What does an accounts payable associate do?
An accounts payable associate is primarily responsible for processing bills and payments for a company, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Moreover, they are also responsible for maintaining records of all transactions, liaising with external agencies, coordinating with different departments to gather data, receiving and monitoring invoices, and obtaining approval from managers or supervisors when it comes to payments as needed. An accounts payable associate may also produce financial reports and statements, create presentations, train new members of the workforce, and assist audits, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Accounts payable associate responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real accounts payable associate resumes:
- Manage the PeopleSoft PO/Voucher/Receiver matching process for all business units.
- Prepare A/R reports for BCBSM, Medicare, Medicaid and multiple HMO's.
- Complete various seminars on Medicare and Medicaid.
- Process and verify employees' expense reports to ensure compliance with GAAP and company policy.
- Perform GL coding for expense invoices along with processing both ACH payments and check payments on a daily basis.
- Verify which vendors need W9 to be mail to them at the beginning of the year for tax purposes.
- Review supplier set up paperwork to ensure W9 form is completed correctly and supplier is set up correctly for reporting.
- Submit all information to Medicaid for authorization.
- Negotiate extended terms and execute bank verification for ACH payment applications.
- Prepare all Massachusetts and Connecticut Medicaid, co-insurance and commercial insurance for billing.
- Reconcile statements and perform month end/fiscal year end payable reconciliations and general ledger balancing.
- Facilitate administration of payroll for project manager, increasing office efficiency and enhancing employee satisfaction.
- Assume accountability for bank reconciliations, internal and external wage garnishments, and reconciliation of expense accounts.
- Credit with redesigning the payroll process; offer recommendations that successfully reduce costs and automate payroll process.
- Review all invoices for proper sales and use taxation on questionable items and adjust invoices appropriately.
Accounts payable associate skills and personality traits
We calculated that 11% of Accounts Payable Associates are proficient in Customer Service, Data Entry, and Purchase Orders. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Detail oriented, and Integrity.
We break down the percentage of Accounts Payable Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 11%
Performed customer service responsibilities, including researching questionable invoices, providing financial information regarding pay status and auditing employees expense reports.
- Data Entry, 9%
Prepared invoices for approval by manager also ensured proper general ledger codes and data entry were accurately entered into Great Plains.
- Purchase Orders, 8%
Processed incoming vendor invoices by coding and matching invoices with receiving documents, purchase orders and entering accurately into accounting systems.
- Vendor Statements, 6%
Review vendor statements for accuracy and contact departments and/or vendors for any needed corrections.
- Vendor Invoices, 6%
Processed payments of vendor invoices ensuring accurate coding to maximize efficient entry.
- Expense Reports, 5%
Processed corporate expenses using JD Edwards System Processed expense reports and monthly-consolidated billing Verified invoices against batch reports Matched invoices to checks
Common skills that an accounts payable associate uses to do their job include "customer service," "data entry," and "purchase orders." You can find details on the most important accounts payable associate responsibilities below.
