It doesn’t matter what type of business you run; paying bills is almost certain to be a core component of what you do. You have to keep the business running, and that almost certainly means paying out 3rd parties, vendors, and clients. People don’t work for free. That’s why accounts payable is so incredibly important to a small business.
Many small businesses opt to take this route independently. Like so many startups, everyone wants to save money, and the easiest way to save money initially is to just do as much as you can yourself. I’ll admit, this has been the story of my life. However, times do change. Your business grows. And after a while, it might make less sense to do it all yourself.
Paying off short-term debts in a timely fashion is key to running a professional business. Paying suppliers and creditors in a timely and professional manner is crucial for maintaining a smooth business operation.
This is when you might consider an accounts payable services company. In the end, doing it all yourself can be a headache, and it may detract from your ability to carry out more productive tasks. Your company will grow at a slower pace if you are bogged down by paying vendors and constantly worrying about the security of your payout methods.
Accounts Payable Job Description
The primary responsibility of the accounts payable department is to ensure that all vendors and recurring bills are paid. Your company’s reputation is at stake when it comes to your reliability in paying on time. Vendors who don’t get paid often end up pulling their services or working less hard. You always want to make sure your accounts payable department is in strict adherence to high ethical standards.
Ultimately, the primary role of accounts payable is to ensure timely payouts. Organization and professionalism are at the top of the list for what small businesses look for in an employee. If you are unorganized or don’t have any education in accounting, this isn’t likely to be your area. You need to have good math skills to calculate your accounts payable turnover ratio.
Accounts Payable Check Fraud
For any accounts payable department worth its weight in salt, preventing check fraud is a priority. Check fraud remains one of the most lucrative ventures for criminals seeking to exploit the system. If your business checks aren’t secure, you are putting your business’s finances at risk. Many small businesses believe that check fraud is a thing of the past, but this ancient art is thriving more today than it ever has.
This is because people still use checks. It is a myth to believe that checks are a thing of the past. Checks remain a highly convenient and secure method for transferring money. But no different than using a credit or debit card; if that check is handled or printed in an insecure manner, it becomes a liability.
Criminals prey on those who don’t use secure checks. Check fraud is similar to a street crime; the criminals will almost always target the weakest links. If your checks are tight and secure, you aren’t likely to be the victim of this criminal activity. There are too many easier targets that criminals will go after. Criminals want the easy street, not complex matters.
Accounts Payable vs. Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable is the portion of the company that collects payments owed to it, as opposed to paying out to vendors to whom the company owes.
Ultimately, accounts payable should be viewed with the same seriousness as every other department. Unfortunately, many small businesses fail to recognize accounts payable as a key component of the company that can contribute to profits, and therefore tend to overlook its impact. All highly successful companies run a tight ship when it comes to accounts payable. I can tell you that speaking from experience, you want that portion of your business to be as professional and secure as possible.
Hiring for the accounts payable department isn’t as easy as it sounds. With so many people attempting to make technical changes, it can sometimes be challenging to determine who truly understands the field. Sure, some places prefer to hire and train because it benefits them to teach someone “their way.”
However, if you are a company looking to hire someone with experience, you need to know how to determine their level of experience. Clearly, conducting background checks, which may include credit checks, and verifying references, is a good starting point. Look, background checks and credit checks are essential in determining whether this is the person you want handling your finances. Calling references, as mundane and predictable as it may seem, is also a smart business move. Sure, most references are told prior by the job candidate to say nice things. However, the candidate will surely find out that you called in such cases. The accounts payable game is a great business. It shows you care. It shows you are looking and paying attention to detail. It also shows you are professional.
Once you have moved past all of that, it will be down to the interview. Whether that is accomplished initially over the phone or in person, you need to have the right questions to ask. As an accounts payable outsourcing service, we have extensive experience in interviewing and hiring top-notch accounts payable employees.
Here are a few questions that can help you find the right employee.
Walk Us Through the Entire Accounts Payable Process, Starting From the Initial Invoice and Ending With the Final Payment?
This is one of the most important questions you will ask. This provides insight into the job candidate’s understanding of the job’s details and workflow. This will give you an indication as to how easily this person will fit into your system. It also opens up the dialogue between you and the job candidate. Starting with this question means learning a lot about the candidate quickly.
What is a Non-PO Invoice? What is the Interest on Capital?
I mean, you shouldn’t have to ask, but you need to. Don’t assume the core knowledge pool is covered. Find questions, such as the ones written above, which pertain directly to the field. It never hurts. You might end up sadly surprised.
What experience do you have in the accounts payable field? How long have they performed the job? This is essential information.
Describe your prior job’s weekly work details.
Just as you asked about how they view the job’s role, you should also find out how that role has translated to them in the past. What were their responsibilities? Did they manage anyone? What software did they use?
Asking the right questions can surely make a huge difference when it comes to hiring. I learned this small business lesson early in my company launch.
Last updated: October 2025