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From: Larry Struckmeyer[SBS-MVP] on 4 Jun 2010 08:31

Quoting from the orginal post:

"However, the boss says this procedure to fax is too complicated for his
employees. He wants me to code it into an Excel application using VBA to
fax out pdf files."

Maybe the problem/issue is the above statement. I have seen others of this
type, where, for example, "the boss" thinks the employees will be too easily
confused by the window that opens on RWW and they won't be able to tell the
difference between the local and the remote.

Maybe what is actually needed is some investment in training to use the tools
provided instead of an investment in developing new one-off tools that might
be obsoleted by a change in the underlying process. Maybe you could create
a short .pdf file "How To Use the Company Name Fax to Print Service in Windows",
and show that to him. But, please, keep it simple and explain the steps
as they appear on the screen while preparing to and committing to send the
fax.


-
Larry
Please post the resolution to your
issue so others may benefit
-
Get Your SBS Health Check at
www.sbsbpa.com


> However, the boss says this procedure to fax is too complicated for
> his employees. He wants me to code it into an Excel application using
> VBA to fax out pdf files.
>


From: Russ SBITS.Biz [SBS-MVP] on 4 Jun 2010 08:50
Along with Cliff, it's not that I disagree with your Boss
But it comes down to what is technically feasible!
Wants don't exactly equal reality in computers.

Like Cliff said Where is this information coming from?
If this is pulled from a database? sent to the same place?

I'm sure you could contact a program developer to have
this written for you, but unless we know more
it is kind of hard where to go next?

Because If he requires a simple click of a button to send things out.
Like grabbing information from databases, converting them into a PDF
and automatically Faxing them to a number predetermined.

And no user intervention at all...

You probably need a programmer, and this will take a while to
compile and test.

Ask your boss what his Budget for this one click solution requirement.
and if you give more details I may know some programmers that can help.
Because right now I do not know of a 1 click solution....
Sorry

Russ

--
Russell Grover - SBITS.Biz [SBS-MVP]
MCP, MCPS, MCNPS, SBSC
Small Business Server/Computer Support - www.SBITS.Biz
Question or Second Opinion - www.PersonalITConsultant.com
BPOS - Microsoft Online Services - www.BPOSMadeEasy.com


"Cliff Galiher - MVP" <cgaliher(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7CD7B3F2-D370-4149-A3F6-5F10B16C6207(a)microsoft.com...
> Still want to narrow down the requirements.
>
> He wants you to "click a button" so I think you've partially answered my
> question. You want to add a button to the office toolbar and have VB code
> behind it initiate the fax process, is that correct? In other words, we
> are skipping the "file->print->fax" step with a one click button.
>
> Which is only a partial answer because it doesn't answer the rest of the
> user experience question: Do you *always* fax to the same number? You
> have to get that info *somehow*, so you either hard code it or you collect
> it from the user at the time they click the button. If you choose to
> collect that information at the time the user clicks the button (as I'd
> assume, as I can't see hard-coding being a viable option...but I could be
> wrong!), then what would your boss like to see simplified? The wizard is
> about as straightforward as I could imagine, so I think this merits a
> sit-down with the boss and have him describe *to you* what he expects the
> process to be. Computers can't be psychic and guess where to fax
> something, so simplifying the wizard would have to be pretty darn
> specific...
>
>
> --
> Cliff Galiher
> Microsoft has opened the Small Business Server forum on Technet! Check it
> out!
> http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-us/smallbusinessserver/threads
> Addicted to newsgroups? Read about the NNTP Bridge for MS Forums.
>
> "Webtechie" <Webtechie(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:BDFCD3D3-C974-41DE-9A9A-CC47645C79A7(a)microsoft.com...
>> I though it was plain enough, but maybe not. Let me rephrase it.
>>
>> QUESTION
>> =======
>> How do you simulate via code the SBS 2003 Fax share wizared?
>>
>>
>> Problem
>> =====
>>
>> 1. The boss says going through the Fax Share wizard is too complicated
>> for
>> the employees.
>> 2. He wants them to hit a button and a document is sent via our shared
>> faxing.
>> 3. All the sites that I've seen that gives code on faxing, wants you to
>> have some faxing service (winfax, efax, etc.)
>> 4. I'd like to use our shared faxing from the SBS 2003 environment.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for the URL, but again that is having the employees use the fax
>> wizard.
>>
>> You may not agree with our boss or not, but that is his requirement.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Russ SBITS.Biz [SBS-MVP]" wrote:
>>
>>> I'm kind of confused also
>>>
>>> Too Complicated?
>>> here are some instructions:
>>>
>>> http://harrybrelsford.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/details-on-sending-a-fax-in-sbs-2003/
>>>
>>> ?
>>> Russ
>>>
>>> --
>>> Russell Grover - SBITS.Biz [SBS-MVP]
>>> MCP, MCPS, MCNPS, SBSC
>>> Remote Small Business Server/Computer Support - www.SBITS.Biz
>>> BPOS - Microsoft Online Services - www.Microsoft-Online-Services.com
>>>
>>>
>>> "Cliff Galiher - MVP" <cgaliher(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:201DC652-CE8B-4D54-BBEC-3DF6E3F1C396(a)microsoft.com...
>>> > I've re-read this post four times and still have no idea what you
>>> > want.
>>> >
>>> > SBS "shared fax" feature simply means that you don't have to have a
>>> > fax
>>> > modem on/in each desktop. One on SBS and the clients can share it.
>>> > What
>>> > more did you expect?
>>> >
>>> > Equally importantly, what is too complicated? You say your boss wants
>>> > to
>>> > use "VBA code" but end-users don't *use* VBA code. Visual Basic (for
>>> > applications or otherwise) runs in the background based on an event
>>> > that
>>> > triggers it...whether that event is double-clicking to launch an
>>> > application or an event triggered by an office app to run that code.
>>> >
>>> > What does your boss want the "end user" experience to be? Without
>>> > knowing
>>> > that, we are in no position to answer on how to best implement that
>>> > feature.
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Cliff Galiher
>>> > Microsoft has opened the Small Business Server forum on Technet!
>>> > Check it
>>> > out!
>>> > http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-us/smallbusinessserver/threads
>>> > Addicted to newsgroups? Read about the NNTP Bridge for MS Forums.
>>> >
>>> > "Webtechie" <Webtechie(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> > news:9D2DC52A-F572-42A5-801D-4C990A5F45B2(a)microsoft.com...
>>> >> Hello,
>>> >>
>>> >> I've created a SBS 2003 environment. The domain, servers and all are
>>> >> up
>>> >> and
>>> >> running. Great.
>>> >>
>>> >> I've added a fax modem to the server. I can send faxes from my desk
>>> >> by
>>> >> printing to the fax modem.
>>> >>
>>> >> However, the boss says this procedure to fax is too complicated for
>>> >> his
>>> >> employees. He wants me to code it into an Excel application using
>>> >> VBA to
>>> >> fax
>>> >> out pdf files.
>>> >>
>>> >> I've looked and don't see how in an SBS 2003 environment to send
>>> >> faxes
>>> >> from
>>> >> the employee desks using VBA.
>>> >>
>>> >> I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I need this like last
>>> >> week.
>>> >> I'm not sure if I need a service like winfax or some internet fax
>>> >> company.
>>> >>
>>> >> I thought with SBS 2003, we could use the shared faxing. Again, I
>>> >> got it
>>> >> to
>>> >> work using the fax console. However, the owner doesn't want to use
>>> >> the
>>> >> fax
>>> >> console, but rather use VBA code.
>>> >>
>>> >> Any help, idea or pointing me in the right direction would be
>>> >> definitely
>>> >> appreciated!
>>> >
From: Cris Hanna [SBS - MVP] on 4 Jun 2010 10:11
I'll make it real simple...according to the sbs product team, because this has come up many times..."there is no api available" for the fax server, so you can't program against it.

