Sfax Download Service

General Information

The Fax Download Service is available for accounts that are on a contender plan (that is: $99 or higher, per month, which is the minimum plan for using the API or download service)—and are currently billable. If you have any questions about this, contact our Sales department at 1-877-493-1015.

Although the installation of the Fax Download Service is fairly straightforward, there are a few things to know/do beforehand:

  • The .NET Framework 4.6 is the minimum version needed to run the service. If it is not already installed on your system, you will be prompted to install it.
  • The download service can be installed on Server 2008 (R2), Server 2012 and above, and Windows 7, 8, and 10—and is installed to run local-system credentials. So, if you are saving files to a networked drive, the account that is running the service will need full access to those folders.
  • If you are using a firewall, there should be an exception created to allow traffic to and from https://winserv.sfaxme.com.

Also, before the installation of the service, we need to create a configuration file for you.  To do so, we need the following information from you.

  • File-format preference:  PDF or TIFF
  • File-naming preference (one of the following):
    o   Fax ID (e.g., 2150310165103980593)
    o   (Last 4 of recipient fax number)_ (Date)(Time)_(Number of pages)   Example: 4028_03102015115800664783_1
    o   (Last 4 of recipient fax number)_(Date)_(Time)_(Number of pages)   Example: 4028_03102015_120100581558_1
    o   (Last 4 of recipient fax number)_(Date)_(Time)_(Last 5 digits of FaxID)   Example: 4028_03102015_120400_80350
    o   (CSID)_(Date)_(Time)_(Last 5 digits of FaxID)   Example: 8889744028_03102015_121003_80723
    o   (Sender Fax Number)_(Date)_(Time)_(Last 5 digits of FaxID)   Example: 8889744028_03102015_121400_80941
  • Download Folder (For each associated fax line, this can be local [preferred] or UNC—and please note which fax line will be downloading to which folder.)  Example: c:\StoredFaxes(local) or \\server_name\StoredFaxes(UNC)

We will also provide you with:

  • A config.xml file—and the SfaxDownloadService.exe file to install. (You can place both on your desktop.)
  • A Windows Service user (identified with winserv next to the name) for your Sfax account.

Finally, any numbers you have associated with the account will have their faxes downloaded by the Windows service and put in the folder designated by the configuration file.

Procedure

To install the Fax Download Service:

  1. Go to your desktop, and click the Sfax Windows Service executable file (SfaxDownloadService.exe) provided to you. After prompting you for administrator privileges, the Welcome to Sfax Download Service Setup wizard appears. (NOTE: If .NET Framework 4.6 is not on your PC, you will be prompted to install it.)

    a. Click the Browse button to navigate to your desktop and select the config.xml file provided to you—then click Next.

    b. On the Ready to Install screen that appears, click the Install button to continue. (The Services control panel appears in the background.)

    c.   On the Sfax Download Service Setup Complete screen, click the Finish button to exit the wizard.

  1. In the Sfax Download Service Configuration tool that appears after installation, you can:

o   Click the drop-down arrows to select your preferred fax-file format and naming convention.

o   Add a new fax number (and path) in the asterisked row. (NOTE: All phone numbers must be 10 digits [you may add a 1 before the number] without dashes.)

o   Delete a fax number by clicking its arrow and pressing your Delete key.

o   Edit a fax number or path directly in its textbox.

…then click Save these settings to save the information and exit the tool (or click the X in the upper-right corner to exit without saving).

Additional Information

Post install, a c:\SfaxFaxDownload folder is created, which will contain all required executables, error logs, and the config.xml file.

  • You can run the Sfax Download Service Configuration tool (SfaxDownloadServiceConfig.exe) anytime.
  • The download service will start and check for faxes every three minutes.  Once three minutes have passed, you should find the Sfax.log file that keeps track of the watermark of faxes that have been downloaded—and will refresh every time the service runs.
  • If faxes downloaded from Sfax cannot be saved to the location indicated in the config file, then your faxes will be saved in individual auto-created receiving-fax-number folders within the c:\SfaxFaxDownload folder. (NOTE: If you see an error.log file instead, submit a help ticket by emailing support@sfax.com and attaching that file to the ticket. Support will then reach out to you to help get your download service running correctly.