Patent ID: 8370436

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: creating, in a network-connectable computer system, a message item from a fax message, the message item representing the fax message in accordance with a message schema, the message item having one or more general properties that are common to at least one of a plurality of different types of message protocols and message applications, wherein the message schema includes data fields that point to information in other data fields in connection with another schema in a schema hierarchy, wherein the message item is configured to enable more than one fax protocol extension and more than one fax application extension to be included in the message item together to enable the message item to be sent to each of a number of applications without duplication of the message item between the applications, each fax protocol extension comprising one or more data fields specific to a protocol associated with the fax protocol extension and each fax application extension comprising one or more data fields specific to a fax application associated with the fax application extension; and linking one or more content portions of the fax message to the created message item, the one or more content portions of the fax message representing at least one of a cover page and a body of the fax message.