Writing fax covers

 For a helpful tool to use when writing a fax, see Checklist: Writing emails and faxes.

If you want to send legal documents or letters by facsimile (fax), you will generally need to include a fax cover sheet. A fax cover sheet is a page that comes before the first page of the letter or document you are sending and includes information such as:

• the name of the company the fax is being sent to (if relevant)
• the name of the person in the company that the document or letter is being sent to
• the fax number of the company or person the document is being sent to
• your name
• your company's name (if relevant)
• your telephone number, fax number, email address and other contact details
• the word "URGENT" if the fax is urgent
• a brief description of the letter or document being sent, including how many pages the fax is (including the cover sheet)
• a statement in words to the effect that the fax is confidential and for the intended recipient only
• your signature.

 It is a good idea to check with the person or organisation you are sending the fax to whether it will be received in a confidential area. If the fax is a shared machine in an open area and you want to send private documents, you may want to send a letter or email instead of a fax.

There are many templates for fax cover sheets available on word processing software, such as Word, which allow you to fill in the relevant details.

A fax cover sheet could look like this: