Zetafax

Zetafax allows you to send and receive faxes and SMS messages from your workstation, and can be integrated seamlessly into your business process applications for fast, automated faxing from the desktop or back office.

Controlling and auditing use of fax

Zetafax is proven to save up to 80% of the time taken to send faxes conventionally, leading to cost savings that quickly repay your investment. IT administrators can further minimize faxing costs by controlling who is able to send faxes when and where in the world. Costs for international communications can be kept to a minimum with the Zetafax Least Cost Routing (LCR) module.

Simple

Zetafax has been designed to be extremely simple to use. It offers a range of ways to create and send faxes, suiting every business need. The Zetafax Client’s fax wizard guides users through the creation and addressing of a fax, offering easy access to the many powerful options available.

Coversheets

Personalized coversheets can help your business identity, allowing you to increase awareness of your corporate branding without incurring any extra costs. Zetafax has a coversheet editor for creating suitable coversheets for your business. Coversheets normally have a number of fields on them such as the sender’s name and page count that are automatically completed for users. The sender’s name is based on the user’s logon account, but it may be overridden for any particular fax being sent. Details such as the user’s job title, direct dial telephone number, direct fax number and email address can all be added automatically. The Zetafax Client is rich in features and easy to use

Letterheads

Letterheads may be set up for users to overlay output from Microsoft Office and other applications onto, rather like printing onto company stationary, but without the associated costs.

Attachments

Standard attachments such as terms and conditions or brochures may be saved centrally for use by individuals or groups. Zetafax Duo extends this concept with its templates which combines overlays such as letterheads, attachments and personalized text into a single operation. This is deal for repeated processes such as creating sales quotations or sending financial statements.

Zetafax normally handles all faxes in TIFF format and has its own viewer to display and annotate faxes. However it’s straightforward to configure the fax server to convert email attached faxes to and from other file formats such as PDF. Annotating faxes saves having to print off faxes to mark up areas of interest, to timestamp stamp as received/approved/paid, to sign a fax or to add comments and notes. Keeping these processes on screen saves time and paper. Faxes may be previewed on screen as they are assembled or once they have been finalized for sending. This helps ensure that users know exactly what their messages will look like when received.

Printing faxes

Users may print on demand any sent or received fax, but also the fax server may be configured to print faxes automatically. This is very helpful for companies who still wish to handle received faxes on paper, but wish to have a central archive store on-line. Each fax sent or received may be printed with a status page that gives transmission details, either full size or reduced in size to save paper.

Address books

Zetafax has its own address books – both shared and private to each user. Contacts may be grouped together into fax lists for rapid dissemination of information using just a few clicks. Zetafax also maintains a list of recently used fax numbers for each user and supports use of MAPI address books (such as Microsoft Outlook). Alternatively, CSV based contact lists and ODBC compatible databases may be used to give access to contact details in existing databases, rather than having to create copies that would inevitably get out of date. Such flexibility really helps companies’ legal compliance, for example marketing departments can easily ensure that fax mailings use cleaned data lists that confirm to data protection legislation.

Microsoft Platform Support

Zetafax supports the latest platforms from Microsoft including Office 2007, Exchange Server 2007 and Windows Vista. If you’re planning to upgrade your office systems in the future you can be sure Zetafax will be compatible.

Microsoft Office add-ins The Office add-ins for Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel are standard. They add toolbar buttons for one click faxing. In Word 2007 and Excel 2007, Zetafax makes use of the new Office ribbon and Office button menu.

Microsoft Outlook and other email clients If you have installed the Zetafax Email Gateway option, you have the added convenience of being able to send and receive faxes using your email client software, such as Microsoft Outlook. This means that when you pick up emails you can pick up any faxes, too. Also, anywhere you can email using your company’s email server, you should be able to fax using your company’s Zetafax Server. The Outlook add-in lets you access many of the features of Zetafax from within Outlook such as coversheets, letterheads, delayed transmission, previewing and attachments. Using Zetafax, an email converted to fax can look as great as a message designed especially for fax. This makes it ideal for distribution lists to both email and fax addresses. The integration with the Outlook address book picks up business fax numbers for contacts so that addressing a fax can be the same as addressing an email. Faxes can even be created when Outlook is Offline for sending when a network connection is restored.

