At one time, fax machines were a very common way to send documents from one location to another. Fax machines are still used today but are not considered as reliable as other options that are available. To send a fax, both the sender and the receiver must have access to fax machines. If access is not available, there are stores--such as Kinko's, Office Depot and Staples--that allow you to fax documents from the store for a fee.