{"id":30322,"date":"2026-09-30T07:32:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=30322"},"modified":"2026-09-30T07:32:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:32:56","slug":"accounts-payable-reconciliation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/accounts-payable-reconciliation\/","title":{"rendered":"The ultimate guide to accounts payable reconciliation\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-us\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/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\tThe ultimate guide to accounts payable reconciliation \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\tWhen your accounts payable records match what your suppliers expect, you avoid costly errors and keep cash flow predictable. AP reconciliation is what makes that possible.\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=\"2026-09-30T07:32:53-04:00\">September 30, 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=\"The ultimate guide to accounts payable reconciliation\u00a0\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/accounts-payable-reconciliation\/\"\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-us\/blog\/author\/yassirmalik\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/Yassir-Malik.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"yassir-malik-profile-picture\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Yassir Malik<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/lauraslingo\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/laura-slingo-headshot-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Laura Slingo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/laura-slingo-headshot-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/laura-slingo-headshot.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Laura Slingo<\/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<section class=\"wp-block-sage-article-update\"><div class=\"sage-article-update__inner\"><p>This article was originally published on May 5, 2025 and has been refreshed and re-published with new content on September 30, 2026.<\/p><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accounts payable (AP) reconciliation is the process of checking your AP records against supplier statements and resolving any differences. At period-end, it also involves confirming that the total in your AP subledger agrees with the accounts payable balance in your general ledger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For small business owners and accounting teams, doing this well hinges on three things: a repeatable process, a template that keeps it consistent, and clear answers to the sticking points that usually cause errors\u2014like timing differences, missing invoices, and duplicate payments.<\/p>\n\n\n<section id=\"key-takeaways\" class=\"wp-block-sage-key-takeaways\"><div class=\"sage-key-takeaways__inner\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-3-font-size\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Accounts payable reconciliation matches your internal ledger against vendor statements to confirm what you actually owe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Missing this step regularly can lead to duplicate payments, damaged vendor relationships, and inaccurate financial statements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A simple template makes the process repeatable across vendors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At month-end, reconcile the total in your AP subledger to the accounts payable control account in your general ledger to catch posting errors and timing differences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automation tools can flag duplicate invoices and mismatched entries before they become costly problems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-here-s-what-we-ll-cover\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Here&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll cover<\/h2>\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-accounts-payable-reconciliation\" data-level=\"2\">What is accounts payable reconciliation?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-does-ap-reconciliation-matter\" data-level=\"2\">Why does AP reconciliation matter?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-frequently-should-you-reconcile-accounts-payable\" data-level=\"2\">How frequently should you reconcile accounts payable?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-accounts-payable-reconciliation-process-step-by-step\" data-level=\"2\">The accounts payable reconciliation process, step by step<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-accounts-payable-reconciliation-example-and-template\" data-level=\"2\">Accounts payable reconciliation example and template<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-are-the-most-common-ap-reconciliation-challenges\" data-level=\"2\">What are the most common AP reconciliation challenges?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-are-accounts-payable-reconciliation-best-practices\" data-level=\"2\">What are accounts payable reconciliation best practices?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-vendor-reconciliation-in-accounts-payable\" data-level=\"2\">What is vendor reconciliation in accounts payable?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-make-accounts-payable-reconciliation-a-part-of-your-routine\" data-level=\"2\">Make accounts payable reconciliation a part of your routine<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions-about-ap-reconciliation\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions about AP reconciliation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-accounts-payable-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is accounts payable reconciliation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accounts payable reconciliation is the process of comparing the invoices, payments, credits, and balances in your AP records with the information provided by your vendors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At month-end or another financial close, you should also confirm that the total AP subledger balance agrees with the accounts payable control account in your general ledger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Put simply, what your books say you owe should be backed up by both your supplier records and your accounting system. When the numbers don&#8217;t agree, reconciliation is how you find out why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-does-ap-reconciliation-matter\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why does AP reconciliation matter?