Using Windows XP FAX and Outlook 2007

[Primated]

Hi,
I'm helping a friend with their computer.
The last thing that we did was upgrade to Office 2007 Enterprise
edition.
Before this upgrade, they were using Windows XP FAX for sending faxes,
to multiple recipients without a problem.
Sometimes up to 100 people per fax.
I received a phone call tonight. They told me that they could now only
send faxes one at a time now.
Now I'm not a faxing kind of guy. I think that I've maybe sent 15 - 20
tops in my whole life.
Needless to say, I have no idea what a possible solution could be (if
there is one).
I spent the last 1.5 hours searching the net for a definitive answer
and wound up scratching my head alot.
So here I am, hat in hand.
Can someone please give me, or point me in the direction of some
solutions for sending faxes to multiple recipients using the
'Contacts' from Outlook 2007.
Also, can someone tell me, if possible, why sending contacts to
multiple recipients in Windows XP FAX stopped working with the upgrade
to Office 2007.
I've seen posts elsewhere staing that Windows XP FAX wasn't designed
to send multiple faxes, but they have been using it to do just that
flawlessly with outlook 2003.
Thanks so much for reading and thanks even more if you have an answer.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Windows XP Fax has never been able to support sending to that many
recipients.

 

[Primated]

Hi.
Russ, I've read that in my searching last night. I understand that
point of view.That doesn't negate the fact that on this particular
computer running Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2, using
Outlook 2003 and the Windows XP FAX Service, my friend 'was' able to
send a single fax to at least 100 people using a FAX modem over a
telephone line. I know this to be true, as one night I had to sit
there and wait until a FAX was being sent to 117 people. It did it
without fail.
I know the programs that were being used, as I installed them myself.
This all ended with the installation of Office 2007 Enterprise
Edition.

But this isn't about having a back and forth about what can and can't
be.
I'm looking for a solution for what currently is.

Russ, I know that you're very knowledgable about all of this stuff.
Many of the intelligent posts that I read in my search last night were
written by you, unfortunatly many of them went right over my head. As
I've stated, I'm pretty clueless about all of this FAXing stuff. So I
guess that if anyone can give me the help/solution that I need, it's
you.

Can you please help me?

Is there a built in solution in Outllok 2007 that will allow sending a
FAX to that many recipents from the contact folder? Can it be
explained to me in a way that will keep me from pulling my hair out
with one hand, while using the other to wipe drool off of the front of
my shirt?
If that's not the case, can you please suggest some possible FAX
programs that are robust enough to accomplish this task without
breaking the bank and work with the outlook 2007 address book.
My friend is a teacher who works bringing an arts and theater program
to schools and once every week or two needs to preform this FAXing
task.
They were near tears last night and I'd really like to help them, but
in this area I'm pretty lost myself.
So, please, if you could, help me?
Thanks,
Buddy

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Sorry. Nothing has changed in Outlook 2007. In fact, modem fax support was
supposed to have been removed entirely in Outlook 2007, but they just never
got around to doing so before RTM. It most certainly was not enhanced or
changed in any way.
The only unusual thing here is that they were ever able to get Windows XP
Fax to send to that many recipients. That is an anecdotal case of one, in my
experience. No one else has ever reported being able to do so. I believe
you, I just know it is an exception, not the rule.
Since you "can't break what was never fixed," there is no known solution. If
this was an in place upgrade to Office 2007, it is essential that you create
a new Outlook profile from scratch in order to return things to their
previous state, but I doubt that will restore a fax function that no one
else has ever had. Outlook does integrate nicely with several Internet Fax
providers, but that is all fee based.
I have always insisted that users who need robust fax functions turn to
third party software, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to try
them out or make recommendations. Vendors who lurk here will often post
their recommendations, which of course you can take with a grain of salt.
Sorry I can't fix this. I still wish Microsoft would step up to this plate
and provide some decent solutions, but they listen to me about as much as my
kids do.

 

[Primated]

Russ,
Thank you so much, I'll try creating a new profile on their computer
and see if that works, though I doubt it.
I believe that the magic door has closed
and I'll have to find a professional FAX program solution for them.
And I didn't scratch my head once reading your response.
Again, thanks so much for your help.
It won't make my friend happy, but at least now I know what to tell
them.
Your kids sound like mine
Be Well,
Buddy

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The other thing you can try is to send the fax from the Fax Console instead
of Outlook. As long as Outlook is the default Contact Manger, they can still
access their Outlook Contacts as recipients.
If this same modem and fax software worked before, it might still work if
you take Outlook out of the loop (since in theory, Outlook is the only thing
that has changed). I'm still amazed that anyone ever got XP Fax to send to
100+ recipients.