05/04/2025
At Balanced Bookkeeping LLC We are often asked why we insist on client approval for Accounts Payable and why we utilize a bill pay platform with approval workflows. As a former Senior Controls Manager and Internal Auditor, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Having someone else approve bills before they’re paid at a business is an important part of internal controls. These non negotiable rules protect both us and our clients.
While many of our competitors are quietly offshoring, we have been working hard to build an all US/New England based, W2 staff that understands the importance of professional, accurate and responsible bookkeeping. Sending work overseas creates liability and exposes clients to prime opportunities for fraud.
Regardless of the location of your Accounts Payable staff, here are the main reasons why we insist on only utilizing strict and clear AP processes.
Ask yourself: Is your bookkeeper doing the same?
1. Fraud prevention: It helps prevent unauthorized or fraudulent payments. If the same person creates and approves payments, there’s a higher risk of abuse.
2. Error detection: A second set of eyes can catch mistakes like duplicate payments, incorrect amounts, or payments to the wrong vendor.
3. Accountability and transparency: Requiring approval ensures there’s a clear audit trail showing who authorized which payments, which is critical for both internal and external reviews.
4. Budget control: It helps make sure that all spending is necessary and within budget, especially when multiple departments or people are involved in purchasing.
5. Separation of duties: This is a core principle in accounting and finance to minimize risk—splitting responsibilities ensures no one person has too much control over financial transactions.
The recent news of a State Department employee embezzling over $650k is a great, real life example of what happens when these guidelines are not followed.