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Small AP discrepancies can create bigger problems if they&#8217;re allowed to pile up. Regular reconciliation gives you confidence that the amounts you&#8217;re paying, reporting, and planning around are based on records you can trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice, AP reconciliation helps you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Keep records accurate:<\/strong> you can see what the business owes without old errors or unresolved differences muddying the picture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Protect vendor relationships:<\/strong> paying the right amount at the right time means fewer disputes, fewer awkward follow-ups, and stronger relationships with suppliers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improve cash flow visibility:<\/strong> a reliable view of upcoming payables makes it easier to plan where cash needs to go next.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support audit readiness:<\/strong> regular reconciliation leaves a clearer record of how AP balances were checked and resolved, making it easier to support those balances during an audit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spot suspicious activity:<\/strong> reviewing your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-accounts-payable\/\">accounts payable<\/a> regularly can help surface unusual invoices, payments, or changes that need investigating.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Catch errors early:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-account-reconciliation\/\">reconciliation<\/a> surfaces discrepancies in invoices or payments before they become harder to trace and resolve.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make better decisions:<\/strong> accurate AP data gives you a more reliable view of liabilities when allocating resources and planning ahead.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-frequently-should-you-reconcile-accounts-payable\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How frequently should you reconcile accounts payable?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s no single reconciliation schedule that suits every business. The right cadence depends on how many invoices and payments you process, how complex your AP operation is, and how quickly you need discrepancies to surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-monthly-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Monthly reconciliation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many businesses, monthly reconciliation is a practical rhythm: frequent enough to catch problems without adding unnecessary work to the day-to-day AP process. Higher-volume or higher-risk vendor accounts may benefit from a weekly check instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-quarterly-and-year-end-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Quarterly and year-end reconciliation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Businesses with relatively low transaction volumes may perform some vendor reconciliations quarterly. However, AP balances should still be reviewed as part of the relevant financial close process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-daily-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Daily reconciliation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Businesses processing a high volume of invoices and payments may reconcile key AP activity daily, particularly when discrepancies need to be identified quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-month-end-close-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Month-end close reconciliation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Month-end reconciliation of accounts payable typically expands beyond individual vendor statements. At this point, you&#8217;re not only checking whether you and your suppliers agree\u2014you also need confidence that your own accounting records agree with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That means tying your AP subledger total to the control account balance in your General Ledger (GL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/general-ledger-reconciliation\/\">Referencing against the GL<\/a> confirms the two match before you close the books and catches posting errors or timing differences that a vendor-statement comparison alone won&#8217;t reveal.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to\">\n\t\n<h2 id=\"h-the-accounts-payable-reconciliation-process-step-by-step\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The accounts payable reconciliation process, step by step<\/strong><\/h2>\n\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good AP reconciliation process doesn&#8217;t need to be complicated. The key is following the same checks in a logical order, so discrepancies are easier to spot, investigate, and resolve.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/accounts-payable-process\/\">accounts payable process<\/a> in the same order each time to check balances, investigate differences, and keep your records up to date.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<ol class=\"how-to-steps\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-693a0619\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-review-your-starting-balance\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Review your starting balance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by reviewing your AP ledger&#8217;s opening balance, the amount you owed suppliers at the start of the period. Confirm it matches the previous period&#8217;s ending balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If it doesn&#8217;t, investigate the difference before moving on. Starting with the wrong balance only carries the problem into the rest of the reconciliation.<\/p><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-ffdbe9a3\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-gather-your-documents\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gather your documents<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bring the records you&#8217;ll be comparing together before you start:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vendor statements:<\/strong> provided by your suppliers, showing what they believe you owe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AP ledger:<\/strong> your internal record of everything owed to vendors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AP aging report:<\/strong> shows which invoices are due and which are overdue.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-3c9d568a\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-compare-vendor-statements-with-internal-records\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Compare vendor statements with internal records<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Match each invoice on the vendor statement against your AP ledger. Look for anything that doesn&#8217;t line up, including missing invoices, different amounts, unexpected credits, or transactions you don&#8217;t recognize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your AP process uses purchase orders, invoice matching provides an additional control before reconciliation. Two-way matching compares the invoice with the purchase order, while three-way matching also checks the goods receipt or other evidence that the purchase was received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Catching those mismatches earlier means there are fewer surprises left to untangle at reconciliation.