API Integrations and Real-Time Parcel Audits

Application programming interface (API) integrations can significantly improve parcel auditing processes through proactive, data-driven strategies. Manufacturing, distribution, retail and e-commerce businesses can benefit from working with a partner who offers auditing services empowered by API solutions to save shipping costs and boost profitability.

Through automation and data validation, these integrations can support faster processing, reduce administrative overhead and ultimately benefit your bottom line. Explore the valuable role of API integrations in parcel auditing and its robust advantages below.

What Are API Integrations?

Application programming interface integrations function as digital intermediaries, enabling different software solutions to exchange data without requiring manual input or intervention.

APIs offer a standardized method for applications to communicate, transferring important information between systems to create a seamlessly interconnected network.

Common Types of API Integrations Used in Parcel Auditing

Below are some of the most common types of API integrations your organization can leverage for effective parcel auditing.

Carrier APIs

Shipping API integrations for e-commerce, manufacturing and distribution businesses connect directly with shipping carriers, such as FedEx or UPS, for real-time information exchange.

These APIs support the following insights:

• Delivery tracking information
• Invoice details
• Service level agreements
• Parcel weight and dimensions
• Address validation

ERP and TMS APIs

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and transportation management software (TMS) integrations can offer businesses valuable context for parcel audits, such as shipment origin and destination. They communicate important product details, including parcel value and weight.

These systems can also validate order information and shipping instructions to verify invoice accuracy and identify potential discrepancies.

Custom APIs

Organizations can also develop tailored API integrations to connect internal systems or databases for faster data flow or to support automation. These APIs may perform actions like address validation or currency conversion, depending on the business’s unique processes and data requirements.

How API-Based Auditing for Parcels Works

API-based auditing can help businesses transform traditional parcel auditing from time-consuming manual processes to continuous, automated monitoring systems. The process works with the following features to deliver real-time insights:

• Data acquisition: Integrations automatically collect relevant shipping data from diverse sources, like your ERP or carrier insights, in real time.
• Data standardization: The API can standardize data to ensure greater accuracy, consistency and efficiency.
• Rule-based auditing: The API-based auditing system uses advanced tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), to apply predefined rules to quickly flag errors, discrepancies and overcharges. It may flag exceptions, like late deliveries or incorrect charges, for teams to review.
• Reporting and analytics: Auditing systems can generate reports to provide insight into shipping performance and cost-saving opportunities.
• Dispute resolution: Another important function of API-based auditing solutions is automating the process of filing carrier claims regarding issues such as overcharges.
• Continuous improvement: The data collected through API integrations is highly valuable for driving decision-making for continuous improvement. Teams can leverage these insights to identify trends, negotiate better carrier rates and optimize shipping strategies.

Benefits of API Integrations for Real-Time Parcel Audits

Explore the advantages of API integrations for achieving real-time parcel audits below.

Real-Time Visibility

A leading benefit of API integrations is gaining an up-to-the-minute view of parcel shipments traveling throughout your supply chain. Businesses can leverage these systems to do the following tasks:

• Track packages
• Monitor delivery status
• Flag potential delays

By leveraging AI and data analytics for shipping intelligence, your business can further improve live visibility and predict future disruptions based on historical patterns.

Proactive Error Detection

API integrations allow teams to forgo the time-consuming process of manually checking invoices for discrepancies. Instead, these systems automatically identify errors, such as duplicate billing or service failures.

Real-time insight into error detection can improve carrier accountability and help your business ensure greater customer satisfaction. Proactively identifying errors also supports regulatory and contract compliance while delivering:

• Faster fund recovery.
• More accurate financial reporting.
• Reduced overcharges.

Quicker Audit Cycles

Performing a parcel audit manually can take days to complete, requiring time-consuming data entry and reconciliation processes. With API integrations, you can automate data collection, validation and analysis to significantly reduce audit cycle times.

Faster audit cycles mean quicker recovery of overcharges, reduced administrative labor and associated costs, and improved cash flow.

Boosted Accuracy

API integrations offer automated data collection and validation solutions that reduce manual input, minimizing the risk of human error and supporting more accurate parcel audits. APIs help ensure data is consistent when transferred from various sources, helping reduce the chances of miscalculations or other blunders.

Greater accuracy translates to fewer shipping complications, more reliable financial reporting and improved customer satisfaction.

Enhanced Efficiency

In automating various essential tasks required for parcel auditing, API integrations can save staff valuable time and energy. Team members can focus on other strategic initiatives, like improving the customer experience, fostering strategic partnerships or optimizing the supply chain.

With APIs handling repetitive, time-consuming tasks, from data collection to analysis, your organization can also do the following:

• Improve productivity
• Reduce labor costs
• Enhance resource allocation

Data-Backed Decision-Making

Another benefit of API integrations for parcel audits is gaining access to robust shipping data that your team can use to make informed, data-driven decisions. Advanced systems can offer real-time insight into carrier performance, delivery times, shipping expenses and other key metrics. This wealth of knowledge makes identifying opportunities for shipping improvement and supply chain optimization easier for busy teams.

Scalability

As your business scales, API integration can easily accommodate growing shipping volumes and evolving needs. These systems can handle increasing volumes of data without demanding manual intervention or infrastructure upgrades that can be costly and time-intensive.

Scalability allows your organization to manage multiple shipping partners more seamlessly, reduce IT costs and adapt to changing market conditions with more flexibility.

Maximized Cost Savings

Ultimately, API integrations for parcel audits support maximized cost savings through:

• Shorter audit cycles.
• Boosted accuracy.
• Proactive error identification.

Your company can use APIs to quickly and effectively detect opportunities to optimize shipping strategies while reducing errors and efficiently recovering overcharges. These integrations improve profitability and ultimately support your bottom line.

Save Costs and Optimize Freight Management With Broussard Logistics

When your business needs robust parcel auditing services, turn to the experts at Broussard Logistics. We leverage API integration to connect our proprietary transportation management software with your important applications, such as an ERP or a warehouse management system (WMS), to enhance visibility. Our solutions help streamline your freight management logistics processes with seamless data exchange.

With our parcel audit services, your organization can gain greater peace of mind knowing we’ll identify areas where you are currently overspending to cut costs and support freight management optimization.

Request a quote from Broussard Logistics to get started today.