What is this Service?

Accounts Payable Services ensure the efficient and effective management of payments to suppliers.The Accounts Payable function supports the delivery of municipal products and services, thus adding to the credibility and overall reputation of the municipality.

Specific objectives include:

• Timely processing of invoices
• Accurate payment of bills
• Analyzing patterns in expenses and taking advantage of available discounts
• Maintaining relationships with suppliers
• Providing customer service to internal departments and vendors

Influencing Factors

• Organizational Form:  Centralized vs. decentralized functions.
• Policy and Practices:  Objectives on stretching payables differ between municipalities and service areas.
• Processes & Systems:  Differences in system generated vs. manually generated invoices (eg. phone lines, utilities), differences in records management (eg. document imaging vs. not imaging), and the nature of the payment approval process (eg. electronic vs. manual).