AP-Now.com sponsors the annual AP Appreciation Week in October. This year, it will take place October 7-11, 2024. To learn more about AP Appreciation Week, and to access resources put together by AP Now, check out the page they’ve put together for the occasion.
Here at Card Integrity, we want to give Accounts Payable their flowers, too. They represent the backbone of many finance departments, and so much goes through them that it’s important they be at the top of their game. They go above and beyond and are often content to do so in the background. It’s part of the nature of the job: Accounts Payable is considered a back-office job, whether that’s a fair description or not. AP professionals conduct their important work without much regard for recognition and praise: they really are unsung heroes in that way. Managing invoices may not be particularly glamorous, but every organization needs a well-functioning Accounts Payable department to properly handle sensitive information and ensure bills are being paid. Much like other departments within finance, such as their kindred spirits in procurement, who we’ll be shouting out in March as we always do, AP professionals are happy to complete this work quietly and efficiently without much need for fanfare to keep things running smoothly. But for at least one week, we think it’s about time to put the hardworking folks in AP in the limelight!
Communication with stakeholders both internal and external
Communication is a big part of what AP does, and it often goes unnoticed. Not only do they need to communicate with internal stakeholders (i.e., coworkers) about making sure finances are in order, but with external stakeholders as well (i.e., suppliers). In many ways, they are the mediator or the liaison between departments and the suppliers they depend on. Customer service skills, while those outside the finance realm may not immediately associate them with an AP role, are incredibly valuable here. AP professionals know this, of course.
Supplier and vendor relationship management is heavily influenced by Accounts Payable, as they’re the ones paying the vendor. Maintaining strong relationships with vendors and suppliers is vital to the health and growth of the organization’s finances.
Attention to detail
It goes without saying, but part of working in Accounts Payable is completing work dependently and repeatably, as well as picking up on when something doesn’t seem right. Even as technology evolves and automation and AI begin to look more and more appealing to organizations, the need of having a trained set of eyes overseeing accounting and billing processes will never go away.
Additionally, AP professionals need to learn the “shop talk” and apply it successfully—it’s not something just anyone can do. It’s not just about making sure bills get paid. It takes extensive knowledge of approval processes and expense codes. The work they do is crucial to the function of the entire department.
Celebrate successes and support career growth
Though it’s good to be reminded of it, those reading this blog post likely don’t need to be convinced of AP’s importance. AP Now’s theme for AP Appreciation Week 2024 is supporting career development and advancement. For some people, that means transitioning and training to become an accountant (many accountants started out as AP clerks, after all), for others that means maximizing the value they provide as an AP professional, perhaps with the goal of overseeing AP functions at their organization as an AP Supervisor or similar. Whatever the case, make sure to let your coworkers in AP know that they are appreciated. If you’re in AP yourself, take pride in your work and the value you bring, and most importantly, always bet on yourself.
Card Integrity can support AP professionals
While Card Integrity is best known for supporting procurement departments, specifically around company credit cards for procurement and travel, we are proud to support AP departments just as well, and offer an Invoice Review service catered to providing quality reports and finding duplicates across both credit card and accounts payable invoices. Learn more by downloading our free Invoice Review White Paper below!