<\/p><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-66eaddec\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-investigate-and-resolve-discrepancies\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Investigate and resolve discrepancies<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t simply note a mismatch and move on. Trace it back to the invoice, payment, credit, or approval that caused it, and contact the vendor if your own records don&#8217;t provide the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cross-check your recorded payments against your bank statements, too. This confirms nothing&#8217;s missing or duplicated on the payment side. If your process touches broader cash reconciliation, our<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-bank-reconciliation\/\"> bank reconciliation<\/a> guide covers that step in more depth.<\/p><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-0e9a8405\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-reconcile-the-ap-subledger-to-the-general-ledger\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reconcile the AP subledger to the general ledger<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re reconciling at month-end or period close, this is the point to confirm your AP subledger total matches the control account balance in your general ledger. A mismatch here often points to a posting error, a timing difference, or an entry recorded in one system but not the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the difference relates to how an invoice, payment, credit, or adjustment has been recorded, review the underlying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/accounts-payable-journal-entry\/\">accounts payable journal entry<\/a> before making any correction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re doing a routine or weekly vendor-level reconciliation, you can typically skip this step and move straight to updating your ledger.<\/p><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-84316006\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-update-your-ap-ledger\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Update your AP ledger<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you&#8217;ve resolved the discrepancies, update your AP ledger so each vendor balance reflects the supporting invoices, payments, credits, and adjustments.<\/p><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-ccb3d380\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-review-and-approve-the-final-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Review and approve the final reconciliation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you call the reconciliation finished, check that every difference has either been resolved or clearly explained and that the supporting records are up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where your team structure allows, have someone else review the reconciliation and sign it off. A fresh pair of eyes can catch an unresolved variance or unsupported adjustment that&#8217;s easy to miss when you&#8217;ve been working through the detail yourself<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, save a copy of the completed reconciliation for future reference or audits.<\/p><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-accounts-payable-reconciliation-example-and-template\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Accounts payable reconciliation example and template<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A reconciliation template takes some of the friction out of repeating the same process month after month. Rather than starting from scratch, you have one consistent place to record the figures, investigate differences, and show what was resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most accounts payable reconciliation templates include the following columns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-first-column\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Column<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>What it captures<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Vendor name<\/td><td>The supplier you&#8217;re reconciling against<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Opening balance<\/td><td>Amount owed at the start of the period<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Invoices received<\/td><td>New invoices added during the period<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Payments made<\/td><td>Payments recorded against this vendor<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Adjustments<\/td><td>Credits, disputed amounts, or corrections<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Closing balance<\/td><td>Your ending balance for the period<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Vendor statement balance<\/td><td>The balance the vendor reports<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Variance<\/td><td>The difference between your closing balance and theirs<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a basic reconciliation template, you can calculate the two key fields as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-math\"><math display=\"block\"><semantics><mrow><mtext>Closing&nbsp;balance<\/mtext><mo>=<\/mo><mtext>Opening&nbsp;balance<\/mtext><mo>+<\/mo><mtext>Invoices&nbsp;received<\/mtext><mo>\u2212<\/mo><mtext>Payments&nbsp;made<\/mtext><mo>\u00b1<\/mo><mtext>Adjustments<\/mtext><\/mrow><annotation encoding=\"application\/x-tex\">\\text{Closing balance}\n=\n\\text{Opening balance}\n+\n\\text{Invoices received}\n&#8211;\n\\text{Payments made}\n\\pm\n\\text{Adjustments}<\/annotation><\/semantics><\/math><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-math\"><math display=\"block\"><semantics><mrow><mtext>Variance<\/mtext><mo>=<\/mo><mtext>Vendor&nbsp;statement&nbsp;balance<\/mtext><mo>\u2212<\/mo><mtext>Closing&nbsp;balance<\/mtext><\/mrow><annotation encoding=\"application\/x-tex\">\\text{Variance}\n=\n\\text{Vendor statement balance}\n&#8211;\n\\text{Closing balance}<\/annotation><\/semantics><\/math><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s how that might look for one supplier:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table alignfull is-style-data\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Vendor name<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Opening balance<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Invoices received<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Payments made<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Adjustments<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Closing balance<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Vendor statement balance<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Variance<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Acme Supply Co.