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A fax is received by the ZyXEL modem and fax software.  The fax (usually) is 
stored as a file on the hard disk in some sort of image format (TIFF, PCX, 
etc.).  This file is called a "fax image".

The fax software or some other software program can be used to open and 
print the fax image.

To put the contents of the fax into a word processor, there are two options:

a) The fax image could just be imported as an image into the document.  This 
   is not a good solution, as the contents of the fax cannot be edited and 
   the image itself may not be too clear.

b) A better alternative is to use a software package that has an Optical 
   Character Recognition (OCR) capability.  [OCR may be built into the fax 
   software, or it may be a separate software package.  Retrieve the fax file 
   into the OCR software and use the OCR software to convert the fax IMAGE 
   into an ASCII file.]  Import this new ASCII file into the word processor.  
   In this manner, the fax image was OCR'ed and is now in a clearer, editable 
   format on the word processor.

Alan Brown (alan@papaioea.manawatu.gen.nz) adds:
For some reason the PCX images generated by ZFAX 2.xx are not readable by
some graphics packages. DISPLAY, Graphics Workshop (all dos versions) and
VPIC (all versions) definitely refuse to display/edit ZyXEL PCX files.

The author of DISPLAY is apparently looking at the problem.