Finance Pro - Accounts Payable Training Video

In this video we will walk through the Accounts Payable workflow.

Master Accounts Payable in SurePoint: From Vendor Setup to Check Printing

Effective accounts payable management is essential to maintaining accurate financial records, paying vendors on time, and ensuring client-related expenses are tracked correctly. SurePoint's Accounts Payable module streamlines this process by bringing vendor management, invoice processing, payment handling, and check printing into a single workflow.

This article serves as a companion guide to the Accounts Payable training video and walks through the complete lifecycle of a vendor invoice, from setting up a vendor to printing the final check.

Understand the Accounts Payable Workflow

At a high level, the Accounts Payable process follows a straightforward sequence:

Set up the vendor.
Enter the vendor invoice.
Allocate invoice lines and record expenses.
Review and save the invoice.
Process the payment.
Generate and print checks.
Review or reprint checks if necessary.

Vendor invoices can enter the system in three different ways:

Manual entry through Accounts Payable
Automatic creation from a Client Expense
Automatic generation through a Recurring Vendor Invoice

Understanding how these components work together will help ensure invoices are properly recorded, approved, and paid.

Create a Vendor

Before invoices can be entered and paid, the vendor must exist in SurePoint. To create a vendor:

Click on your name in the top right corner of the screen.
Select Firm Settings from the dropdown menu.
Stay in the Settings tab.
Select Vendors from the side menu.
Click the Add Vendor button.
Input the vendor information.
If the vendor is a tax authority, select Is Tax Agency. If 1099 reporting is required, select Track Payments for 1099.
Click the Save button.

Vendor Invoices Tab

The Vendor Invoices tab allows users to:

Add invoices
Review invoices
Import invoices
Export invoice data
Process payments

Enter Vendor Invoices

Vendor invoices are typically entered when a bill is received from a supplier, consultant, or service provider. To enter a vendor invoice:

Navigate to the Accounts Payable page from the left-hand menu.
Stay in the Vendor Invoices tab.
Click the Add Vendor Invoice button.
Input the invoice details.
- Required fields:
  - Number- Vendor's invoice number.
  - Vendor- Vendor being paid.
  - Invoice Date- Date on the vendor invoice.
  - Term Days- Payment terms, such as 30 days.
  - Due Date- Calculated automatically based on terms.
  - Description- Brief description of the charge.
Optional: To distribute the invoice among multiple general ledger accounts, select Add Vendor Invoice Line.
Optional: To bill a vendor expense back to a client, select Add Expense and fill out the form.
Review the total at the bottom. This should match the total amount of the vendor bill.
Click the Save button.

Helpful Tip: If the vendor has not yet been created, a new vendor can be added directly from the Vendor dropdown while entering the invoice.

Review Saved Vendor Invoices

After an invoice is saved, it appears in the Vendor Invoices grid with an Invoiced status. The grid provides visibility into:

Invoice Number
Vendor
Invoice Date
Due Date
Status
Description
Transaction Details
Bill Amount
Payments Applied
Remaining Balance
Debit Account
Location and Division
User Who Created the Invoice

Invoice Statuses

Invoiced- The invoice has been entered and is ready for payment.
Paid- The payment has been processed in the system.
Partially Paid- A portion of the invoice balance has been paid.

Note: A Paid or Partially Paid invoice does not necessarily mean a physical check has been printed.

Edit Vendor Invoices

Unpaid invoices can be edited as needed. To edit:

Select the Pencil Icon on an invoice with an Invoiced status.
Edit the information.
Click the Save button.

Note: Most invoice information can be changed directly within Accounts Payable. The exception is client expense lines, which must be edited from the related matter record rather than from the vendor invoice.

Automatic Vendor Invoices

Not every vendor invoice needs to be entered manually. When a Client Expense is created, SurePoint automatically generates the corresponding vendor invoice.

Enter a Client Expense. After saving:

The expense appears on the client's invoice.
A vendor invoice is created in Accounts Payable.
Attached documentation carries over.
No duplicate data entry is required.

This automation reduces administrative effort and minimizes the risk of duplicate entries.

Create Recurring Vendor Invoices

Many business expenses (e.g. office rent, utilities, software subscriptions) occur on predictable schedules. Recurring Vendor Invoices eliminate the need to manually enter these invoices each cycle. To set up a recurring vendor invoice:

Navigate to the Accounts Payable page from the left-hand menu.
Select the Recurring Vendor Invoices tab.
Click the Add Recurring Vendor Invoice button.
Enter the vendor invoice information.
Click the Save button.

Recurring invoices generate automatically overnight according to their schedule.

The newly created invoices appear in the Vendor Invoices tab the following morning, ready for review and payment.

Pay a Vendor Invoice

Once invoices have been entered and approved, they can be paid through Accounts Payable. To pay an invoice:

Navigate to the Accounts Payable page from the left-hand menu.
Stay in the Vendor Invoices tab.
Select the ellipses icon next to the invoice.
Select Pay Vendor Invoice.

Pay Multiple Vendor Invoices

Navigate to the Accounts Payable page from the left-hand menu.
Stay in the Vendor Invoices tab.
Click the All Filters button.
Set the status to Invoices and select the vendor.
Click the Apply Filters button.
Use the checkboxes to select all desired invoices.
Open the Bulk Actions dropdown.
Select Pay Vendor Invoices.
Verify the Payment Date, Bank Account, and Total Payment Amount.
Optional: Remove invoices by clicking the trashcan icon on the right.
Optional: To make a partial payment, enter a partial amount in the Amount to Pay field.
Click the Pay Vendor Invoices button.
Click the Yes, Proceed with Payment button.