Accounts Payable Interview Questions and Answers | Process-Based Scripts to Get Hired

Today I'm going to share the accounts payable interview questions with the exact answers that will get you hired.

I'm also going to share the excuses that will not get you hired.

So stick around until the end for a quick review of the red flags that turn

interviewers off. But first, some process-based questions with answers that will impress.

Of course, these should be tailored to the work you actually do.

Modify these suggested answers to reflect your actual processes and experience.

Now, before you answer any question, take a few seconds to determine what they're really trying

to find out. Then, answer addressing that concern. To help you in that matter,

I'm going to tell you before I give you the suggested answers exactly what they're looking for.

Besides, whether you know your stuff. Question, what is your role in the month and

clothes? What they're really trying to find out is if you understand deadlines and are willing

to take ownership for the processes and the successes and failures of those processes.

Suggested answer. During the month and clothes, I review unposted invoices, process accruals for

goods and services received, but not yet invoiced, and make sure all invoices that have been received

have been entered into our ERP. Sometimes this means entering the stuff myself, although

as the manager, I generally don't do that work, but I do pitch in at the end of the month or quarter

if there's a backlog. I do run trial balances to ensure accuracy and also review

eager reports for our unusual item. My goal is to ensure that accounts payable is complete

accurate and ready to be integrated into the accounting information for financial reporting

purposes. Question, how do you ensure strong internal controls in the accounts payable process?

What they are trying to find out is if you are aware of all the risks the organization faces

and how the accounts payable group can protect it when processing invoices, so how they can

protect at least that part of the risk. Suggested answer. We incorporate accounts payable,

appropriate separation of duties across the entire profutive aid process, ensuring all invoices

go through the proper matching uses in three-way match. We also flick unusual trans-ass transactions

and escalate them when needed. Controls are part of every step of our accounts payable process.

We periodically adjust these controls, by the way, to address new frauds which we continually

are on the watchbook. Question, tell me about a time you handled a difficult vendor. What they're

really trying to find out is they want to see how diplomatic you are as well as if you have

follow through. Suggested answer. This is a fairly common occurrence in our shop. A vendor insists

we were late on a payment, but our records show the invoice had incorrect payment terms. Once we

reviewed the purchase order and confirmed the terms with purchasing, we explained that this

records a vendor. Once I provided the documentation, they realized that we were correct and did not

pursue the matter. It would have been easy just to go ahead and make that payment early,

but that would not have been in the best interest of our organization. We did not have this issue

again with this particular vendor, although to be honest, from time to time, the different vendors do

try and get us to pay early. Whenever this happens, I try and politely make sure the supplier understands

that we do take their concerns seriously, but we'll review the approved upon terms and we will not

pay early. Tell me about a time you found an error on an invoice. What they're really trying to find

out is if you will let errors go and how you deal with suppliers once you find them. If you say that

you've never had an invoice with an error on it, they will know right off the bat that you have no

real accounts payable experience or that if you do, that your very slip shot about it, because

everybody has invoices without with errors, invoices with mistakes on them. Suggested answer.

I noticed a duplicate invoice during a routine review. I checked the purchase order and the

payment history and confirmed it was a duplicate submission. I removed it from the batch and documented

this issue. This particular vendor has a history of sending multiple copies of the same invoice to us.

Catching it prevented an overpayment and reinforced the importance of reviewing the supporting

documentation carefully. When this happens and believe me, it does frequently. I send a polite note

asking that they send only one copy of the invoice to our accounts payable mailbox and no one else.

This helps, but it doesn't completely eliminate problem. Question. You received three urgent

invoices at 4.45. What do you do since you were planning on leaving at 5 o'clock? What they've

really trying to find out are a few things. They are testing how your prioritized work. They're

looking at your communication skills and they are really looking to see if you'll go that extra

mile and maybe spend a few extra minutes after the time you were supposed to leave if there is

an emergency. Suggestive response. I quickly assessed which invoices were truly urgent. When was a

supply just a supply trying to get paid early despite our read-upon payment terms. When I realized

that two were legitimately urgent, I got one of the supervisors to join me and work on one while I

handled the other. I quickly explained to the request of the third one about the terms issue and

they agreed to contact the vendor demanding who was demanding the payment and explained.

We were lucky and we managed to get three fires put out in a little over 15 minutes.

And now the question, a question from me to you, not for the interview. Is this talk giving you

some insights on how to handle interview questions? If so, hit the like button to let us know.

And if you're on a mobile device and see that hype button, please click on it to let us know we

should make more videos like this. Thank you. Question. A vendor wants immediate payment but the

PO is missing. What do you do? What they're trying to find out is whether you follow best practice

processes and to see if you'll cave under pressure or follow your best practice. Suggestive

response. I explain that I can't process the payment without a valid PO or receiving document,

but I tell them that contact perks just seem to confirm whether a PO exists and if not, I will ask

them to create one. I keep the vendor informed and I document the entire process. I never bypass

our strong internal controls and our strong processes, but that's weakened controls as well as

sets the stage for a repeat of this, which will ultimately end up in a duplicate payment.

We've discussed what the interviewer is trying to determine with each of these questions.

Now, let's take a look at some responses that can cheat torpedo a potential job.

Red flags that hire managers are watching for to see if you'll be a good addition to their

team. So you want to avoid these at all costs. Red flag number one, blaming vendors or co-workers.

If there's a problem, they're looking to see how you solve it, not how you point a finger.

Yes, the problem is likely to be someone else's fault, but don't dwell on it. If it's a supply,

if it's a supply, you might mention it in piercing. That's all. They don't want to hear a lot of

complaining from you. They want to see how you're going to deal with these touchy situations,

if you will. Red flag number two, not mentioning agreed upon processes that incorporate best

practices, verifying documentation, including the three-way match, or use of appropriate accounts

payable internal controls. Emphasize that even though a situation may be urgent, you still follow

your standard processes and controls. Red flag number three, overemphasizing speed without

accuracy. Yes, efficiency is important, but it doesn't trump accuracy. If you're not accurate,

if you don't incorporate your standard controls, you'll end up overpaying or duplicate paying,

or paying the wrong vendor, and they want to make sure that you don't do this. The next one is

easy to do, especially when you're nervous. Red flag number four, rambling, especially when you're

explaining a routine accounts payable process. That's one of the reasons you want to prepare your

answers. You need to be able to clearly describe processes step by step without taking too long,

and by the way, avoid jarring. You may think everyone will know what you're talking about,

but many won't. Some of the terms may be unique to your organization, and sometimes for whatever

reason, the interviewer may not recognize the term. So be careful. These are things that quietly

eliminate candidate. That's why it is so important to prepare ahead of time. But these aren't the

only detailed questions that interviewers are likely to ask you. They may ask some task-based

questions also. Click on a link that has appeared on your YouTube screen to make sure you're ready

to answer them in a way that won't get you eliminated from the job search. Good luck!