Fax cover sheets are one-page “covers” that are placed at the front of a document that you fax. They contain identifying information about who sends the fax, who is intended to receive the fax, and a brief overview of the fax’s contents. Besides being useful for identifying and organizing incoming faxes, fax cover sheets help to ensure the right person or department receives the fax and prevent the wrong person from seeing the fax.
What you need to know about writing a fax cover letter:
- Fax cover sheets tell who sent the fax and why.
- A fax cover sheet lists who the intended recipient is.
- They are easy and free to create with a digital fax service.
- Cover sheets can also include messages, such as asking for a reply upon receipt.
Quick Hits: How to Do a Fax Cover Sheet
How do I make a fax cover page? You can make it yourself using a template or have Fax.Live generate the cover page for you.
What should be on a fax cover page? You, the sender, should put your information on the cover page. Also, have the recipient’s information on the cover letter.
Is a fax cover sheet confidential? On the fax cover sheet, you can put a disclaimer that the fax contains confidential information that you authorize to be viewed only by the listed recipient. However, as with any physical document, you can’t guarantee confidentiality, which is why you should be very careful sharing sensitive information.
What Goes on a Fax Cover Sheet
Cover letter fax format
- To (intended recipient)
- Fax number (recipient’s number)
- From (you or your organization)
- Phone (your phone or fax number)
- Date (although faxes get time-stamped during transit)
- Message (personal note, instructions, requests)
- Confidentiality statement
Recipient information
This section is where you specify who you want the fax to be received by. This includes:
- Recipient name (or organization name and department)
- Recipient phone number (fax number)
This is important to include, especially for sensitive information, as the recipient is who you’re authorizing to view the document. If the wrong person receives the document, or someone happens across the fax, the first thing they’ll see is the fax cover sheet that covers the information within (this isn’t fool-proof; remember, all physical documents are vulnerable to falling into the wrong hands).
When you send the fax, use the fax number of the recipient as the recipient’s number. It’s also recommended that you fill out the name of the specific person you intend to send the fax to. Other times, you may need to put the organization name instead, such as with a medical office.
Sender’s information and subject
Here, you enter your name and the subject of the fax. This helps the recipient identify who sent the fax and why.
We’ve included optional two areas for this:
- Return number
- Subject
If you’re wondering what your fax number is for the return number, Fax.Live generates a fax number for you when you create an account with us. This fax number can be found on the dashboard of Fax.Live and will be the number that the recipient sees when you send them a fax. Some people use their telephone numbers in this field, indicating they want a phone call back.
Message
The message area lets you write whatever you want that the recipient should know before they view your fax.
This is commonly where the confidentiality statement or any other statement regarding the privacy of the information contained within the fax is. You can word this in several ways, and you’ll find examples on our free downloadable confidential fax cover sheet.
Of course, the message area can still be used in other ways. If you want to summarize the information within the fax or give specific instructions to the recipient, the message area is a good spot for this! There is a character limit on this, as the message has to fit within the first cover page of the fax.
How to Write a Fax Cover Sheet FAQs
Does every fax need a cover sheet?
No, fax cover sheets can be used to indicate sensitive information such as medical, legal, or financial documents. Fax cover sheets also help the recipient identify who sent the fax and why. These are typically used in larger organizations that receive a lot of faxes that need to be sorted and directed to the right person or department. The cover sheet assures that passing hands don’t see the information within, while also helping the fax get to the right place. If you’re just faxing internally within your company or sending a document that isn’t as sensitive, there’s no need for a fax cover sheet.
How do I make a fax cover page?
Fax cover sheets are easy to create with Fax.Live at no additional cost. Fax.Live is a digital fax service that doesn’t require any apps or third-party downloads; you can fax entirely from your web browser. Fax.Live lets you both send and receive faxes with your dedicated fax number.
When you prepare to send a fax through our digital service, we’ll give you the option to create an optional free cover sheet. You’ll be able to preview the cover sheet and write out the information that you want it to contain. Alternatively, you may download a free cover sheet template and make it your own.
What if I want to make a custom fax cover sheet?
Yes, you can do this too. There are plenty of cover sheet templates online that may be tailored to your needs or business.
If this is the case, instead you’ll want to go back into the document editor that you originally made the document that you’re trying to fax. Insert a new page that includes the fax cover sheet template in front of the rest of your document. Fill the cover sheet out and export the document again for faxing.
As you fax with Fax.Live, select no for the optional cover sheet, since you’re using your own.