Hardware options

Fax boards
Zetafax supports Group III faxing in standard mode (200x100 dpi) and fine mode (200x200 dpi) using the T.30 protocol at a number of different bit rate speeds and using a range of compression techniques. With an appropriate intelligent fax board from Cantata/Brooktrout or Dialogic/Eicon, Zetafax will use V.34 faxing with error correction (ECM) to reduce the frequency of call failures at the fastest transmission rates, with maximum compression (MMH) to cut call times. The resulting lower running costs usually pay for the additional investment in hardware in a few months.

Fax Over IP (FoIP)

Zetafax can be set up to send and receive faxes in an IP environment by enabling a connection to a PBX which supports the T.38 standard (FoIP). Most new PBXs will support FoIP via a standard Ethernet card and many traditional PBXs now have IP capability available as an upgrade option. Zetafax integrates with fax hardware from Cantata/Brooktrout (TR1034 series) or IP call control software from Dialogic/Eicon (Diva Server SoftIP).

Text messaging

The optional SMS Gateway supports centralised two-way text messaging using the Zetafax Client. One or more GSM modems may be attached to the Zetafax Server to handle the SMS text traffic. Zetafax 5

A central prioritised queue

The fax server has a prioritised queue for all users’ messages, with urgent, normal and background parts to the message queue. Users may be permissioned to submit messages with differing priority settings, which are then placed in the appropriate part of the queue. This helps ensure that large fax mailings don’t interrupt regular use, and senior staff can be provided with better service levels. Once queued, a message may be rushed to the front of the queue by a user who has been granted appropriate authority. Alternatively, it may be placed on hold.

Zetafax allows you to archive every fax sent or received on disk, allowing users to retrieve them days or even months later. Both centralized and local archiving is supported, with messages being stored with their full transmission history. You can also print faxes automatically on any network printer, with an optional status page giving the connection time and details.

Junk fax filtering

Zetafax’s junk message filter blocks incoming faxes from specific fax senders. It enables you to specify fax and SMS telephone numbers from which you do not want to distribute messages to your Zetafax users. Junk messages may be stored in a designated ‘Junk’ folder and also archived, should compliance requirements demand it.

Server failover

To help reduce the impact of system failure on your faxing requirements, you can set up a second Zetafax Server that will detect issues with your primary Zetafax Server, and activate itself on failure to allow faxes to continue to be sent. This allows you to deal with problems such as system crashes and hardware failures, and to carry out system upgrades without interrupting use of Zetafax. Fax usage reporting

The reporting facility of the Zetafax Server allows the data stored in the server’s central fax log to be presented in the form of useful reports, which can be configured to show only the data pertaining to certain users, specified time periods, or to selected destinations. Graphical and tabular reports can be created for:

The average number of faxes sent each hour over a set period of time

The number of faxes sent each weekday for a set period of time

All stored information about each fax sent within a set time period

The number of pages sent to each country within a set time period

A summary of each fax sent over a set period of time, showing the sender, receiver's information, the date and time sent, and the time taken for each fax that has been sent from your organization

The number of faxes, the number of pages and the time taken to send

These reports may be filtered by charge codes, country of destination, sender, recipient and route the fax was sent.

Zetafax Email Gateway

The Zetafax Email Gateway is a standard component of the Zetafax Server software. It allows email users to address and send a message to a fax recipient as if they were sending an email. The Email Gateway can also deliver received faxes as email messages with graphics attachments. The Email Gateway converts email messages into a fax format before submitting them to the Zetafax Server's main queue. The body text of the email message is converted and sent as the text on the coversheet of the fax. Any file attachments, such as word processor or spreadsheet documents, are converted by the Email Gateway to fax format.

