Whenever you are sending a fax to an office where multiple people work, always try to use a fax cover sheet to prevent people from having to scan through your documents to try and find the intended recipient. By not using one, the chances of your fax getting lost are far greater in a large office.
Normally, a generic fax cover sheet such as the one below will do just fine, but certain situations may require more information to be put on the cover sheet.
Using a cover sheet is recommended when:
- When the fax is confidential
- When urgency to review the content is required
- Anything that pertains to HIPAA, patient or customer privacy, etc.
You can find many sample fax cover sheets online, but its fairly easy to create your own in Microsoft word, even adding a logo to the corner gives a much more professional image. Cover sheets may have large, 24 or 32 point font bold print announcing the intent, and then handwritten details including the recipient, date, who the fax is from, the number of transmitted pages (very important) and what the subject is.
Some Tips for your generic fax cover sheet:
- Write big and bold, use a sharpie or felt pen if possible
- The cover sheet counts as a page, so if you see “2 pages” – expect one page of actual data to follow the cover sheet
- Keep several pre-printed sheets near the fax machine to encourage their use
If you are faxing a resume, this may be your only chance to get attention — do not use a typical cover sheet! Instead, make something unique with more personal information. Stay away from cartoon graphics and gimmicks on the first page; present yourself as someone organized, competent, and professional.
The fact that cover sheets are written on once and then discarded is a great reason to switch to fax by email using one of the internet services. The monthly rate for unlimited faxing online is usually far less than the cost of a telephone line, paper, and toner.
A typical cover sheet can be made in minutes but if you want something to use as a template – download this free generic fax cover sheet!
You can print or buy more generic fax cover sheets on this site.
