{"id":103755,"date":"2023-02-05T01:06:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-05T01:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessyield.com\/?p=103755"},"modified":"2023-03-05T01:27:08","modified_gmt":"2023-03-05T01:27:08","slug":"accounts-payable-job-description","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessyield.com\/accounting\/accounts-payable-job-description\/","title":{"rendered":"ACCOUNTS PAYABLE JOB DESCRIPTION: What You Should Know","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Wondering what an accounts payable job is all about? In this article, you will learn about the job description and examples of accounts payable resumes to help you land your next job.<\/p>

Accounts Payable professionals are expected to be able to handle a high volume of data, pay strong attention to detail, and be in daily communication with employers and vendors. They must also be able to apply accounting principles and handle work that is analytical, evaluative, and advisory in nature.<\/p>

The Accounts Payable department is responsible for the financial stability of a company. They are in charge of ensuring that all debts are paid and that the company has enough money to cover its expenses. Accounts Payable is typically a distinct department in large corporations, however, with smaller businesses, the responsibilities of Accounts Receivable and Payable are regularly combined. <\/p>

What are the three basic functions of Accounts Payable?<\/span><\/h2>

Although the size of a business ultimately determines the role accounts payable plays, most businesses can benefit from having accounts payable specialists or Having a part-time contractor come in to do the work weekly or biweekly allows the business to focus on other aspects. Accounts payable fulfill at least three basic functions in addition to paying bills. These functions could include: creating and tracking budgets; issuing invoices; and managing payments. Below are the three basic functions of an accounts payable;<\/p>

#1. Issuing internal In house payments <\/span><\/h3>

Accounts Payable often work in-house to distribute internal repayments, control and manage petty cash, and control the distribution of sales tax exemption certificates. Internal reimbursement expenses conform to company audit procedures that require employees to submit a manual journal report, receipts, or both to establish reimbursement claims. <\/p>

Petty cash is generally used for minor expenses such as various postage costs,<\/strong> office supplies, or lunches during a company meeting. Accounts Payable often issue sales tax exemption certificates that they issue to department heads to ensure that legitimate business purchases do not include sales tax expenses. <\/p>

#2. Processing Suppliers Payments<\/span><\/h3>

One of the main functions of accounts payable is processing a company’s incoming invoices and payments. This is one of the functions that come to mind first when you think of the duties of Accounts Payable. Accounts Payable professionals keep track of suppliers’ contact information, payment terms, and IRS W-9 information in a computer database. This allows them to easily find and contact the suppliers when necessary. <\/p>

Internal control is what determines whether the purchasing process begins with a pre-approved purchase order or whether post-purchase commitments confirm purchases. <\/strong>Supplier payments also include month-end analysis reports that show business owners and management how much the company currently owes suppliers. <\/p>

#3. Manage Business Travel Expenses <\/span><\/h3>

In large companies or companies where the owner and other employees (eg, salespeople) travel frequently, accounts payable functions could include trip management responsibilities like pre-booking airline tickets, rental cars, and hotels. If internal controls permit travel advances, Accounts Payable processes applications and distribute the travel funds. Upon the traveler’s <\/strong>return, Payment Engagements is then responsible for reconciling monies paid out with monies actually spent or processing travel refund requests. <\/p>

Other Accounting Functions <\/span><\/h3>

Accounts Payable also works to reduce costs by looking for details that can save the company money, such as paying an invoice during a cash discount period that many suppliers allow. The account payable clerk is often the first point of contact between the business and supplier representatives. Therefore, building and maintaining good relationships is often an employee obligation. Strong relationships can benefit a company when working with suppliers. For example, good relationships can lead to more favorable credit terms during a seasonal sales slump.<\/strong> <\/p>

Accounts Payable specialists sometimes review invoices before paying them to ensure they are correct. The accounts payable clerk can call the merchant if the invoice is higher than normal, or contact an internal employee if it turns out that the employee did not choose the cheapest option or did not seek out a company-approved supplier during the purchase on behalf of the company.<\/p>

What are key skills for Accounts Payable?<\/span><\/h2>

Although a degree is not required for an accounts payable position, it is necessary to have a working knowledge of accounting and bookkeeping fundamentals. For a job in accounts payable, a degree in the following fields would be beneficial: <\/p>