> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cedarai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Forward & Store Waybills

> Railinc-compliant waybill submission with automatic normalization

## What is Forward & Store?

**Forward & Store (F\&S)** is Railinc's centralized waybill repository that facilitates interline settlement and car tracing across the North American rail network. When you submit waybills to F\&S, they become available to all connecting carriers who need the information.

<Info>
  Railinc is the railroad industry's technology provider. Their Forward & Store system is the authoritative source for
  waybill information used in interline operations.
</Info>

***

## Why F\&S Compliance Matters

<Warning>
  Submitting non-compliant waybills to Forward & Store can result in: - **Rejection** of your waybill submission -
  **Settlement delays** when interline charges can't be reconciled - **Operational issues** when connecting carriers
  lack accurate information
</Warning>

Cedar automatically handles F\&S compliance requirements so you don't have to manage them manually.

***

## Automatic Normalization

When you send waybills through Cedar's F\&S automation, the system automatically applies industry-required transformations:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Route Processing" icon="route" defaultOpen>
    Cleans up route information to meet F\&S requirements, including removing haulage details that downstream carriers don't need to see.
  </Accordion>

  {' '}

  <Accordion title="Reference & Party Information" icon="users">
    Ensures all required references are present and properly formatted, and normalizes party data to meet Railinc
    validation rules.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Shipment Details" icon="box">
    Applies appropriate billing codes and equipment defaults based on the shipment type and load status.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Note>
  F\&S normalization goes beyond simple route cleanup - it applies the full set of transformations required for Railinc
  compliance.
</Note>

***

## How It Works

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    Waybill[Original Waybill] --> Cedar[Cedar F&S Processing]
    Cedar --> Normalized[Normalized Waybill]
    Normalized --> Railinc[Railinc F&S]
    Railinc --> Carriers[Connecting Carriers]
```

<Steps>
  <Step title="Original Waybill">Your waybill with full route and party information</Step>
  <Step title="Normalization">Cedar applies all required F\&S transformations automatically</Step>
  <Step title="Submission">The compliant waybill is submitted to Railinc</Step>
  <Step title="Distribution">Connecting carriers access the waybill through F\&S</Step>
</Steps>

***

## Validation & Error Handling

Cedar validates waybills before submission and provides clear feedback when issues are found:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Pre-submission Validation" icon="shield-check">
    Checks for required fields and formatting before sending to Railinc.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Clear Error Messages" icon="circle-exclamation">
    When validation fails, Cedar reports exactly what needs to be corrected.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  If a waybill can't be normalized (for example, missing required party information for Rule 11 shipments), Cedar will
  report the specific issue so you can correct the source data.
</Tip>

***

## Integration with Haulage

F\&S normalization works seamlessly with Cedar's haulage management:

1. **Haulage bills** are sent to movement carriers with full haulage information
2. **F\&S waybills** are sent to Railinc with haulage information removed

This ensures each recipient gets exactly the information they need - movement carriers see the haulage segment, while Railinc and downstream carriers see a clean route.

***

## Getting Started

<Note>
  Forward & Store submission is configured through Cedar's workflow automation. Contact your Cedar implementation team
  to enable F\&S features for your railroad.
</Note>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Review Requirements">Work with Cedar to identify which waybills should be submitted to F\&S.</Step>
  <Step title="Configure Workflows">Set up automation rules for F\&S submission.</Step>
  <Step title="Validate Output">Review sample normalized waybills to ensure they meet your requirements.</Step>
  <Step title="Enable Production">Turn on automated F\&S submission.</Step>
</Steps>

***

## Questions?

<Tip>
  For questions about Forward & Store configuration or troubleshooting submission issues, contact your Cedar account
  team or email **[support@cedarai.com](mailto:support@cedarai.com)**.
</Tip>