Zetafax Outlook Extensions

The degree of Zetafax’s integration with Microsoft Outlook exceeds that offered by most other fax servers. When users wish to send a fax from their Outlook client software, they are able to use the features similar to those available within the Zetafax Client. The Send Fax form and integrated viewer allow you to address and view a fax. Users are also able to specify various sending options, such as a choice of coversheet or letterhead to be used with their fax. To provide these features in the email client, the Zetafax Outlook Extensions must be installed on each client machine as an Outlook addin. This can be done remotely using Group Policy in a Windows 2000/2003 Active Directory domain.



Document conversion

Zetafax converts most regularly used document types, such as word processing documents, spreadsheets and PDFs, into TIFF format so that they can be faxed as attachments. The Zetafax Client will also convert files in the following formats to faxes: ASCII, BMP, DCX, EPS bitmaps, Epson FX and LQ series spool output, GIF, JPEG, PCX, PICT, Targa, TIFF and others. Any other file format file can sent as a fax by printing to the Zetafax printer driver from the application that created it. The conversion of files attached to messages submitted by Microsoft Outlook and other email clients can be handled by the Zetafax Email Gateway by having the relevant applications installed on the Zetafax Server so that it can run them up to perform file format conversion. An alternative, that is both more flexible and handles higher throughput, is to install the optional Zetafax Document Conversion add-on. Using the Document Conversion add-on, the Zetafax Server can convert over 225 files types, including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, graphics and database files, to fax TIFF format without having to install the authoring application on the Zetafax Server. With this add-on, Zetafax is enhanced in the following areas: Zetafax Web Client

Web Client Users of the Web Client are able to attach files of any of the supported file types to new outbound messages.

API Toolkit

Users of the Zetafax API can fax file attachments of any of the supported file types from third party applications because Zetafax will render them into TIFF format documents. Without the Document Conversion add-on, users of the web client and API are only able to submit ASCII text and most graphics file formats such as BMP, JPEG, and TIFF.

Email gateway

The Zetafax Email Gateway can be configured to use either the native application or the Document Conversion add-on to convert files to TIFF format. If using the Document Conversion add on, it is not necessary to install rendering applications on the Zetafax Server itself and the conversion of attached files to TIFF is speeded up – a requirement when traffic levels are high.

Scanners & MFPs

The Zetafax Client supports TWAIN-based personal scanners for faxing. Zetafax Duo extends use of such scanners for colour scanning to PDF for emailing. In addition, the Zetafax Server supports network attached scanners such as Hewlett Packard Digital Senders. Users can walk up to a shared scanner, identify themselves to it, and then scan and send messages directly from the device or via their desktop, removing any need for old-fashioned fax machines.

Inbound Faxes

Zetafax supports, as standard, a wide range of routing options for received faxes. This includes DDI or DID routing, where each user is given a personal fax number to receive faxes to the Zetafax Client, via the Zetafax Web Client or by email. A wide range of client options

Manual routing

When you add a new analog fax line to a Zetafax Server you specify the user to receive faxes received on that line. This is the person who is notified when faxes are received without any specific information about for whom they are intended. That person can then view the new faxes, and either print them or forward them manually to the appropriate user.

