Selecting the right enterprise fax vendor is a decision you’ll live with for years. This comprehensive checklist covers every category your evaluation should address—use it to structure your RFP or vendor comparison.
Security & Compliance
Certifications
| Requirement | Priority | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Type II | Required | |||
| HIPAA/BAA Available | Required (Healthcare) | |||
| HITRUST CSF | Preferred (Healthcare) | |||
| FedRAMP | Required (Government) | |||
| ISO 27001 | Preferred | |||
| PCI DSS | If card data |
Encryption
- TLS 1.2+ for transmission (TLS 1.3 preferred)
- AES-256 encryption at rest
- Documented key management procedures
- Customer-managed key option (if required)
- End-to-end encryption available
Access Controls
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- Multi-factor authentication
- SSO integration (SAML, OIDC)
- Active Directory / LDAP integration
- IP whitelisting capability
- Session timeout configuration
- Password policy enforcement
Audit & Logging
- Comprehensive transmission logging
- User activity logging
- Administrative action logging
- Configurable retention periods
- Log export capability
- SIEM integration available
- Tamper-evident log storage
Reliability & Performance
Uptime & SLA
| Metric | Requirement | Vendor Response |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime SLA | 99.9%+ | |
| Historical uptime | 99.95%+ | |
| Planned maintenance windows | Defined | |
| SLA credit terms | Documented | |
| Financial backing for SLA | Yes |
Infrastructure
- Multi-datacenter deployment
- Geographic redundancy
- Automatic failover
- Disaster recovery capability
- RTO/RPO documented
- DR testing frequency
Performance
- Average delivery time documented
- Peak capacity specifications
- Burst handling capability
- Retry logic and configuration
- Delivery success rate metrics
- Performance during maintenance
Features & Functionality
Sending Capabilities
- Multiple document format support (PDF, TIFF, Word, etc.)
- Cover page customization
- Scheduled send
- Bulk/batch sending
- Broadcasting capability
- Send from email
- Web portal send
- Mobile app send
- Resolution options (standard/fine)
Receiving Capabilities
- Email delivery of received faxes
- Web portal access
- Mobile app access
- Multiple format delivery options
- Routing rules
- OCR capability
- Automatic document classification
- Integration with document management
Number Management
- Number porting supported
- New number provisioning
- Toll-free numbers available
- International numbers (if needed)
- Virtual number capability
- Number pooling options
- Porting timeline and process
Integration Capabilities
API
| Capability | Priority | Available |
|---|---|---|
| REST API | Required | |
| Webhook support | Required | |
| Sandbox environment | Required | |
| API documentation | Required | |
| SDK availability | Preferred | |
| Rate limits documented | Required | |
| API versioning policy | Preferred |
Pre-Built Connectors
- EHR systems (Epic, Cerner, etc.)
- ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, etc.)
- CRM systems (Salesforce, etc.)
- Document management systems
- Practice management systems
- Email systems (Microsoft 365, Google)
- Workflow automation (Zapier, Power Automate)
Integration Support
- Integration consultation available
- Professional services team
- Partner ecosystem for implementation
- Reference implementations
- Integration testing support
User Experience
Web Portal
- Modern, intuitive interface
- Responsive design (mobile-friendly)
- Search and filter capabilities
- Bulk actions supported
- Customizable dashboard
- Notification preferences
Mobile Apps
- iOS app available
- Android app available
- Feature parity with web
- Offline capability
- Push notifications
- Touch ID/Face ID support
Administration
- Centralized user management
- Department/group organization
- Usage reporting
- Cost allocation reporting
- Self-service capabilities
- Audit reporting
Pricing & Commercial Terms
Pricing Model
| Model | Description | Fit Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Per user | Fixed monthly per user | |
| Per page | Variable based on volume | |
| Hybrid | Base + usage | |
| Tiered | Volume-based tiers | |
| Enterprise | Custom negotiated |
Cost Components
- Base subscription cost
- Per-page send cost
- Per-page receive cost
- Number cost (monthly)
- Overage pricing
- Implementation fees
- Integration fees
- Training fees
- Support fees (if separate)
Contract Terms
- Contract length options
- Renewal terms
- Price protection period
- Termination clauses
- Data portability on exit
- SLA terms and remedies
Support & Service
Support Availability
| Support Type | Availability | Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Phone support | ||
| Email support | ||
| Chat support | ||
| Emergency support | ||
| Dedicated account manager |
Support Quality
- Support SLAs documented
- Escalation procedures clear
- Technical expertise level
- After-hours support available
- Global support coverage (if needed)
Professional Services
- Implementation services
- Integration services
- Migration assistance
- Training services
- Strategic consulting
Vendor Viability
Company Assessment
- Years in business
- Financial stability
- Customer count
- Enterprise customer references
- Industry-specific experience
- Recent funding/investment
- Acquisition risk assessment
Product Direction
- Product roadmap available
- Recent feature releases
- Innovation track record
- Customer input to roadmap
- Industry trend alignment
References
- References in your industry
- Similar-size customer references
- Implementation complexity references
- Integration references
- Long-term customer references
Evaluation Process
Phase 1: Initial Screening
- Issue RFI to long list (6-10 vendors)
- Review responses against must-have criteria
- Short list to 3-4 vendors
Phase 2: Detailed Evaluation
- Issue detailed RFP to short list
- Conduct vendor demonstrations
- Score against weighted criteria
- Check references
Phase 3: Proof of Concept
- Select top 2 vendors
- Conduct POC with each
- Test critical use cases
- Validate integration approach
Phase 4: Selection & Negotiation
- Select preferred vendor
- Negotiate contract terms
- Finalize implementation plan
- Execute agreement
Scoring Template
| Category | Weight | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security & Compliance | 25% | |||
| Reliability | 20% | |||
| Features | 15% | |||
| Integration | 20% | |||
| User Experience | 5% | |||
| Pricing | 10% | |||
| Support | 5% | |||
| Weighted Total | 100% |
The Bottom Line
Vendor selection is a methodical process. The organizations that achieve successful cloud fax implementations are those that thoroughly evaluate options against their specific requirements—not those that select based on name recognition or lowest price alone.
Use this checklist to structure your evaluation and ensure you’re comparing vendors on the criteria that matter most to your organization.
Need help structuring your cloud fax vendor evaluation? Let’s discuss your specific requirements and evaluation approach.
