Outsourced Accounts Payable, Done Properly
A simple, streamlined and efficient way to keep suppliers paid on time and your records up to date — all in one process.
Why outsource your accounts payable?
Paying suppliers shouldn't be a stressful, last-minute scramble through inboxes and bank apps. When supplier invoices, approvals and payments all live in different places, things slip — invoices get paid twice, suppliers chase you for money you've already sent, and the bookkeeper spends hours every month untangling it.
An outsourced accounts payable service brings the whole cycle under one roof. As accountants in Brentwood, we run this for clients across Essex and the UK — combining bookkeeping, finance system control and a simple approval workflow so suppliers are paid on time and your books stay current.
How the process works
Invoices arrive in one place
Suppliers send invoices to a dedicated email address (or upload via Hubdoc / Dext). Everything funnels into a single inbox so nothing gets lost in personal emails.
Bookkeeping enters them into your finance system
Our team codes each invoice into Xero or FreeAgent — correct nominal, correct VAT treatment, correct supplier — so the figures in your accounts are right from day one.
Client approval (where needed)
For invoices over an agreed threshold, or from new suppliers, we route them to you for approval before they ever hit the finance system as payable. You see what you're committing to.
Accountant review of what's due
We review the aged payables report each pay run, flag duplicates, query anything unusual, and prepare a clean list of invoices ready for payment.
Payment file sent for approval
We submit a batch payment file (or bank-feed payment run) for you to approve — usually weekly or fortnightly. One click, one approval, dozens of suppliers paid.
Bank auto-clears and books are matched
Once you approve, the payments leave the bank automatically and reconcile straight against the invoices in Xero. No manual matching, no leftover entries.
What you get out of it
Suppliers paid on time
A predictable pay run means no late-payment fees, no awkward chase calls, and stronger supplier relationships.
One source of truth
Every invoice — paid or unpaid — lives in your finance system, so the aged payables report is actually accurate.
Less time on admin
You approve a batch instead of paying invoices one at a time. Most clients save several hours every week.
Cleaner reconciliations
Payments come out of the bank already matched to the right invoice. No mystery transactions at month-end.
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Common Questions
Who actually presses 'pay' on the bank?
You do. We prepare and submit the payment batch, but the final approval always sits with the client. Most clients use the bank's mobile approval — one tap and the run is released.
What software do you use?
We work primarily in Xero and FreeAgent, with Hubdoc or Dext for invoice capture. Payment runs are usually approved through your existing business banking app.
How often are pay runs?
Most clients run weekly or fortnightly. We'll agree a rhythm that suits your cash flow and supplier terms.
Will I lose visibility of what's being paid?
No — quite the opposite. You'll see the full payable list, the proposed batch and the supporting invoices before you approve. You're in control, just without doing the data entry.
Hand off your accounts payable
We can take on your supplier invoicing and payment runs end-to-end. Get in touch for a quick chat about how it would work for your business.