DDI and DID routing

The simplest way to configure direct dial faxing with Zetafax is to install a separate ISDN line for faxing and connect this to the Zetafax Server. Many ISDN operators offer two direct dial options: Multi Subscriber Numbering (MSN) where only ten or fewer separate numbers are required and Direct Dialing Inward (DDI) for more numbers. Zetafax can be used with both options. We recommend intelligent fax boards and active ISDN controllers from Cantata/Brooktrout or Dialogic/Eicon for supporting DDI routing on ISDN lines. Both Basic Rate Interface (BRI) ISDN2 lines and Primary Rate Interface (PRI) ISDN30 lines are supported. For Direct Inward Dialing (DID) with analog lines, a typical option in North America, Japan and Australasia, Zetafax supports routing of faxes to desktops using either DTMF tones or analog DID lines. Some service providers do not allow outbound calls to be made on DID lines, so you may also need to install conventional telephone lines for sending faxes. Analog extension connections from a PBX can be used with analog intelligent fax boards to route faxes to users' desktops provided that sufficient spare direct dial numbers exist on the PBX. DTMF tones are typically used to convey the direct dial number dialed to the fax server.


Least Cost Routing (LCR)

If your business has more than one location and more than one fax server, then the Least Cost Routing module allows you to reduce the cost of sending faxes by linking two or more Zetafax Servers in different locations. LCR forwards a sent fax to the fax server closest to the intended final destination of the fax. Server to server communications via WAN (using shared files) or email (WAN or Internet) can be configured, as can routing rules based on location, fax size, network user and time of day. Faxes submitted via LCR can also be encrypted between fax servers. Should the link between servers be broken, automatic re-routing of faxes can be enabled.

Technical Spec: Fax Server

The Zetafax Server is Microsoft Windows based and can be licensed to support up to 180 fax lines: analog, T1, ISDN (BRI and PRI) or T.38 (internet fax). The server software is known for its reliability and is suitable for use in mission critical installations, normally configured to run as a Windows service. It can integrate with your email servers using the Zetafax Email Gateway option. Integration with Microsoft Exchange

The Zetafax Email Gateway has native integration with Microsoft Exchange using the Zetafax Connector for Exchange. The following configurations of Microsoft Exchange are supported: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Microsoft Exchange 2000/2003 in clustered Windows 2000/2003 Server environments (the Zetafax Connector for Exchange only) Integration with IBM Lotus Domino and Notes

The Zetafax Email Gateway also integrates natively with Lotus Domino and Notes using the Zetafax Options for Lotus Notes. The following configurations of Lotus Domino are supported: Lotus Domino R5 to R7 gateway (basic integration only with Lotus Domino Gateway R5) Integration with SMTP Mail systems

The Zetafax Email Gateway can connect the Zetafax Server to other SMTP mail systems using the Zetafax SMTP Server. This enables faxes to be sent and received from a range of email clients. The Zetafax SMTP Server is compliant with the SMTP/POP3 Internet email protocols.

Fax server hardware requirements

Windows Server 2003: 550MHz Pentium-compatible CPU or faster, 256MB RAM, compatible fax device Microsoft Small Business Server 2003: 550MHz Pentium-compatible CPU or faster, 256MB RAM, compatible fax device Windows Vista Business, Ultimate or Enterprise Edition: 1GHz Pentium-compatible CPU or faster, 1GB RAM, compatible fax device Windows XP Professional: 300MHz Pentium-compatible CPU or faster, 128MB RAM, compatible fax device Windows 2000: 300MHz Pentium-compatible CPU or faster, 128MB RAM, compatible fax device To support over 10 users, a server operating system is required such as Windows Server 2003. To support over 25 users, multiple fax lines or when using the Email Gateway, we recommend you use a dedicated fax server.


Fax boards and modems

Zetafax supports these types of fax board and modem: Cantata/Brooktrout intelligent fax boards Dialogic/Eicon intelligent fax boards Class 1, Class 2, Class 2.0 and Class 2.1 fax modems Active CAPI 2.0 ISDN controllers (supporting T.30 protocol) ISDN Terminal Adapters IP call control software combined with a phone system which supports IP

Scanners and printers

Zetafax supports these scanners and printers: TWAIN compatible scanners Hewlett Packard 8100c Digital Sender* Hewlett Packard 9100c Digital Sender Hewlett Packard Network ScanJet 5 Selected Canon, Gestetner, HP, Konica-Minolta, Lanier, Ricoh, Savin, Sharp and Toshiba MFPs† Windows compatible graphics printers *Only supported with the SMTP Server. †Supported in conjunction with eCopy ShareScan OP.

