WinFax PRO Support

About FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word

FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word has two purposes, it allows you to send fax merges and it simplifies faxing from within Microsoft Word.  Looking for Fax Merge for WinFax PRO click here.

Simplify Faxing from Microsoft Word

 FaxTalk Fax Merge simplifies faxing from within Microsoft Word. For example, you can fax any open document in Microsoft Word via a fax icon, retrieve a fax number from a document automatically and add it to FaxTalk Send screen via built-in Word styles, automatically switch to the FaxTalk printer driver and switch back to your original printer when you are done. You can also set specific options for sending, such as setting a default resolution when sending faxes or printing a copy of your Microsoft Word document to your local printer every time you fax. However, the primary function and most powerful feature is performing fax merges.

What is a fax merge or mail merge?

Included with Microsoft Word is a feature called mail merge. A mail merge allows you to create a form letter that contains personalized information for the recipient. An example would be sending a payment reminders to customers with outstanding accounts, each letter would contain the name and address of the recipient, the payment due amount, and payment due date and any other information you’d like to include. While the main components of the letter will remain the same for everyone, the greeting, address, due date, amount or other information is personalized for the specific recipient. Printing and mailing these letters manually is easy enough, but stuffing envelopes and mailing is time consuming and expensive. This task can be accomplished with ease by faxing instead of mailing using the FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word. You can also use the FaxTalk Fax Merge for announcing new products, sending press releases, advertising, marketing & promotions, bulletins, newsletters and more.

A mail merge in Microsoft Word consists of two components, the template (for example, a letter), and a data source (a recipient list that contains names, addresses, phone numbers and any other personalized information.)

The template is the document you want to fax. It contains the body of the message along with placeholders which are replaced with the personalized data that you want to appear in the fax. The placeholders that appear in the document are linked to a data source. The data source is any type of database that can be linked to Microsoft Word. This includes a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, Outlook contacts, Hotmail Live Contacts, an Access database, dBase, SQL, and any ODBC connected database.

More info on FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word

Want to see it in action? We created a video showing an example of a fax merge using FaxTalk Fax Merge with Microsoft Word 2010/2007 here: 

Video of FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word 2010/2007

WinFax PRO 10.04 update is a patch file released from Symantec in 2005 that updates the Fax Sharing features of WinFax PRO.  After the patch is applied, the following WinFax PRO 10.03 files are updated in the WinFax installation folder:

• About.cfg
• ISUtil.dll
• UNINSTAL.DLL
• WFXCTL32.EXE (2 different versions depending on operating system)
• WFXRES32.DLL
• WFXIFWPP.DLL
• WPHOST.WPI

The update should only be applied to WinFax PRO 10.03 (North America) version, and is recommended only if you are using the Fax Sharing feature where one or more client(s) are using Windows XP.  

We do not recommend installing this patch for any other purpose, as it does not solve any other issues. If you’re having a problem with WinFax not related to fax sharing under Windows XP, then this update will not fix it. If you are using version 10.03 and do not use fax sharing, this update is not recommended. Do not install this update overtop any other version of WinFax, or any non-English language version of WinFax.

Symantec’s instructions to download and install WinFax PRO 10.04 update is available here: http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/faxprod.nsf/docid/2004113014595304

An ActiveX security flaw has been detected in the WinFax PRO Viewer Control. This bulletin applies to the following versions of WinFax:

• WinFax PRO 8.0x
• WinFax PRO 9.0x
• WinFax PRO 10.0x
• TalkWorks PRO 2.0x
• TalkWorks PRO 3.0
• WinFax Basic Edition (all versions)
• TalkWorks Basic Edition (all versions)
• Delrina Fax (French release, version 8.0x and above)

More details on this security flaw by clicking here

Symantec has released this official Security Bulletin for WinFax PRO, technical details can be found at Symantec’s Web site

If you use a Norton product for security, such as Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security 2009, this threat is detected with current definitions. Other security software from other vendors  may also detect this threat.

Regardless of the type of security you are using, We recommend setting the KillBit for this specific ActiveX control to always prevent it from activating. Setting this KillBit does NOT effect the normal operation of WinFax PRO. 

This is recommended if you have or do not have an installation of WinFax PRO.

If you have prior experience in setting a KillBit in the Windows registry, the CSLID for the WinFax PRO Viewer Control is {C05A1FBC-1413-11D1-B05F-00805F4945F6}

or, you can use our tool to do this for you, download our Free version of WinFax Tools.  Click “Fix Security DLL” button and the KillBit will be set automatically.

UPDATE: In a Windows XP update that was released February 9th, 2010, this security flaw was finally addressed. The actual update released by Microsoft is: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-008 – Critical Cumulative Security Update of ActiveX Kill Bits (978262).   If you have already downloaded this security update for Windows XP, then your system will already have the necessary ActiveX Kill bits set for the WinFax PRO ActiveX control.  You can still download WinFax Tools and confirm if the ActiveX kill bit was applied properly by this Windows XP Update. If your system has the Killbit set, the WinFax Tools program will indicate it has already been applied.

When you reboot your computer, the WinFax PRO configuration wizard setup screen appears. You need to cancel or complete the setup to continue using the computer.  The next time you reboot the computer, this setup appears again. This error can be easily fixed with WinFax Tools. To repair this problem follow these steps: Read the rest of this entry »

An important update to all WinFax PRO fax users 

UPDATED NEWS : Microsoft releases “ActiveX Killbits” Security Patch for XP February 9th, 2010 (See below)

A security flaw (called a Remote Buffer overflow) with a specific ActiveX Control that is used by WinFax PRO was reported. This type of security flaw is fairly common with ActiveX controls, and effects many programs out there. Recently the same security risks were identified in Facebook & Yahoo Music ActiveX controls. The flaw allows a script (on a Web page that you visit) to execute a program on your computer. When these risks are identified, Microsoft releases a security update to the operating system that fixes these holes. Read the rest of this entry »