Accounts Payable Checklist

An accounts payable checklist for the weekly payment run: capture invoices, check approvals, catch duplicates and fraud, pay on time and keep the ledger clean.

Typical schedule weekly
The checklist 5 sections, 18 items
Variables {{run_date}}

Use this template Free, no credit card. Imports the checklist into your Runbook organization.

Use this checklist for each supplier payment run. Most small businesses pay once or twice a week, or on fixed days each month. A fixed rhythm lets suppliers know when to expect money and stops urgent one-off payments that skip the usual checks.

Who owns it

The bookkeeper or AP clerk prepares the run: captures invoices, chases approvals and builds the payment batch. A second person with bank signing rights reviews the batch and releases it. The person who can change supplier bank details should not also be the only one who releases payments.

Common pitfalls

Paying without approval. Invoices that arrive by email are easy to pay "because they look right". Each invoice needs an approver who knows the purchase was ordered and received.
Duplicate payments. The same invoice arrives as a PDF and again as a reminder, or once from the supplier and once from a colleague. Check invoice numbers and amounts before paying.
Bank detail change fraud. A request to change a supplier's bank account, especially with urgency, is a classic fraud pattern. Verify it by phone using a number you already have.
Missing early-payment terms or due dates. Paying late damages supplier trust; paying everything immediately hurts cash flow. Pay by due date.

A scheduled weekly run in Runbook leaves a record of who prepared and who released each batch. Adapt this to your jurisdiction and your internal approval limits; it is a practical checklist, not legal or tax advice.

The checklist: AP payment run {{run_date}}

Capture

Collect all supplier invoices from the AP inbox, the post and the supplier portals
Enter each invoice with supplier, invoice number, date, due date, amount and tax
Code each invoice to the correct expense account and cost centre
Check that each invoice is addressed to the correct legal entity and shows the details your tax rules require

Approve

Route each invoice to its budget owner for approval
Match invoices for goods to the purchase order and delivery note optional
Three-way matching is worth it for stock purchases and large orders, less so for subscriptions.
Confirm invoices above your approval limit carry the required second approval
Chase approvers for invoices due before the next run

Check before paying

Check for duplicates by supplier, invoice number and amount
Confirm any supplier bank detail change was verified by phone on a known number
Confirm credit notes are applied before paying the supplier's open balance
Confirm enough cash in the paying account for the batch

Pay

Build the payment batch with all approved invoices due before the next run
Second person reviews the batch against the approved invoice list and releases it
Confirm the bank accepted the batch, and fix any rejected payments
Send remittance advice to suppliers who need it optional

Clean up

Mark the paid invoices as paid in the accounting system
Review the aged payables report for overdue or disputed invoices and follow up

Checklist as Markdown

# AP payment run {{run_date}}

## Capture
- [ ] Collect all supplier invoices from the AP inbox, the post and the supplier portals
- [ ] Enter each invoice with supplier, invoice number, date, due date, amount and tax
- [ ] Code each invoice to the correct expense account and cost centre
- [ ] Check that each invoice is addressed to the correct legal entity and shows the details your tax rules require

## Approve
- [ ] Route each invoice to its budget owner for approval
- [ ] Match invoices for goods to the purchase order and delivery note (optional)
  Three-way matching is worth it for stock purchases and large orders, less so for subscriptions.
- [ ] Confirm invoices above your approval limit carry the required second approval
- [ ] Chase approvers for invoices due before the next run

## Check before paying
- [ ] Check for duplicates by supplier, invoice number and amount
- [ ] Confirm any supplier bank detail change was verified by phone on a known number
- [ ] Confirm credit notes are applied before paying the supplier's open balance
- [ ] Confirm enough cash in the paying account for the batch

## Pay
- [ ] Build the payment batch with all approved invoices due before the next run
- [ ] Second person reviews the batch against the approved invoice list and releases it
- [ ] Confirm the bank accepted the batch, and fix any rejected payments
- [ ] Send remittance advice to suppliers who need it (optional)

## Clean up
- [ ] Mark the paid invoices as paid in the accounting system
- [ ] Review the aged payables report for overdue or disputed invoices and follow up

Frequently asked questions

What is included in the accounts payable process?

Accounts payable covers receiving supplier invoices, recording and coding them, getting them approved, paying them on time and recording the payment. Good AP also includes controls against duplicate payments and fraud, and a regular review of what is overdue or disputed.

How do I prevent duplicate invoice payments?

Enter the supplier's invoice number for every invoice and let your accounting system warn about duplicates. Before releasing a batch, sort it by supplier and amount and look for repeats. Paying only from one source, such as an AP inbox, also stops invoices arriving through several people.

Who should approve supplier invoices?

The person who ordered the goods or service, or the budget owner, approves that the invoice is correct and the work was delivered. Finance then checks the formal details and releases the payment. Set a value limit above which a second approver, such as a director, is required.

Updated 2026-11-04