Computer skills. The most essential soft skill for an accounts payable associate to carry out their responsibilities is computer skills. This skill is important for the role because "bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks need to be comfortable using computer spreadsheets and bookkeeping software." Additionally, an accounts payable associate resume shows how their duties depend on computer skills: "created computer generated and manual checks. "
Detail oriented. Another essential skill to perform accounts payable associate duties is detail oriented. Accounts payable associates responsibilities require that "bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks are responsible for producing accurate financial records." Accounts payable associates also use detail oriented in their role according to a real resume snippet: "assist with bi-monthly wire transfers and provide vendors with remittance detail via email. "
Integrity. accounts payable associates are also known for integrity, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to accounts payable associate responsibilities, because "bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks have control of an organization’s financial documentation, which they must use properly and keep confidential." An accounts payable associate resume example shows how integrity is used in the workplace: "entrusted with confidential employee related documents reflecting garnishments, benefits, payroll exceptions, and w-2 withholding. "
Math skills. A big part of what accounts payable associates do relies on "math skills." You can see how essential it is to accounts payable associate 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 associate tasks: "maintain department statistics, reconcile general ledger accounts, and perform account analysis. "
The three companies that hire the most accounts payable associates are:
- BAYADA Home Health Care17 accounts payable associates jobs
- Loloi Rugs
16 accounts payable associates jobs
- Robert Half6 accounts payable associates jobs
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Compare different accounts payable associates
Accounts payable associate vs. Bookkeeper
Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work. Bookkeepers manage the entry of items in the general ledger, assign items into their proper categories, and ensure that the entries are balanced. They also act as auditors by checking the accuracy and veracity of the receipts or vouchers in their possession before entering them into the system. Bookkeepers ensure that their files are up to date and free of errors.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between accounts payable associates and bookkeeper. For instance, accounts payable associate responsibilities require skills such as "vendor statements," "vendor inquiries," "payment processing," and "credit card." Whereas a bookkeeper is skilled in "payroll tax returns," "financial transactions," "hr," and "credit card accounts." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Bookkeepers really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $42,063. Comparatively, accounts payable associates tend to make the most money in the construction industry with an average salary of $42,366.bookkeepers tend to reach similar levels of education than accounts payable associates. In fact, bookkeepers are 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable associate vs. Finance clerk
Finance clerks are financial professionals who are responsible for performing various administrative tasks such as keeping financial records, preparing bills, and delivering excellent customer service. These clerks are required to process bills, checks, receipts, and other documents to ensure that they are all properly signed and distributed. They must verify financial and other data so that they can enter those data into the database and maintain updated records. Finance clerks must also assist with account reconciliations and should report the status of accounts and discrepancies to the management.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, accounts payable associate responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "vendor statements," "reconciliations," and "vendor inquiries." Meanwhile, a finance clerk has duties that require skills in areas such as "hr," "telephone calls," "financial transactions," and "office equipment." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Finance clerks may earn a lower salary than accounts payable associates, but finance clerks earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $40,090. On the other hand, accounts payable associates receive higher pay in the construction industry, where they earn an average salary of $42,366.finance clerks earn similar levels of education than accounts payable associates in general. They're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable associate vs. Finance assistant
A finance assistant is responsible for supporting the financial department with daily operations by doing administrative and clerical tasks as needed. Finance assistants' duties include sorting financial records, updating account spreadsheets, assisting on bank statements reconciliation, processing payments, generating an invoice, auditing financial statements, escalating financial discrepancies for review, and reviewing cost analysis reports. A finance assistant must be knowledgeable of the financial industry and accounting processes, as well as have strong analytical and organizational skills.
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 associate resumes include skills like "vendor statements," "reconciliations," "vendor inquiries," and "payment processing," whereas a finance assistant is more likely to list skills in "financial assistance," "powerpoint," "general ledger," and "financial transactions. "
Finance assistants earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $39,521. Accounts payable associates earn the highest pay from the construction industry, with an average salary of $42,366.finance assistants typically earn similar educational levels compared to accounts payable associates. Specifically, they're 2.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable associate vs. Accounting clerk
Accounting clerks are employees assigned to manage administrative and clerical tasks in the accounting department. Accounting clerks handle office accounting records and ensure that files are properly labeled and stored. They validate records and check whether these are updated. They also sort through documents to ensure that they are in their proper storage bins. Aside from document handling, they also help with creating and validating financial statements and bookkeeping. As such, accounting clerks should have a strong background in accounting to manage their tasks better.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between accounts payable associates and accounting clerks, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an accounts payable associate might have more use for skills like "journal entries," "vendor inquiries," "payment processing," and "credit card." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of accounting clerks require skills like "hr," "credit card payments," "ledgers," and "cash receipts. "
Accounting clerks enjoy the best pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $40,064. For comparison, accounts payable associates earn the highest salary in the construction industry.In general, accounting clerks hold similar degree levels compared to accounts payable associates. Accounting clerks are 0.1% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of accounts payable associate
Updated January 8, 2025