Technical spec: Fax Clients

Zetafax supports an outstanding range of client-side options. The Zetafax Client is powerful Windows software that incorporates a fax printer driver so that documents may be sent from virtually any Windows software by ‘printing’ to Zetafax. The Zetafax FaxBroadcast Client is designed for high volume faxing, while the Zetafax Web Client allows users to send and receive messages via Internet Explorer. Zetafax also integrates with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and most SMTP email systems to allow you to send and receive faxes from within your email client such as Microsoft Outlook. Zetafax Duo adds a highly visual ‘document builder’ to assist with the production of business documents for both faxing and emailing as PDFs. For extra flexibility, faxes can also be automated and sent directly from Microsoft Office applications or using the API Toolkit.

Zetafax Client platform support

The Zetafax Client and its associated fax printer driver can be installed remotely using Group Policy in a Windows 2000/2003 Active Directory domain. The Zetafax Client supports these operating systems: Windows Vista Business, Ultimate or Enterprise Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Windows XP Professional Windows 2000

Zetafax FaxBroadcast Client

The FaxBroadcast Client supports these operating systems: Windows Server 2003 Windows XP Professional Windows 2000 Professional Language support: English

Zetafax Web Client

The Web Client software may be installed at the server for use with browser-based clients: Internet Explorer 5 onwards Language support: English

Microsoft Office and other applications

In addition to its native integration with Outlook, Zetafax has native integration with: Microsoft Word/Powerpoint/Excel 2007 Microsoft Word/Powerpoint/Excel 2003 Microsoft Word/Powerpoint/Excel 2002 Microsoft Word/Powerpoint/Excel 2000 Goldmine 6.5.& 6.6 (Zetafax Connector for Goldmine) ACT! By Sage (Zetafax Duo)

Technical spec: Other

Zetafax also supports other configurations, such as use with Terminal Services, Citrix or on a disconnected laptop.

Application Servers

The Zetafax Client can be deployed to users with the software running on supported application servers. The application server session can be enabled on a wide range of operating systems including Apple Macintosh, UNIX, Handheld PCs, and Network Terminals. Network users can be provided with faxing capabilities in branch offices or at remote sites and can use Zetafax in thin-client sessions over the WAN or using remote access. For large volume faxing, Zetafax also supports embedded addressing in the application server environment. Zetafax supports these application servers: Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server edition Citrix Presentation Server and MetaFrame versions 1.8 or XP
If using Zetafax in application server environments, we recommend you use a dedicated fax server and install the Zetafax Client only on the application server.


Laptop fax server

The Zetafax Server comes with the option to install a copy onto a notebook computer, so users can send and receive faxes while away from the office. When you start the Zetafax Client, it automatically detects if your PC can connect to a network fax server. If not, a version of the Zetafax Server can be run locally, using the fax modem in your PC. The personal laptop fax server option supports: Windows Vista Business or Ultimate Microsoft Windows XP Professional Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Class 1, Class 2, Class 2.0 and Class 2.1 laptop fax modems

SMS Gateway

The Zetafax SMS Gateway add-on allows networked Zetafax users to send text messages to colleagues and to customers' mobile devices direct from their desktop. Text messages can also be received by an individual directly on their desktop, or processed by your own application using the Zetafax API. The SMS Gateway add-on requires a GSM modem which may be available as part of a bundle with the Zetafax SMS Gateway.

FaxBroadcast

Zetafax FaxBroadcast has been introduced to help with the process of sending large scale fax broadcasts to fax addresses stored within databases or within files on your system. The FaxBroadcast module is available separately, and can be run as a background program on a client PC allowing jobs to be carried out quickly with the minimum of disturbance.