{"id":17793,"date":"2026-04-09T15:24:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:24:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=17793"},"modified":"2026-09-07T14:53:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T13:53:09","slug":"accounts-payable-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/accounts-payable-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the accounts payable process: The ultimate workflow guide\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUnderstanding the accounts payable process: The ultimate workflow guide \t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn more about the accounts payable process and the power of AP automation to streamline accounts payable workflow and improve cash flow control.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-09T15:24:27+01:00\">9 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Understanding the accounts payable process: The ultimate workflow guide\u00a0\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/accounts-payable-process\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/author\/laurencematone\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/04\/Profile_LM-350x350.jpeg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Laurence Matone\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Laurence Matone<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;running a mid-sized business or starting out as an entrepreneur,&nbsp;getting to&nbsp;grips with the accounts payable process within your expenditure and&nbsp;purchasing&nbsp;cycle is crucial.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, what is it, and why should you care? This guide will explain everything you need to know about the accounts payable process and why&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;important for your business\u2019s financial health.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Here\u2019s&nbsp;what we will cover:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-the-accounts-payable-process\" data-level=\"2\">What&nbsp;is&nbsp;the accounts payable process?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-importance-of-an-optimised-accounts-payable-workflow\" data-level=\"2\">The importance of an&nbsp;optimised&nbsp;accounts payable workflow<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-challenges-in-accounts-payable-procedures\" data-level=\"2\">Challenges in accounts payable procedures<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-accounts-payable-process-steps\" data-level=\"2\">The accounts payable process steps<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-implementing-best-practices-in-the-accounts-payable-process\" data-level=\"2\">Implementing best practices in the accounts payable process<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-optimise-accounts-payable-process-with-ap-automation\" data-level=\"2\">Optimise&nbsp;accounts payable process with AP automation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-next-steps-to-streamline-and-strengthen-your-accounts-payable-workflow\" data-level=\"2\">Next steps to streamline and strengthen your accounts payable workflow<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-accounts-payable-process-faqs\" data-level=\"2\">Accounts payable process FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-nbsp-is-nbsp-the-accounts-payable-process\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What&nbsp;is&nbsp;the accounts payable process?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accounts Payable (AP) is the money your business owes to suppliers and vendors for the goods and services&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;received but&nbsp;haven\u2019t&nbsp;yet paid. It shows up as a liability on your balance sheet and is critical when tracking how cash moves in and out of your business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The accounts payable process, also known as the \u201cfull cycle of accounts payable,\u201d covers everything from getting a Purchase Order (PO) and invoice to&nbsp;actually making&nbsp;the payment. At&nbsp;a high level:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You receive an invoice (and, where applicable, a purchase order) from a supplier&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You review the invoice against the PO to ensure accuracy&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You approve the invoice&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You&nbsp;authorise&nbsp;and send payment&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This sequence is also part of the broader P2P (Procure-to-pay) process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-importance-of-an-nbsp-optimised-nbsp-accounts-payable-workflow\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The importance of an&nbsp;optimised&nbsp;accounts payable workflow<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;payable workflow is full of bottlenecks, you risk&nbsp;late payments, duplicate bills, extra fees, and frustrated suppliers. A smooth AP process helps avoid these problems and brings many advantages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It helps you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-keep-track-of-invoices\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Keep track of invoices<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An automated AP system updates invoices in real-time, so you always know which payments are due.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-pay-on-time-every-time\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pay on time, every time<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automated reminders and scheduling help ensure you&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;miss deadlines and avoid penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-eliminate-nbsp-manual-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Eliminate&nbsp;manual work<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automation reduces the need for manual data entry and processing,&nbsp;minimising&nbsp;the risk of errors and&nbsp;freeing up&nbsp;your team from repetitive tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-speed-up-finance-operations\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Speed up finance operations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With streamlined workflows and automation, your finance team can process payments quickly, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-save-time-for-other-goals\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Save time for other goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By reducing time spent on manual AP tasks, you give your team more time to tackle strategic priorities and contribute to the business\u2019s growth and success.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-build-supplier-relationships\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Build supplier relationships<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consistent and&nbsp;timely&nbsp;payments build trust and strengthen relationships with vendors, potentially leading to better terms, discounts, and partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-avoid-late-fees-and-penalties\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Avoid late fees and penalties<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An&nbsp;organised&nbsp;accounts payable process ensures that payments are never missed, helping you avoid costly late fees and penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-prevent-fraud\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prevent fraud<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Built-in controls help detect and prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/accounts-payable-fraud-guide\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/accounts-payable-fraud-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fraudulent activities<\/a> by flagging suspicious transactions and enforcing proper approvals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-challenges-in-accounts-payable-procedures\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in accounts payable procedures<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When your AP workflow is manual, you can run into several issues, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Missing invoices:&nbsp;<\/strong>paper or email invoices can get lost, risking late fees, supplier disputes, and VAT reporting issues.