How to Complete a Fax Cover Sheet

Though hard to believe, the fax machine, or facsimile, dates back to 1843, when it was invented by Alexander Bain. The telephone would not be patented for another 33 years. Even in this age of email and the ability to email documents, there is still the occasional need of sending a fax. A cover sheet should be sent with every fax and a basic cover sheet is simple to set up.

Open the software you use to create documents, and start with a new, blank document. You could use a template for your fax, but for now you will make it from scratch so that you know the basic format.

Write "To:" at the top of the page followed by to whom you are sending the fax. If it is to a business or organization, use the name of the business or organization after the "To." On the next line you can use "Attn:" followed by a person's name if the fax needs to go to a specific person within the business or organization. If you are sending the fax to a person, simply write that person's name following the "To."

Include the fax number of the business, organization or person to whom you are sending the fax below the name by writing "Fax Number:" followed by the number. This is to ensure that if the fax ends up at the wrong location because you have the wrong number or punched in the wrong numbers, the person who received the fax can notify you of the mistake.

Write the number of pages the fax will contain, including the cover page. This line will simply read, "Number of Pages:" followed by the number of pages of the fax.

Include your contact details, such as your name, your fax number and phone number, so the recipient of the fax can get back to you. This is the "From:" part of the fax cover sheet.

The "To:" and "From:" parts can be followed by a "Message:" section where you can write what the fax contains and any pertinent information concerning the fax. You have now made a simple fax cover sheet that contains all the necessary information.