Accounts Payable — Scheduling & Payment
Select invoices, schedule payments, print checks, and produce payment reports
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Overview

The Scheduling & Payment menu manages the payables “final mile”: selecting invoices to pay, setting or adjusting schedule dates, producing payment worklists, and issuing checks. These tools help ensure the right vendors are paid on time, cash requirements are visible in advance, and check printing remains auditable and repeatable.

  • Who uses this menu: AP clerks, accounting managers, and users authorized to print checks.
  • What you can do: schedule invoices, build pay batches, print checks, and run key payment reports.
  • Typical flow: select invoices → review worksheet/report → print checks → verify check register.
Tip: Use consistent schedule dates (weekly or twice-monthly cycles) and review the Accounts Payable Worksheet before printing checks to avoid surprises.

The Scheduling & Payment menu controls how Accounts Payable invoices are selected, grouped, and paid. It supports both date-driven scheduling and batch-controlled workflows, allowing companies to scale payment processing across multiple clerks while maintaining audit control.

  • Options 1–4 (Schedule & Pay by Date): Used to schedule invoices based on payment dates. These options allow users to modify schedule dates, select invoices due within a date range, review scheduled invoices, and prepare/print checks for those dates.
  • Option 5 (Schedule & Pay by Batch): Used to schedule and pay invoices based on a control batch. This approach is ideal when multiple AP clerks are processing payments simultaneously—each clerk can manage and print their own batch independently without interfering with others.
  • Option 6 (Pay Customs Statement): Used to generate payment for a Customs Statement, typically as a direct or consolidated payment outside of standard invoice scheduling.
  • Option 7 (Accounts Payable Worksheet): Produces a worksheet showing invoices selected for payment. This is commonly reviewed prior to printing checks to validate amounts, vendors, and timing.
  • Option 8 (Check Register Report): Used after checks have been printed or entered to produce a formal check register for audit, reconciliation, and record-keeping purposes.
Design intent: Date-based scheduling (Options 1–4) emphasizes cash-flow timing, while batch-based scheduling (Option 5) emphasizes operational control in multi-user environments.

Modify Payment Schedule Date

Modify Payment Schedule Date allows users to assign or update the scheduled payment date for vendor invoices. This enables invoices to be staged for payment now and paid later as part of a future check run.

This function does not issue payment. It prepares invoices so they can be selected during a scheduled check run based on the date entered.

Selection Criteria

  • Company No. — company/entity owning the payables.
  • Vendor Name — limit scheduling to a specific vendor.
  • Dept#, (O)vrhd, (A)ll — filter by department, overhead invoices, or all.
  • File No, (A)ll — optionally restrict scheduling to a specific file.

Invoice Grid

  • Inv/Ref # — invoice or reference number.
  • File Number — operational file associated with the invoice.
  • Balance — open amount eligible for payment.
  • Schd-Date — scheduled payment date (editable).
  • Pay Amnt — amount intended to be paid.
  • Adj GL / Adj Amnt — optional adjustment account and amount.
Workflow note: Once a schedule date is assigned, the invoice becomes eligible for selection in Select Scheduled Invoices and subsequent check runs.
Best Practice: Use consistent schedule dates (weekly or semi-monthly) to simplify cash forecasting and reduce partial or missed payments.

Select Scheduled Invoices

Select Scheduled Invoices identifies and collects invoices that have been assigned a Scheduled Payment Date on or before a user-specified cutoff date. This step determines which invoices will be included in the upcoming payment run.

This option does not print checks or issue payment. It builds the internal payment selection list that is later reviewed and processed through worksheets, reports, and check printing.

Selection Criteria

  • Company — company/entity for which invoices are being selected.
  • Dept#, (O)verhead, (A)ll — limits selection to:
    • Dept# — invoices assigned to a specific department.
    • O — overhead invoices not tied to operational files.
    • A — all eligible invoices.
  • Scheduled Payment Date — cutoff date. All invoices with a scheduled date on or before this date are selected.
Workflow note: This step is typically run after invoices have been scheduled using Modify Payment Schedule Date and before producing worksheets or printing checks.
Best Practice: Run the Accounts Payable Worksheet after selecting invoices to review totals and payment timing before issuing checks.

Scheduled Invoices Report

Scheduled Invoices Report (Check Run Audit Report) provides a verification listing of invoices that have been selected for payment. This report is typically run after invoices are selected and before checks are printed to confirm the check run contents.

Use this report to validate that the correct department/overhead scope is being paid and that the invoices scheduled for the current run match expectations before committing to printing checks.

Report Criteria

  • Company — company/entity for the check run audit.
  • Dept#, (O)verhead, (A)ll — limits the audit report to:
    • Dept# — invoices selected under a specific department.
    • O — overhead invoices only.
    • A — all selected invoices in scope.

What to Verify

  • Vendor scope — confirms the vendors included are expected for this run.
  • Invoice scope — confirms the invoices selected match the intended cutoff/date cycle.
  • Amounts — confirms totals appear reasonable before checks are created.
  • Department / overhead — confirms the filter used matches the intended payment run.
Workflow note: Run this report after Select Scheduled Invoices and before Prepare and Print Checks. It provides a last checkpoint to prevent printing checks for the wrong department, vendor set, or date cycle.

Click to view sample Report

Best Practice: Save or print the audit report and attach it to the check run packet (or PDF archive) for month-end support and audit trail.