Maybe you're boss needs to put out the money for GFI faxmaker or other 3rd party product.

--
Cris Hanna [SBS - MVP] (since 1997)
Co-Contributor, Windows Small Business Server 2008 Unleashed
http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Small-Business-Server-Unleashed/dp/0672329573/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217269967&sr=8-1
Owner, CPU Services, Belleville, IL
A Microsoft Registered Partner
------------------------------------
MVPs do not work for Microsoft
Please do not submit questions directly to me.

"Webtechie" <Webtechie(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:9D2DC52A-F572-42A5-801D-4C990A5F45B2(a)microsoft.com...
Hello,

I've created a SBS 2003 environment. The domain, servers and all are up and
running. Great.

I've added a fax modem to the server. I can send faxes from my desk by
printing to the fax modem.

However, the boss says this procedure to fax is too complicated for his
employees. He wants me to code it into an Excel application using VBA to fax
out pdf files.

I've looked and don't see how in an SBS 2003 environment to send faxes from
the employee desks using VBA.

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I need this like last week.
I'm not sure if I need a service like winfax or some internet fax company.

I thought with SBS 2003, we could use the shared faxing. Again, I got it to
work using the fax console. However, the owner doesn't want to use the fax
console, but rather use VBA code.

Any help, idea or pointing me in the right direction would be definitely
appreciated!
From: Andrew Rinaldi on 4 Jun 2010 12:03
Webtechie wrote:
>
> Any help, idea or pointing me in the right direction would be definitely
> appreciated!

Does this help?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms692855.aspx

--
Andrew Rinaldi
Mainpine Developer Support
USA +1 866 363 6680 | UK +44 1225 637 105
andrew.rinaldi(a)mainpine.com | www.mainpine.com
From: Andrew Rinaldi on 4 Jun 2010 12:10
Cris Hanna [SBS - MVP] wrote:
> I'll make it real simple...according to the sbs product team, because
> this has come up many times..."there is no api available" for the fax
> server, so you can't program against it.
>

The Microsoft Fax service has multiple API's that allow the user to
fully extend the product. Here's are a few for reference;

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms686957.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms684533.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms692856.aspx

--
Andrew Rinaldi
Mainpine Developer Support
USA +1 866 363 6680 | UK +44 1225 637 105
andrew.rinaldi(a)mainpine.com | www.mainpine.com
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