<\/td><td>$12,000<\/td><td>$4,500<\/td><td>$9,000<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>$7,500<\/td><td>$8,200<\/td><td>$700<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The $700 variance is worth investigating. Acme may have included an invoice or charge that hasn&#8217;t reached your ledger yet, or your records may include a payment that Acme hasn&#8217;t applied to the account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The useful part isn&#8217;t simply spotting the $700 difference\u2014it&#8217;s having a clear trail that helps you work out where it came from. Keeping variance visible in the template also makes recurring problems easier to spot across vendors or accounting periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use formulas for both the closing balance and variance in your spreadsheet so that changes to invoices, payments, or adjustments automatically recalculate the balance and highlight any difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-are-the-most-common-ap-reconciliation-challenges\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the most common AP reconciliation challenges?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AP reconciliation tends to become difficult for very ordinary reasons: a document goes missing, somebody enters a figure twice, or a supplier&#8217;s records don&#8217;t quite match your own. The good news is that most of these problems are easier to solve when you know what to look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-missing-invoices\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Missing invoices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One missing invoice is enough to throw a vendor balance out. Keeping invoices in one centralized system makes them easier to find, match, and follow through the AP process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-duplicate-payments\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Duplicate payments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When several people touch the same invoices, duplicate payments can slip through\u2014especially if responsibilities aren&#8217;t clear. Automation can help flag duplicate records earlier in the AP process, reducing the risk of duplicate payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-vendor-discrepancies\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vendor discrepancies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes the issue sits outside your own records. An invoice may be missing from a statement, a payment may not have been applied, or a credit may still be outstanding. Requesting current statements and raising discrepancies quickly makes these differences much easier to resolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-fraud-and-security-risks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fraud and security risks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reconciliation is also a useful opportunity to notice activity that doesn&#8217;t look right. Clear approval controls, secure payment processes, and regular review make unusual invoices or changes easier to challenge before they&#8217;re paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-data-entry-errors\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data entry errors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A wrong invoice number, transposed figure, or misplaced decimal can create a surprisingly stubborn difference. Standardized data entry, validation checks, and automation reduce the amount of manual input\u2014and the opportunities for those mistakes to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-time-consuming-manual-processes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time-consuming, manual processes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What works for 20 invoices can quickly become painful at 2,000. As transaction volumes grow, automating routine capture, matching, and checking can free your finance team to spend more time investigating the exceptions that actually need attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-are-accounts-payable-reconciliation-best-practices\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are accounts payable reconciliation best practices?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strongest reconciliation processes are usually the least dramatic: they&#8217;re consistent, repeatable, and designed to catch small problems early. Four habits make a particularly big difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-automate-where-possible\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Automate where possible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automating data entry, invoice matching, approval workflows, and duplicate-payment checks can reduce manual work and make discrepancies easier to spot. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/accounting-software\/accounts-payable\/\">AP automation software<\/a> can help capture invoice data, route invoices for approval, flag duplicates, and support purchase-order matching across the wider AP process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-standardize-your-process\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Standardize your process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Create one reconciliation workflow and use it consistently. When everyone gathers the same records, checks them in the same order, and documents discrepancies in the same way, there&#8217;s less room for steps\u2014or problems\u2014to fall through the cracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-reconcile-frequently\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reconcile frequently<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A small discrepancy is usually easier to investigate while the transaction is still fresh. If your volume justifies it, reconciling key vendor accounts weekly can stop missing invoices or unapplied payments from becoming month-end mysteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-keep-vendor-communication-open\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep vendor communication open<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your suppliers are part of the reconciliation process too. Request statements regularly and raise differences while the details are still easy for both sides to trace. A quick conversation now can save a much longer investigation at close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want a broader view of how reconciliation fits into your wider payables workflow, see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/accounts-payable-management-best-practices\/\">accounts payable management best practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-vendor-reconciliation-in-accounts-payable\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is vendor reconciliation in accounts payable?