{"id":69234,"date":"2023-05-13T09:54:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-13T07:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=69234"},"modified":"2026-01-23T17:43:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:43:52","slug":"7-principles-for-quality-control-in-your-food-manufacturing-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/7-principles-for-quality-control-in-your-food-manufacturing-business\/","title":{"rendered":"7 principles for quality control in your food manufacturing business"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\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-za\/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\t7 principles for quality control in your food manufacturing business\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\t\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 \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-05-13T09:54:00+02:00\">May 13, 2023<\/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=\"7 principles for quality control in your food manufacturing business\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/7-principles-for-quality-control-in-your-food-manufacturing-business\/\"\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-za\/blog\/author\/marijke\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/07\/Marijke-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/07\/Marijke-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/07\/Marijke-391x384.jpg 391w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Marijke Makomba<\/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\n\n<p>A simple truth lies at the heart of any food business: the final product will enter other people\u2019s bodies. It\u2019s mind-blowing to think about that. It&#8217;s an immense responsibility, but a special kind of honour, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, whether you\u2019re new to food safety or need a procedural revamp, these quality control principles for food manufacturers are crucial to ensuring food safety compliance, product consistency, and customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-quality-control-and-assurance-in-the-food-industry\">What is quality control and assurance in the food industry?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First, we need to distinguish between quality assurance and quality control in food manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quality assurance<\/strong> guarantees that a product is what the label says it is and made according to the correct process. For example, to label and sell yoghurt as \u201clow fat,\u201d it must contain less than 3% fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quality control<\/strong> is about ensuring that the product is safe to eat and consistently meets a certain standard of goodness (or even excellence). This is what makes working with food such a dynamic and unique challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-example-of-quality-control-practices-in-food-manufacturing\">Example of quality control practices in food manufacturing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019d like to introduce Buttery Bakes, an artisanal cookie factory famous for its shortbread. We\u2019ll go through the steps to get Buttery Bakes\u2019s quality control practices in shape:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-to-include-in-a-food-quality-control-checklist\">What to include in a food quality control checklist:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ingredient specifications<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>With food, quality is almost entirely determined by the characteristics of the ingredients used. Using ingredient specifications holds suppliers accountable for consistently providing quality produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ingredient specifications include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ingredient name, e.g., Butter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A brief description, e.g., Emulsified cow\u2019s milk fat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Composition, e.g., 80% milk fat, 16% water, 2% milk solids, 2% inorganic salts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shelf life, e.g., best before dates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Delivery and storage conditions, e.g., Butter to be delivered in a refrigerated truck and stored below 4\u00b0C.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Approved supplier list<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For each ingredient, specify from where it needs to be sourced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Approved supplier lists include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ingredient name, e.g., Butter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supplier name, e.g., Over the Moon Dairies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supplier\u2019s code for the ingredient, e.g., BX330<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supplier\u2019s contact details, e.g., Phone number, email address (for placing orders).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any special arrangements, e.g., Orders, must be made by noon; minimum 10kg.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Product formulation (recipe)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This defines what the product is made up of, ensuring that it contains the same ingredients, in the same ratios, every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Product formulations include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Name of product, e.g., Shortbread cookies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>List of ingredients, e.g., flour, butter, sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Percentage formula, e.g., 57% flour, 29% butter, 14% sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Batch formula, e.g., 1kg flour, 500g butter, 250g sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Batch yield, e.g., 1.75kg<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Product standards<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Product standards set your values and vision for your product. This document traditionally defines the item by physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics. However, from a food sensory perspective, there are other equally essential attributes, such as appearance, aroma, flavour, and texture. At an absolute minimum, all applicable government regulations must be met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Product standards include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Physical characteristics<\/strong>: Size, shape, weight, volume, and count per unit. E.g., Each cookie is round, 10cm diameter, 5cm height, weighs 35g, 8 per box.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chemical properties<\/strong>: Moisture, fat, protein, carbohydrates, sodium, cholesterol, and anything else nutritionally relevant. E.g., 1 cookie = 183 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 2mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 0 fibre), 2g protein.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Microbiological standards<\/strong> are concerned with food safety and spoilage. If your product is vulnerable to food poisoning organisms during manufacturing, it\u2019s vital to identify and regularly test for pathogens such as salmonella and E-coli. A \u201cStandard Plate Count\u201d is a basic chemical test commonly used to track a product\u2019s bacterial, yeast, and mould content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sensory attributes:<\/strong> Appearance (e.g., shortbread is light blonde in colour \u2013 include pictures where possible), aroma (e.g., nutty, toasted), flavour (e.g., buttery, sweet), and texture or mouthfeel (e.g., short, crumbly, fine crumb).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturing procedures<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of this step as the \u201cmethod\u201d part of a cookbook recipe, but with exact specifications. This will also become the work instructions for your employees and are useful for training and ensuring a consistent product, no matter who\u2019s on shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Manufacturing procedures include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How ingredients should be transported and stored (e.g., butter stored in the fridge, between 2\u00b0C and 4\u00b0C).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equipment and settings (e.g., 20L floor-standing mixer, with dough-hook attachment).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The method of combining ingredients, with specified weights, times, and temperatures\/speeds (e.g., Cream 500g butter (20\u00b0C internal temp) and 250g sugar together for 20 mins, mixer speed setting #2).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employees responsible for each part of the process, including keeping in-process records (more on this below).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Instructions for properly packaging, <a href=\"https:\/\/foodfacts.org.za\/labelling\/\">labelling<\/a>, and storing the product for safe distribution. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>In-process records<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking what\u2019s happening to your product during each step of production gives you the power and information to address any areas where things could go awry. These are called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foodfocus.co.za\/home\/Industry-Topics\/food-safety\/HACCP-vs-HARPC-A-Comparison\">Critical Control Points<\/a>, and they potentially expose your product to pathogens, incorrect handling or technique, hygiene vulnerabilities, wastage, spoilage, etc. Each business\u2019s in-process records will be unique, depending on the environment, processes, technology, and ingredients used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ensuring that the product is the correct size, shape, and weight,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Properly sanitising equipment between use,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taking internal temperatures, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Swabbing for microbiological testing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Good manufacturing procedures and sanitation <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGood manufacturing procedures\u201d refer to the basic conditions and standards used to ensure food safety by preventing food contamination and controlling for health hazards. Ultimately, it\u2019s about keeping a squeaky clean operation with a culture of honouring food safety at every production level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The onslaught of COVID-19 has made the use of specialised personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling food even more important, and incorporating stringent hygiene practices is now a legal and public health obligation.