again, unless I missing something, Microsoft has dropped
the ball on this important facet of daily communication.
Here's hoping that someone in the organization is
listening and will bring that required functionality into
their products.

Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
Nothing has changed in Outlook 2003 with regards to routing to the Outlook
Inbox because that limitation was in the Windows XP Fax Service, not
Outlook. The only update to faxing in Outlook 2003 is the addition of
integration to Internet Fax Services.

MODI in Office 2003 does add the ability to annotate faxes more easily.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am currently using windows xp, Office xp and
fax4outlook to send and receive faxes through a fax
modem, and have the faxes appear in my Outlook inbox and
sent items folder. (I have been disappointed with
fax4Outlook as it does not work easily or reliably.)

I was trying to determine if Microsoft has added fax
services back into office 2003 with improved
functionality.

In the product information section of your web site,
there is some sparse information about sending a fax
using Outlook 2003 and having the sent fax appear in your
sent items folder. Does this really work?

I was unable to find any information about configuring
the fax service to receive a fax into the Outlook inbox.
It is now possible to do this in version 2003?

There also seems to be some information about how one can
use the Microsoft document imaging program to annotate an
image, either for faxing or e-mailing. my version of
this program does not have this functionality, does the
version that comes with Office 2003 really do this?

Thank you.

.

 

[Guest]

Yes please quote me far and wide.

Pursuant to your recommendation I have placed this issue
on record with both of the contacts that you have listed.

Thank you for your assistance.

-----Original Message-----
May I quote you on this? Would you please put this on the record? You can
send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with "Outlook" in the
subject and to (e-mail address removed)

You are saying what most of the Outlook MVP's have been saying for years. I
think it's pretty clear that fax has been largely ignored in Outlook/Office
development for several years now. I can only speculate, but I suspect that
the reason it has received no attention is the general expectation has been
that fax would soon become obsolete. Only it hasn't, as you are pointing
out.
I do know that Microsoft listens to their customers and to the market. It
was interesting to see that they did add the capability for Internet Faxing
to Outlook 2003 (which does integrate with Outlook very well, by the way).
If they believe their customers want it, I suspect they will turn their
attention to "improving the experience" with modem faxing as
well--particularly since no third party players have stepped up to the
plate. It will be interesting to see.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Unless I am missing something in the functionality of
Microsoft products, I find it puzzling that Microsoft
will not include full functionality of incoming and
outgoing facsimile "messages" which in my experience
continue to constitute the majority of written
communication between businesses!

I would estimate that fewer than 10% to 15% of my clients
and vendors will communicate with me to provide products
and services via e-mail while they all continue to use
facsimiles, most of them exclusively so.

I know that there are third-party applications out there
which have attempted to fill the void, but frankly for
whatever reason they are unable to integrate with
Microsoft products without consistent functionality
snafus.

WinFax uses a ridiculous proprietary image format and
every version is riddled with functionality problems with
Microsoft products. fax4Outlook is primitive, buggy, and
unreliable. At the drop of a hat a user can lose all of
their faxes from Outlook!

Again, unless I missing something, Microsoft has dropped
the ball on this important facet of daily communication.
Here's hoping that someone in the organization is
listening and will bring that required functionality into
their products.

Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
Nothing has changed in Outlook 2003 with regards to routing to the Outlook
Inbox because that limitation was in the Windows XP

Fax
Service, not

Outlook. The only update to faxing in Outlook 2003 is the addition of
integration to Internet Fax Services.

MODI in Office 2003 does add the ability to annotate faxes more easily.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I am currently using windows xp, Office xp and
fax4outlook to send and receive faxes through a fax
modem, and have the faxes appear in my Outlook inbox and
sent items folder. (I have been disappointed with
fax4Outlook as it does not work easily or reliably.)

I was trying to determine if Microsoft has added fax
services back into office 2003 with improved
functionality.

In the product information section of your web site,
there is some sparse information about sending a fax
using Outlook 2003 and having the sent fax appear in your
sent items folder. Does this really work?

I was unable to find any information about configuring
the fax service to receive a fax into the Outlook inbox.
It is now possible to do this in version 2003?

There also seems to be some information about how

one
can

use the Microsoft document imaging program to

annotate
an

image, either for faxing or e-mailing. my version of
this program does not have this functionality, does the
version that comes with Office 2003 really do this?

Thank you.




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