What does an accounts payable technician do?
An Accounts Payable Technician performs the day-to-day processing of accounts payable transactions. They prepare and process invoices and other financial documents manually or by using specialized automated software.
Accounts payable technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real accounts payable technician resumes:
- Manage the FOD prevention program to reduce costly repairs and increase the participation in FOD awareness and FOD walk downs.
- Utilize technical data to troubleshoot maintenance issues.
- Obtain practical experience on the Garrett TPE-331 powerplant.
- Maintain catalog of store A/P, A/R source documents.
- Enter all invoices into a/p software, assigns g/l account numbers & appropriate cost centers.
- Obtain practical experience on the TFE-731 Garrett powerplant and hot section inspection experience on the Pratt and Whitney PT6.
- Help troubleshoot hardware/software/network issues that occur.
- Fabricate airframe repair parts because of non market availability.
- Participate in continuous improvement of vendor and payroll processes.
- Experience with FAA publications and regulations including interpretation and practical application.
- Perform upgrades and modifications to airframe, power plant and avionics/instrumentation systems.
- Complete all necessary paperwork in accordance with company, manufacturer and FAA requirements.
- Scan payroll relate documents and enter them into online document archive according to procedure.
- Perform diversified avionics troubleshooting, repairs and inspections on various commuter aircraft during line and phase maintenance while attending college.
- Operate test equipment and special tools require in performing depot level and intermediate level maintenance to include avionics and electrical inspections.
Accounts payable technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Accounts Payable Technicians are proficient in FAA, A/P, and Powerplant. They’re also known for soft skills such as Dexterity, Detail oriented, and Computer skills.
We break down the percentage of Accounts Payable Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- FAA, 13%
Completed all necessary paperwork in accordance with company, manufacturer and FAA requirements.
- A/P, 9%
Prepare and review A/P clearing account reconciliation including preparation of correcting journal entries.
- Powerplant, 9%
Obtained practical experience on the TFE-731 Garrett powerplant and hot section inspection experience on the Pratt and Whitney PT6.
- Airframe, 8%
Performed upgrades and modifications to airframe, power plant and avionics/instrumentation systems.
- Troubleshoot, 7%
Utilized technical data to troubleshoot maintenance issues.
- Hand Tools, 5%
Used hand tools and test sets.
"faa," "a/p," and "powerplant" are among the most common skills that accounts payable technicians use at work. You can find even more accounts payable technician responsibilities below, including:
Dexterity. The most essential soft skill for an accounts payable technician to carry out their responsibilities is dexterity. This skill is important for the role because "mechanics and technicians need to coordinate the movement of their fingers and hands in order to grasp, manipulate, or assemble parts." Additionally, an accounts payable technician resume shows how their duties depend on dexterity: "tear down and build up of hydraulic pumps, hydraulic tubing, aircraft brakes, and lifting slings. "
Detail oriented. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling accounts payable technician duties is detail oriented. The role rewards competence in this skill because "mechanics and technicians need to adjust airplane parts to exact specifications." According to an accounts payable technician resume, here's how accounts payable technicians can utilize detail oriented in their job responsibilities: "perform heavy data entry with a strong focus on attention to detail. "
The three companies that hire the most accounts payable technicians are:
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Compare different accounts payable technicians
Accounts payable technician 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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, accounts payable technician responsibilities require skills like "faa," "a/p," "powerplant," and "airframe." Meanwhile a typical bookkeeper has skills in areas such as "payroll tax returns," "customer service," "reconciliations," and "financial transactions." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Bookkeepers tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $42,063. In contrast, accounts payable technicians make the biggest average salary, $54,467, in the manufacturing industry.On average, bookkeepers reach similar levels of education than accounts payable technicians. Bookkeepers are 1.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable technician vs. Charge bookkeeper
A full charge bookkeeper's primary job is to manage and handle all the accounts of a small or medium-sized business. They are responsible for overseeing the accounting duties for a company, including billing customers, preparing bank statements and tax returns, and processing timesheets. Also, a full charge bookkeeper collates and enters vendor expenses, maintains the ledger's accuracy, and process accounts receivables. There are specific requirements you should meet to become a successful full charge bookkeeper, such as having a bachelor's degree in accounting, previous work experience as a charge bookkeeper, and bookkeeping certification.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, accounts payable technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "faa," "a/p," "powerplant," and "airframe." Meanwhile, a charge bookkeeper has duties that require skills in areas such as "reconciliations," "payroll tax returns," "balance sheet," and "excellent organizational." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Charge bookkeepers earn a lower average salary than accounts payable technicians. But charge bookkeepers earn the highest pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $51,567. Additionally, accounts payable technicians earn the highest salaries in the manufacturing with average pay of $54,467 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Charge bookkeepers tend to reach similar levels of education than accounts payable technicians. In fact, they're 2.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable technician vs. Finance coordinator
Finance coordinators are skilled professionals who are employed by all types of industries to manage their financial records accurately. Under the supervision of financial managers, they correlate the company's accounts receivables and payables. They should be able to keep records together with documentation effectively to ensure precision and punctuality of deliverables. Their responsibilities include ensuring accurate billing of customers, managing billing issues and disputes, and making required adjustments to clients' accounts. Candidates for the job must be organized, detail-oriented, able to multi-task as well as cautiously handle sensitive information.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, accounts payable technicians are more likely to have skills like "faa," "a/p," "powerplant," and "airframe." But a finance coordinator is more likely to have skills like "patients," "customer service," "reconciliations," and "insurance benefits."
Finance coordinators earn the best pay in the professional industry, where they command an average salary of $53,893. Accounts payable technicians earn the highest pay from the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $54,467.When it comes to education, finance coordinators tend to earn higher degree levels compared to accounts payable technicians. In fact, they're 6.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Accounts payable technician vs. Processing specialist
A processing specialist mainly functions to extend and relay information within a company or organization. Most of the time, they are responsible for gathering, verifying, processing, and analyzing data from various aspects such as clients and sales. Aside from this, they perform research and analysis, utilizing the results to develop strategies and plans to help the company pursue deals and provide optimum services. Furthermore, a processing specialist needs to coordinate with managers and be equipped with communication skills as there are instances where they must engage with clients.
Types of accounts payable technician
Updated January 8, 2025
