ApproveThis manages your Cedar.AI Integration approvals.

Why Combine ApproveThis with Cedar.AI?

Rail operators and logistics teams face constant pressure to move faster while maintaining strict compliance. Cedar.AI's equipment management and invoice automation tools solve critical operational challenges, but even the best automation needs human oversight. That's where ApproveThis adds rocket fuel – it brings structure, accountability, and speed to the decision-making processes surrounding Cedar.AI's automated workflows.

Consider this: Cedar.AI might automatically flag a railcar needing maintenance, while ApproveThis ensures the repair request gets reviewed by the right safety officer within 2 hours. Or imagine automated invoice processing in Cedar.AI triggering instant financial approvals through ApproveThis – no more chasing down department heads via email. This integration turns two powerful tools into a closed-loop system where automation handles the grunt work, and approvals happen at the speed of your business.

Key Integration Benefits

Approval workflows built through Zapier between Cedar.AI and ApproveThis deliver three strategic advantages for rail operators and manufacturers:

• Audit-Ready Compliance: Every equipment change or invoice adjustment automatically generates an approval trail with timestamps, decision notes, and approver signatures.
• Faster Cycle Times: Approval requests route based on pre-set rules (dollar thresholds, equipment type, location), slashing delays from manual handoffs.

Unlike native approval features in generic tools, ApproveThis gives Cedar.AI users granular control. For example, setting up a $50k approval threshold where invoices above that amount require CFO review, while smaller amounts auto-approve. Or using calculated fields to factor in equipment depreciation rates during maintenance approval reviews.

Real-World Use Cases

1. Automated Equipment Deployment Approvals

When Cedar.AI's automation engine pushes new equipment assignments – like rerouting refrigerated railcars for perishable goods – ApproveThis can trigger multi-level validations. A Midwest cold chain logistics company uses this integration to:

- Require safety supervisors to confirm equipment certifications
- Automatically flag temperature-controlled units for additional inspections
- Notify clients via email when their requested equipment gets final approval

Approvers don't need Cedar.AI logins – they review details directly in ApproveThis or via email, making this ideal for cross-company collaborations.

2. Invoice Validation Guardrails

Cedar.AI's invoice finalization triggers an ApproveThis workflow that compares purchase orders against delivery records. A rail parts manufacturer reduced payment errors by 62% by adding these checks:
1. Accounts payable gets invoices under $10k for quick review
2. Department heads approve budget-impacting invoices
3. Legal team reviews contracts for any service agreement discrepancies

The approval thresholds feature automatically escalates exceptions, while vacation delegation prevents bottlenecks during holidays.

3. Audit-Proof Equipment Change Logs

Every time Cedar.AI records maintenance updates or component replacements, ApproveThis creates an approval ticket requiring:
- Engineering sign-off on safety-critical parts
- Cost center approval for non-budgeted repairs
- Historical change notes attached automatically via Zapier

This dual-system approach helped a freight operator pass a surprise FRA audit with zero findings – all approval records were searchable in ApproveThis within 10 minutes.

Technical Setup Made Simple

Connecting Cedar.AI to ApproveThis takes about 15 minutes through Zapier:

Step 1: In Zapier, set Cedar.AI as the trigger app. Choose from events like:
- "Equipment Pushed by Automation"
- "Invoice Finalized"
- "Equipment History Updated"

Step 2: Select ApproveThis as the action app. Use the "Create Request" action, mapping Cedar.AI data fields to your approval template.

Pro Tip: Enable ApproveThis' calculated fields to auto-compute values like "Maintenance Cost Per Mile" using Cedar.AI's equipment usage data.

Cross-Team Benefits

Maintenance Teams

Reduce equipment downtime by routing repair approvals based on severity levels pulled from Cedar.AI's diagnostics. Critical issues bypass junior staff and go straight to lead engineers.

Finance Departments

Auto-flag invoices where Cedar.AI's usage metrics don't match vendor hours. ApproveThis routes these to forensic accountants while processing clean invoices instantly.

Safety Officers

Get real-time alerts when Cedar.AI detects brake wear patterns. ApproveThis requires inspector sign-off before affected trains return to service.

Why This Integration Beats Manual Processes

A rail operator managing 200+ locomotives previously lost 37 hours weekly chasing approvals. After implementing this integration:
- 92% of maintenance requests get approved within 4 hours
- Invoice processing time dropped from 14 days to 48 hours
- Equipment reuse rate increased 18% due to faster redeployment approvals

These gains come from eliminating three key friction points:
1. Context Switching: Approvers review all relevant Cedar.AI data within ApproveThis – no login hopping
2. Priority Confusion: Approval thresholds auto-sort requests into urgent/routine
3. Status Uncertainty: Real-time dashboards show exactly where each request stands

Getting Started

To implement this integration:

1. Sign up for ApproveThis and create workflows matching your Cedar.AI processes
2. Connect Cedar.AI to Zapier using their API credentials
3. Build Zaps that turn Cedar.AI events into approval requests
4. Train teams using ApproveThis' built-in audit simulator

Most customers see full adoption within 8 business days. The approval workflows work alongside existing systems – no Cedar.AI changes required.

The Bottom Line

In rail operations, delays cascade. A single late approval can hold up trains, miss delivery windows, and trigger penalties. By integrating Cedar.AI's automation with ApproveThis' structured governance, companies achieve both speed and control. Maintenance gets done faster, invoices clear without errors, and auditors get flawless records – all while reducing approver workload by an average of 14 hours per week.

Ready to transform how your team handles critical approvals? Start your free ApproveThis trial or book a custom demo to see Cedar.AI integrations in action.