What does an accounts payable assistant do?
An accounts payable assistant is responsible for monitoring the company's billing transactions, ensuring the accurate and efficient completion of the business' financial obligations. Accounts payable assistants process invoices, resolve account discrepancies, manage bank reconciliation, create expense reports, and updating account information on the company's database. They work within a team of the accounting and finance department, assisting with tax filing and audit processes as needed. An accounts payable assistant must have excellent knowledge of the financial industry and accounting principles to perform various duties, as well as doing administrative and clerical tasks as needed.
Accounts payable assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real accounts payable assistant resumes:
- Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
- Issue weekly payments to vendors by check, ACH, domestic wire, and international wire in USD and other currencies.
- Assist in accounts payable/receivable including check deposits, credit card payments, ACH payments, credits, check runs, etc.
- Compose effective accounting reports summarizing accounts payable data using QuickBooks.
- Prepare payroll for salary and hourly personnel, including necessary reports for regulatory bodies.
- Respond to payroll accounting inquires; provide resolution, information, or direction accordingly.
- Create and implement a streamline expenditure spreadsheet for pending expenses before company convert from handwritten checks to QuickBooks.
- Handle invoice reconciliations and discrepancy investigations
- Ensure departmental compliance with internal and external audit requirements while practicing basic accounting principles to ensure accuracy and SOX compliance.
- Handle invoice reconciliations and discrepancy investigations
Accounts payable assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Accounts Payable Assistants are proficient in Data Entry, Purchase Orders, and Vendor Invoices. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Detail oriented, and Integrity.
We break down the percentage of Accounts Payable Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Data Entry, 15%
Provided clerical support for marketing representatives including data entry, distributing mail-maintaining inventory, keeping records, issuing receipts, etc.
- Purchase Orders, 10%
Resolved purchase order discrepancies and documentation insuring credit was received for outstanding memos, issued stop payments and purchase orders amendments.
- Vendor Invoices, 9%
Processed vendor invoices for payment* Posted and processed daily cash receipts* Maintained vendor files* Resolved order and invoice discrepancies with Purchasing
- Payroll, 6%
Prepared payroll for salaried and hourly personnel, including necessary reports for regulatory bodies.
- Vendor Statements, 5%
Managed vendor statements, updated database information and processed invoices of expenses incurred by college.
- Financial Reports, 4%
Assisted CFO in preparing financial reports and performed financial analysis.
"data entry," "purchase orders," and "vendor invoices" are among the most common skills that accounts payable assistants use at work. You can find even more accounts payable assistant responsibilities below, including:
Computer skills. One of the key soft skills for an accounts payable assistant to have is computer skills. You can see how this relates to what accounts payable assistants do because "bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks need to be comfortable using computer spreadsheets and bookkeeping software." Additionally, an accounts payable assistant resume shows how accounts payable assistants use computer skills: "enter daily totals in macintosh and dell computers and perform data entry in as 400. "
Detail oriented. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling accounts payable assistant duties is detail oriented. The role rewards competence in this skill because "bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks are responsible for producing accurate financial records." According to an accounts payable assistant resume, here's how accounts payable assistants can utilize detail oriented in their job responsibilities: "assisted supervisor with data entry, and management, which required a strong attention to detail. "
Integrity. This is an important skill for accounts payable assistants to perform their duties. For an example of how accounts payable assistant responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks have control of an organization’s financial documentation, which they must use properly and keep confidential." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an accounts payable assistant: "assisted in the preparation of the monthly financial reports for the board of trustees. ".
Math skills. A big part of what accounts payable assistants do relies on "math skills." You can see how essential it is to accounts payable assistant responsibilities because "bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks deal with numbers daily and should be comfortable with basic arithmetic." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical accounts payable assistant tasks: "verified mathematical accuracy on all invoices and purchase orders. "
The three companies that hire the most accounts payable assistants are:
- Robert Half5 accounts payable assistants jobs
- Sanford Health4 accounts payable assistants jobs
- ALDI USA3 accounts payable assistants jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable accounts payable assistant resume templates
Build a professional accounts payable assistant resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your accounts payable assistant resume.