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vendor reconciliation is the part of AP reconciliation that checks your internal records against an individual supplier&#8217;s statement. The aim is to identify missing invoices, unapplied payments, credits, or other differences before they affect payment or reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few simple habits make that process much easier:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Request vendor statements regularly<\/strong> so you&#8217;re always working from current information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cross-check outstanding balances<\/strong> to confirm you and the vendor agree on what&#8217;s owed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resolve disputes before paying<\/strong> so an unclear charge doesn\u2019t turn into an avoidable overpayment or payment delay.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-make-accounts-payable-reconciliation-a-part-of-your-routine\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Make accounts payable reconciliation a part of your routine<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accounts payable reconciliation isn&#8217;t the flashiest part of finance, but getting it right quietly solves a lot of problems: fewer payment mistakes, cleaner records, better visibility of what you owe, and a smoother close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The process doesn&#8217;t need to be complicated. Build a consistent routine, investigate differences while they&#8217;re still fresh, and use automation where it genuinely removes repetitive work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking to reduce the manual work behind AP reconciliation? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/intacct\/product-capabilities\/core-financials\/accounts-payable\/\">Sage Intacct accounts payable software<\/a> helps automate invoice capture, matching, approvals, payments, and reconciliation workflows, so your finance team can spend less time chasing discrepancies and more time reviewing exceptions, managing cash flow, and supporting the wider business.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sage-faq\">\n\t\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions-about-ap-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions about AP reconciliation<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-items\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-6331d974\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-what-causes-accounts-payable-not-to-match-the-general-ledger\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What causes accounts payable not to match the general ledger?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An AP subledger may not match the general ledger because of timing differences, entries posted directly to the AP control account, invoices or payments that haven&#8217;t posted correctly, or adjustments recorded in one place but not the other.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start with the total difference, then trace it back to the transaction or journal entry behind it rather than adjusting the balance simply to make the numbers agree.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-03f01810\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-how-do-you-reconcile-accounts-payable-if-a-vendor-doesn-t-provide-a-statement\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you reconcile accounts payable if a vendor doesn&#8217;t provide a statement?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a vendor statement isn&#8217;t available, review the open invoices, credits, payments, and aging balance in your own records, then confirm any uncertain items directly with the supplier.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can still reconcile the AP subledger to the general ledger at period-end, but without a supplier statement you lose that independent check of the vendor balance.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-194c4ece\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-who-should-review-an-accounts-payable-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who should review an accounts payable reconciliation?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where your team structure allows it, the person reviewing an AP reconciliation should be different from the person who prepared it.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That separation gives you a useful second check before the reconciliation is signed off, particularly for unresolved variances or manual adjustments.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-2cc0633f\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-what-should-you-do-with-old-outstanding-items-in-accounts-payable\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What should you do with old outstanding items in accounts payable?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t let old AP items sit indefinitely simply because they&#8217;ve been carried forward before. Investigate whether the invoice is still payable, whether a payment or credit has been applied incorrectly, and whether you need information from the supplier before making an adjustment.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-33dc6453\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-should-you-reconcile-every-vendor-account\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should you reconcile every vendor account?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not every vendor necessarily needs the same level of attention at the same frequency. Prioritize according to factors such as transaction volume, value, risk, and whether you receive regular statements, while making sure your overall AP balance is still properly reviewed as part of the close process.