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Time-consuming oversight:\u00a0<\/strong>Sage found that\u00a077% of CEOs\u00a0in European markets spend time each month chasing overdue invoices. In fact,\u00a04 in\u00a010 are doing this weekly.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0time\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0not spending on growth or\u00a0new ideas.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Errors in data entry:<\/strong>&nbsp;manual AP work can lead to typos, misplaced documents, and miscalculations\u2014all of which skew your financial data.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Scaling problems:<\/strong>&nbsp;rapid growth or seasonal spikes in invoices can overwhelm a manual AP process. Automated systems handle high volumes more smoothly.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Multiple payment methods:<\/strong>&nbsp;managing everything from BACS transfers to paper cheques can get messy fast. Without the right tools, you risk mistakes and delays.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-accounts-payable-process-steps\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The accounts payable process steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A&nbsp;end-to-end accounts payable cycle includes four key steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-1-invoice-capture\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <strong>Invoice capture<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, collect the invoice\u2014via email, post, or a digital invoicing system\u2014and record it in your accounting system. Automated tools like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/accounting-software\/cash-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cash flow management software<\/a>&nbsp;can handle this step automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-2-invoice-approval\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>Invoice approval<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then review the invoice for accuracy, including quantities, prices, and discounts. Once&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;verified it, the invoice needs to be approved, usually by someone in your finance team or management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-3-payment-processing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <strong>Payment processing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the invoice approved,&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;time to pay your supplier. Common payment methods include BACS, faster payments, cheques, and virtual cards. Make sure you match the payment to the correct invoice to avoid confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-4-payment-recording\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. <strong>Payment recording<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lastly, log the payment in your accounting system to keep your books&nbsp;accurate&nbsp;and make future reporting easier. Automation helps here, too, by updating records without the need for extra data entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-implementing-best-practices-in-the-accounts-payable-process\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Implementing best practices in the accounts payable process<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You now know what the accounts payable process is and its full cycle. Now&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;time to make sure&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;doing it correctly. Here are three best practices to keep your AP process running smoothly:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-1-cut-down-on-cheque-runs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <strong>Cut down on cheque runs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paper cheques can be time-consuming. Instead of issuing them every few days, try&nbsp;consolidating&nbsp;payments and running cheques fortnightly (or even monthly). Fewer cheque runs mean fewer opportunities for errors and confusion and a simpler AP workflow overall.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-2-limit-access-and-nbsp-establish-nbsp-controls\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>Limit access and&nbsp;establish&nbsp;controls<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask yourself:&nbsp;who&nbsp;can change supplier information? Limiting access to your supplier master file helps you keep tight control over critical details. Assign specific roles and permissions so only trusted team members can add or update vendor info. Everyone else can view but not edit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-3-eliminate-nbsp-ap-fraud\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <strong>Eliminate&nbsp;AP fraud<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, fraud is a real concern\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.financialprofessionals.org\/training-resources\/resources\/survey-research-economic-data\/Details\/payments-fraud#:~:text=The%202024%20AFP%C2%AE%20Payments,the%20basis%20of%20this%20report.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">79% of organisations<\/a>&nbsp;faced&nbsp;payment&nbsp;fraud&nbsp;attempts&nbsp;in 2024. You can protect your business by:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Setting strong internal controls.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Watching for&nbsp;fake vendor accounts.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Restricting the ability to add new vendors to&nbsp;authorised&nbsp;employees.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Using multi-factor authentication (MFA) to secure financial systems.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Training your team to&nbsp;recognise&nbsp;red flags and report suspicious activity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-optimise-nbsp-accounts-payable-process-with-ap-automation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Optimise&nbsp;accounts payable process with AP automation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AP automation tools let you scan invoices, match them to&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;orders, and handle VAT.&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;a&nbsp;game-changer&nbsp;for businesses looking to save time and reduce errors.&nbsp;In fact, by 2030, up to 30% of current work hours could be automated with AI,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/mgi\/our-research\/a-new-future-of-work-the-race-to-deploy-ai-and-raise-skills-in-europe-and-beyond\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according to McKinsey<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s why AP automation matters:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Simplifies accounts payable:<\/strong>&nbsp;AP automation software keeps your cash flow in check and ensures invoices are paid on time. By automating the AP process, you reduce human error and&nbsp;minimise&nbsp;costs, freeing up time and resources for other important tasks.