Compare different accounts payable assistants
Accounts payable assistant vs. Cargo agent
A cargo agent is primarily in charge of facilitating cargo shipments, ensuring the cargo gets to their destination timely and accurately. They are responsible for preparing and processing the necessary documents and fees, routing shipments and arranging the shipping methods, weighing the parcels, and coordinating the logistics and transportation details. They also negotiate postal and shipping rates, prepare invoices, and maintain records of all transactions and necessary information. Moreover, a cargo agent communicates with clients to answer inquiries, notify them of any delays, and provide updates regularly.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an accounts payable assistant are more likely to require skills like "purchase orders," "vendor invoices," "payroll," and "vendor statements." On the other hand, a job as a cargo agent requires skills like "security procedures," "customer service," "freight shipments," and "air freight." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Cargo agents tend to make the most money working in the transportation industry, where they earn an average salary of $35,472. In contrast, accounts payable assistants make the biggest average salary, $40,242, in the construction industry.cargo agents tend to reach similar levels of education than accounts payable assistants. In fact, cargo agents are 2.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable assistant vs. Customer service and billing
A customer service and billing worker primarily assists customers when it comes to billing matters. They answer calls or correspondence from customers to identify their needs, respond to inquiries, discuss product or service specifications, manage billing arrangements, provide price quotes, and offer other services. They may also arrange appointments, process refunds, and solve issues and concerns, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. Additionally, customer service and billing maintains records of all transactions and reports to managers regularly.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that accounts payable assistant responsibilities requires skills like "purchase orders," "vendor invoices," "vendor statements," and "financial reports." But a customer service and billing might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "strong customer service," "patients," "inbound calls," and "billing issues."
On average, customer service and billings earn a lower salary than accounts payable assistants. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, customer service and billings earn the most pay in the utilities industry with an average salary of $38,268. Whereas accounts payable assistants have higher pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $40,242.customer service and billings earn similar levels of education than accounts payable assistants in general. They're 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable assistant vs. Night auditor
A Night Auditor is responsible for handling late-night front-desk operations, mostly at hotels or other lodging establishments. Among the primary duties involve greeting guests and handling check-in and check-outs, responding to reservations, process and collect payments, preparing reports and necessary documentation, and attending to the guests' inquiries, requests, and concerns. Furthermore, Night Auditors must also coordinate with day-shift workers to be aware of the daily reports, and as well as oversee the entire establishment's operation to ensure the guest's welfare.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from accounts payable assistant resumes include skills like "data entry," "purchase orders," "vendor invoices," and "payroll," whereas a night auditor is more likely to list skills in "reservations," "check-in," "guest service," and "customer service. "
Night auditors make a very good living in the real estate industry with an average annual salary of $31,410. On the other hand, accounts payable assistants are paid the highest salary in the construction industry, with average annual pay of $40,242.night auditors typically earn similar educational levels compared to accounts payable assistants. Specifically, they're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable assistant vs. Sales administrator/administrative assistant
A sales administrator/administrative assistant is responsible for assisting the sales department on its overall operations and strategies to sell goods and services that would increase the company's revenues and profitability. Sales administrator/administrative assistants perform administrative and clerical duties as needed, such as creating and evaluating sales reports, writing business proposals, scheduling meetings, booking events, and researching current market trends to identify business opportunities. They must have excellent customer service and communication skills, managing customers' inquiries and concerns, processing orders and payments, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between accounts payable assistants and sales administrator/administrative assistants, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an accounts payable assistant might have more use for skills like "vendor invoices," "vendor statements," "financial reports," and "general ledger accounts." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of sales administrator/administrative assistants require skills like "reservations," "word processing," "phone calls," and "sales process. "
In general, sales administrator/administrative assistants earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $38,086. The highest-paying industry for an accounts payable assistant is the construction industry.The average resume of sales administrator/administrative assistants showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to accounts payable assistants. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.Types of accounts payable assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