\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\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\">Move beyond ERP with Sage X3 <\/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>Take control of your entire business.<\/p>\n<p>From supply chain to sales with Sage Business Cloud X3. Software for established businesses looking for greater efficiency, flexibility, and insight.<\/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=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/\"\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\tid=\"cta-id-621\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Watch Now<\/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=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-44-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Woman in audience raising her hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-44-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-is-quality-control-crucial-for-food-and-beverage-manufacturers\">Why is quality control crucial for food and beverage manufacturers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Other than not making people sick and wanting to craft something beautiful, these five reasons ought to keep the books happy too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reduce production costs:<\/strong> Minimise wastage and poor quality, and avoid future costs due to refunds, recalls, or even lawsuits.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boost brand reputation:<\/strong> People come to trust that your product is consistently good.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Increase sales:<\/strong> Better brand reputation equates to higher demand and more sales.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improve production techniques:<\/strong> Detailed instructions mean everyone must follow the best methods. Instructions can also easily be updated as new tech becomes available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bolster employee morale:<\/strong> Insisting on high quality tends to instil pride in the work done.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-software-tools-and-resources-for-improving-food-manufacturing-quality-control\">Software, tools, and resources for improving food manufacturing quality control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A centralised platform, such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/product-capabilities\/\">cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution<\/a><u>,<\/u> is a fundamental part of ensuring traceability in the food supply chain. But simply catching errors is not enough. If things go wrong anywhere along the chain, you\u2019ll want to pinpoint exactly where. Being able to address those errors immediately is what makes all the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few useful resources to help you improve your food quality control:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ascconsultants.co.za\/resources\/food-safety-and-quality-legislation-in-south-africa\">Food safety and quality legislation in South Africa<\/a><u>.<\/u><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/foodconsulting.co.za\/fcs-food-safety-checklists\/\">FCS\u2019s free resource<\/a> with comprehensive cleaning and sanitation checklists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter how carefully you\u2019ve planned things, in the end, everything comes down to the people who execute your quality control procedures. Time and attention should be spent regularly training (and refreshing) everyone in the team and updating controls and processes to comply with new legislation. Getting food quality control right is infinitely easier when everyone on board is proud of their work and is committed to delivering the quality your business and customers deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\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 the Sage Advice enewsletter<\/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 a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/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-84fe79b5-668d-41f8-a0cc-6229018c4ac9\"\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\" 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intelligence\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-za\/blog\/tag\/crm\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCRM\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-za\/blog\/tag\/erp\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tERP\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-za\/blog\/tag\/supply-chain-management\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsupply chain management\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<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-76358 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountants tag-audit tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-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=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Two businesswomen looking at report on tablet\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" 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=\"2026-06-04T12:39:10+02:00\">June 4, 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\">10 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-za\/blog\/accounts-payable-reports-guide\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThe ultimate guide to accounts payable reports and reporting\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\tAccounts payable reports help you track the money your business owes suppliers and other short-term creditors. They show outstanding invoices, payment due dates, vendor balances, and cash flow commitments, so you can manage liabilities, avoid late payments, and plan ahead with more confidence.\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-76331 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-audit tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-business-management tag-profit-loss tag-staying-competitive tag-tax business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/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-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" 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=\"2026-06-04T11:51:14+02:00\">June 4, 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\">8 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? Steps, workflow and how to improve it\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-76286 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-data-analysis tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accounts-payable-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-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--1213x810.jpg 1213w\" 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=\"2026-05-22T12:28:04+02:00\">May 22, 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\tThe ultimate guide to accounts payable reconciliation\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-76271 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-data-analysis tag-profit-loss tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accrued-expenses-vs-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-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"people in office\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-1440x810.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=\"2026-05-22T11:35:30+02:00\">May 22, 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\">8 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\tAccrued expenses vs accounts payable: Key differences\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-76206 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-financial-insights tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accrual-basis-accounting\/\"\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-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-1215x810.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=\"2026-05-15T12:46:05+02:00\">May 15, 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\">16 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\tAccrual accounting: What it is, benefits and examples\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>A simple truth lies at the heart of any food business: the final product will enter other people\u2019s bodies. It\u2019s mind-blowing to think about that. It&#8217;s an immense responsibility, but a special kind of honour, too. So, whether you\u2019re new to food safety or need a procedural revamp, these quality control principles for food manufacturers [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1275,"featured_media":69734,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,27],"tags":[315,324,187,212],"business_type":[3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[7,13],"imagine_tag":[92,78,79],"coauthors":[445],"class_list":["post-69234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-process","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-business-intelligence","tag-crm","tag-erp","tag-supply-chain-management","business_type-medium-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-za","author_name":"Marijke Makomba","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1175111291.jpg","imagine_tags":{"92":"Manufacturing","78":"Supply Chain Management","79":"Supply management"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice South Africa","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1275"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/69734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=69234"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=69234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}