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Boosts productivity:&nbsp;<\/strong>manual AP processing can be a huge drain on your team\u2019s time and energy. Tracking every supplier agreement and processing hundreds of invoices a day can be overwhelming. Automation handles&nbsp;all of&nbsp;the work,&nbsp;eliminating&nbsp;thousands of hours of manual data entry.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Improves cash flow control:<\/strong>&nbsp;with automated AP software, you get real-time visibility into your cash flow. No more confusion, simply clear, up-to-date reporting that helps you manage your finances better.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Streamlines approval process:&nbsp;<\/strong>manual approval processes often lead to late fees, missed invoices, and overworked teams. AP automation software streamlines the entire approval process, from routing invoices for review to notifying stakeholders. It also includes built-in permissions to prevent fraud and&nbsp;unauthorised&nbsp;purchases.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-next-steps-to-streamline-and-strengthen-your-accounts-payable-workflow\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Next steps to streamline and strengthen your accounts payable workflow<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the right approach, you can sidestep common pitfalls, streamline your workflow, and make sure your finances stay in tip-top shape.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sage\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/accounting-software\/accounts-payable\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/accounting-software\/accounts-payable\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accounts payable automation software<\/a>&nbsp;solutions are designed to make your life easier. From invoice handling to real-time reporting, you can improve your AP through its automation and easy integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-accounts-payable-process-faqs-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Accounts payable process FAQs<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1773929440161\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How do you record\u00a0accounts\u00a0payable transactions?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Recording accounts payable is pretty simple once you get the hang of it.\u00a0Every time you get an invoice or a bill, you note it down in your\u00a0accounts\u00a0payable ledger.\u00a0You&#8217;ll\u00a0want to\u00a0log\u00a0the details like the date, amount, and who\u00a0it&#8217;s\u00a0from.\u00a0When you actually pay it, update your records to show it&#8217;s been settled.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1773929450859\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How can automation improve the accounts payable process?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Automation can make your accounts payable process and procedures easier. Instead of drowning in paperwork and risking human errors, automation software takes care of the tedious tasks for you. It scans invoices, matches them with purchase orders, and even supports VAT treatment and tax reporting requirements. This means you save time, reduce mistakes, and avoid\u00a0the hassle of manual\u00a0checks.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/tag\/bookkeeping\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBookkeeping\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-17859 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accounting-102 tag-audit tag-bookkeeping tag-business-management tag-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business business_type-accountants card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-13T11:11:45+01:00\">13 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/three-way-matching-in-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThree-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it matters\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tStruggling with invoice errors? See how 3-way matching in accounts payable ensures accurate payments, reduces risk, and improves efficiency. \t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-17849 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-cash-flow business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/what-is-a-pro-forma-invoice\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1171809453-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1171809453-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1171809453-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1171809453-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-10T12:10:49+01:00\">10 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">7 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is a pro forma invoice?\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-17836 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-payments business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/accounts-payable-management-best-practices\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1400801126-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1400801126-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1400801126-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1400801126-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-10T09:25:32+01:00\">10 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">7 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAccounts payable management best practices\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-17834 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-security-fraud business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/3-way-matching-in-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-09T16:57:02+01:00\">9 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThree-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it is important\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-17820 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/balance-sheet-reconciliation\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-549776535-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-549776535-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-549776535-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-549776535-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-09T15:59:59+01:00\">9 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tStep-by-step balance sheet reconciliation (with examples and best practices)\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn more about the accounts payable process and the power of AP automation to streamline accounts payable workflow and improve cash flow control.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1911,"featured_media":14373,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"163","post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[163],"tags":[105],"business_type":[5,4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[251,232],"imagine_tag":[353],"coauthors":[555],"class_list":["post-17793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-bookkeeping","business_type-small-business","business_type-medium-sized-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Laurence Matone","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1385092066.jpg","imagine_tags":{"353":"Accounts payable"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1911"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17793"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17793\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18427,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17793\/revisions\/18427"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=17793"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=17793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}