A fax confirmation is the record the sending side produces at the end of the call: the number dialled, the pages sent, the date and time, and the result the receiving device reported. On a machine it prints as a confirmation page; on an online service it is the entry in the sent log and the notification that follows. It exists because the receiver confirms each page during the call, so a report that says delivered is evidence the recipient has the pages. This page explains how to read a fax receipt, how to know if a fax went through, and why a fax does not go through.
What the fax confirmation page shows
Every machine and service reports the same fields: the destination number as dialled, the start time, the duration, the number of pages, and a result. Result OK or sent means every page was confirmed by the receiver. A result of busy, no answer or failed means the pages were not delivered, and a page count lower than the document means the call dropped part way, in which case the recipient has the first pages and not the rest. Some machines print a reduced image of the first page on the confirmation as proof of what was sent. Keep the confirmation with the document; for a filing or a medical record it is the evidence of delivery.
How to confirm a fax was received
How do i know if my fax went through is answered by the report: a delivered result is confirmation from the receiving device itself, which will not confirm a page it did not receive. It does not tell you that a person has read it, and for anything urgent a phone call to the recipient after the report is the sensible second step. On an online service the sent log shows every attempt and its result, and the service emails a receipt; on a machine the confirmation page prints or can be printed from the journal. How do you know if a fax went through when there is no report at all: you do not, and it should be resent.
Why is my fax not going through
The receiving line is busy: retry, or ask the recipient to clear the machine. The number is a voice line: a person answered and hung up, so check the fax number. The receiving machine is off, out of paper or out of memory: the call answers and fails, and only the recipient can fix it. The line is noisy: pages error and the call drops; an online service's retry usually succeeds. The document is too large for a machine's memory: send it in parts. On the sending side, an online service reports each of these by name in the log, which is the quickest way to tell whose problem it is.
Questions people ask about fax confirmation
Is a fax confirmation legally valid proof?
It is the accepted evidence that the pages reached the receiving device, and courts and agencies rely on it. Keep it with the document it belongs to.
My report says OK but they say nothing arrived?
The pages reached the number you dialled. Check it is their fax number, ask them to check the tray or inbox, and resend with a cover sheet if in doubt.
Does an online service keep confirmations?
Yes, in the sent log for each job, with the attempts and result, and by email. Export it if the practice's retention policy needs a copy.