Description

Accounts Payable Specialists oversee how much money firms, businesses, and organizations spend. They keep track of invoices and expense reports. These professionals also ensure that all monetary transactions are examined, accounting inconsistencies are fixed, and expenses are charged to accounts.

An Accounts Payable Specialist's typical roles are listed below:

  • Accounting Clerk: They are in charge of keeping track of finances, producing reports, and recording various transactions.
  • Accounting Assistant: They create budgets, keep track of expenditures, and send invoices for goods or services provided by staff members of the organization that the management has authorized.

Roles & Responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of an Accounts Payable Specialist are as follows:

  • Assigning costs to accounts and cost centers, regulating petty cash usage, checking vendor accounts, paying vendors, and addressing any issues with purchase orders, invoices, or payments.
  • Issuing modifications to purchase orders, stop payments, and to keep track of payroll expense claims, including salary advances and overtime payments.
  • Matching up account transactions with the general ledger, maintaining records, creating financial reports, and staying up to date on legal requirements and accounting best practices.

Qualifications & Work Experience

Major educational qualifications required for Accounts Payable Specialist are:

  • Bachelor's or associate's degree in accounting, finance, or related.
  • Experience as an accounts payable specialist, or similar.
  • Advanced competency in accounting and business management software, such as NetSuite and Zoho Books.
  • In-depth knowledge of accounts payable principles, accounting standards, and industry regulations.
  • Extensive experience in account reconciliation.

Essential Skills For Accounts Payable Specialist

1

Financial Accounting

2

Management Accounting

3

Payment Scheduling

Skills That Affect Accounts Payable Specialist Salaries

Different skills can affect your salary. Below are the most popular skills and their effect on salary.

Managing Accounts

7%

Career Prospects

Some alternative job roles available for Accounts Payable Specialists are:

  • Accountant: Handles financial record-keeping, prepares tax documents, and provides financial advice and analysis.
  • Accounting Specialist: Expert in specific accounting areas, such as tax or auditing, and provides specialized support and guidance.
  • Bookkeeper: Maintains financial records, including recording transactions, reconciling accounts, and generating financial reports.
  • Office Manager: Oversees administrative tasks, manages staff, and handles financial duties such as budgeting and invoicing.
  • Accounts Receivable Clerk: Manages incoming payments, processes invoices, and ensures accurate recording of accounts receivable.
  • Payroll Clerk: Handles payroll processing, calculates wages, and ensures accurate and timely payment to employees.
  • Accounting Associate: Assists with financial tasks such as reconciling accounts, preparing reports, and supporting senior accountants.
  • Accounting Coordinator: Coordinates accounting activities, communicates with clients and team members, and ensures smooth project execution.

How to Learn

The role of an Account Payable specialist is future-proof with high salary capabilities. From 2022 to 2029, the sales and revenues in the Accounts Payable (AP) Automation Market are expected to increase by region, product type, and application. Moreover, the market's current conditions and potential for future expansion appear excellent.
The worldwide Accounts Payable automation market was estimated at $ 2.3 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase by $ 6.7 billion, or 10%, from $ 2.6 billion by 2032. Controlled user access encourages industry growth since it helps avoid payment fraud, making Account Payable specialist an important job in any organization.