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\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-us\/blog\/hub\/accountants\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccountants\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/accounting-101\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccounting 101\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/boss-your-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBoss your business\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/cash-flow\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCash Flow\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/compliance\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCompliance &amp; Regulation\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/growing-a-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGrowing a business\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/sage-accounting\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSage accounting solutions\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/small-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/starting-a-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStarting a business\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/staying-competitive\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStay competitive\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\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/working-capital\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tworking capital\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-29442 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accounting-101 tag-boss-your-business tag-business-strategy tag-cash-flow tag-staying-competitive business_type-accountants business_type-growing-business 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=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-147205362-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-147205362-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-147205362-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-147205362-1440x810.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\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=\"2026-09-30T09:04:30-04:00\">September 30, 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\">9 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-us\/blog\/what-is-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhat is accounts payable? Definition, examples, and how it works\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\tLearn what accounts payable means, how AP is recorded, how it affects cash flow, and what to look for in accounts payable software.\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-27719 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-accountants category-money-matters tag-accounting-101 tag-automation tag-sage-accounting business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/accounts-payable-process\/\"\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-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-1215x810.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=\"2026-09-30T08:54:36-04:00\">September 30, 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\">13 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 the accounts payable process?\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-22429 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-accounting-101 tag-business-intelligence business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/a-guide-to-generally-accepted-accounting-principles-gaap\/\"\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-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1254783885-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1254783885-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1254783885-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1254783885-1440x810.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=\"2026-09-30T06:11:54-04:00\">September 30, 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\">12 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 GAAP? Accounting principles defined\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-30327 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-accountants category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accounting-101 tag-boss-your-business tag-business-intelligence tag-cash-flow tag-compliance tag-growing-a-business tag-tax business_type-small-business business_type-accountants business_type-growing-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-a-deferred-tax-liability\/\"\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-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1329013231-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1329013231-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1329013231-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1329013231-1215x810.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=\"2026-09-29T12:11:03-04:00\">September 29, 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\">14 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\tDeferred tax liability: A practical guide\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-27939 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-boss-your-business tag-business-intelligence tag-compliance tag-growing-a-business tag-small-business tag-staying-competitive 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-us\/blog\/invoice-vs-receipt\/\"\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-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-814559004-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-814559004-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-814559004-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-814559004-1440x810.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=\"2026-09-28T06:31:39-04:00\">September 28, 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\">10 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\tInvoice vs. receipt: What\u2019s the difference and why does it matter?\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>When your accounts payable records match what your suppliers expect, you avoid costly errors and keep cash flow predictable. AP reconciliation is what makes that possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1774,"featured_media":25684,"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":"44","sage_membership_post_content_type":"article","sage_membership_post_featured_video_id":"","sage_membership_post_video_type":"trailer","sage_membership_post_featured_video_duration":"","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":[158,44],"tags":[2,110,195,299,116,153,168,34,152,155,431],"business_type":[40,312,41],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[98],"imagine_tag":[],"coauthors":[509,1059],"class_list":["post-30322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accountants","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-accountants","tag-accounting-101","tag-boss-your-business","tag-cash-flow","tag-compliance","tag-growing-a-business","tag-sage-accounting","tag-small-business","tag-starting-a-business","tag-staying-competitive","tag-working-capital","business_type-small-business","business_type-accountants","business_type-growing-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Yassir Malik","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Financial-Services_0640.jpg","imagine_tags":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1774"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30322"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38084,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30322\/revisions\/38084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/25684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=30322"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=30322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}