Prepare and Print Checks

Prepare and Print Checks creates and prints checks for invoices that have already been selected during the Scheduling process. This step finalizes the payment run and assigns official check numbers to each payment.

This process is intentionally split into two stages: first building the check file based on selected invoices, and then confirming bank and check number details before printing.

Build Check File

  • Company — company/entity issuing the checks.
  • Department — limits the check run to:
    • a specific department,
    • ALL departments, or
    • 0 for overhead invoices.

This step prepares the internal check file for all invoices that were previously selected using the Scheduling process. No checks are printed yet.
Once selection process is complete enter P to proceed to the next step.

Print Selected Checks

  • Bank Number — bank account used for the check run.
  • Company Number — confirms issuing company.
  • Starting Check # — first check number to be printed. The system displays the Last Check Used for reference.
  • Check Date — posting and check date for the payment run.
Critical verification step: Before printing, the clerk must visually confirm that the Starting Check # shown on the screen matches the first physical check loaded in the printer. Failure to verify may result in misnumbered or voided checks.
Best Practice: Print the Scheduled Invoices Report or Accounts Payable Worksheet prior to this step and retain it with the check run for audit and reconciliation.

Batch Entry & Print

Batch Entry & Print provides a controlled way to schedule and pay invoices using a batch number. This workflow is ideal when multiple A/P clerks are paying bills at the same time, because each clerk can work within their own batch without interfering with other payment runs.

A batch is created first (control record), invoices are then assigned to that batch, a proof report can be printed for verification, and finally checks are printed for the batch. Batch numbers are automatically assigned by entering NEW.

Batch Scheduling Menu (ATAP0130)

  • Batch Control Entry — create or open a batch and define payment settings.
  • Payment Scheduling — attach invoices to the batch and assign pay amounts.
  • Proof Report — print a summary/detail report to verify the batch before printing.
  • Print Checks — print checks for the invoices included in the batch.
Workflow note: The batch workflow mirrors the date-based scheduling process, but isolates the selection and printing steps to a single batch number (often controlled by a specific clerk or desk).
Best Practice: Use one batch per clerk (or per payment cycle) and avoid mixing unrelated payment activity in a single batch to simplify review, approval, and reconciliation.

Batch Control Entry

Batch Control Entry creates the batch header record and defines the payment settings for the batch. This includes the bank account, payment date, payment type, and the person responsible for the batch.

To create a new batch, enter NEW and the system will automatically assign the next available batch number.

Fields

  • Batch No. (NEW) — enter NEW to create a batch; system assigns the number.
  • Bank Code — bank account used to issue payments for this batch.
  • Company Code — entity issuing payments.
  • Payment Date — check/payment date for the batch.
  • Payment Type — payment method (typically check).
  • Total Amount — expected total for the batch (used as a control figure).
  • Controlled By — identifies the clerk or owner responsible for the batch.
Workflow note: The batch header controls the payment date and bank account used when printing checks. Enter the batch total when you want a control target for proofing.
Best Practice: Populate Controlled By and keep one owner per batch so it is clear who is responsible for review, proofing, and printing.

Payment Scheduling (Batch)

Vendor Invoice Payment assigns invoices to a specific batch and records the amounts that will be paid. This is where the clerk attaches invoice lines and confirms pay amounts prior to proofing and printing.

Use this screen to build the batch contents. The invoice/pay lines entered here are what will appear on the proof report and ultimately drive the checks printed for the batch.

Header Fields

  • Batch No. — batch being worked (assigned from Batch Control Entry).
  • Bank Code — bank used for this batch.
  • Vendor — vendor being paid.
  • Invoice # — invoice identifier being applied.
  • Vendor Invoice Date — invoice date (for reference and audit).
  • Inv Amnt — invoice amount.
  • Dept# — department the payment is associated with.

Line Grid

  • Our Ref No. — internal reference/file reference.
  • Acct No. — A/P account / vendor account reference.
  • Inv Amnt — invoice amount for the line.
  • Pay Amnt — amount to pay in this batch.
  • Adj Code / Adj Amnt — optional adjustment code and amount.
  • Vndr's Ref # — vendor reference number (if applicable).
Workflow note: Once invoices are entered into the batch, use Proof Report to confirm totals and detail before moving to check printing.
Best Practice: Review pay amounts for partial payments and verify any adjustment codes before printing checks to prevent rework and voids.

Proof Report (Batch)

Vendor Payment Batch Proof Report prints a verification report for one batch or all batches. Use it to confirm the vendors, invoices, and totals before printing checks.

The report can be printed in Summary or Detail form depending on how much line-level information is needed for review and approval.

Report Options

  • Enter Batch No. (All) — enter a specific batch number or select All.
  • (S)ummary or (D)etail — choose summary totals or line-level detail.

What to Verify

  • Batch totals match expectations (and control amount, if used).
  • Vendor list is correct for the batch owner/cycle.
  • Pay amounts are correct and adjustments are justified.
Workflow note: Run the proof report before printing checks. If errors are found, return to Payment Scheduling (Batch) to correct pay amounts or invoice selections.
Best Practice: Save the proof report with the batch documentation (PDF or hardcopy) to support approvals, audit trail, and month-end reconciliation.

Print Checks (Batch)

Vendor Payment - Check Printing prints checks for the invoices included in the selected batch. This step issues the payments for the batch and assigns check numbers based on the bank account.

Use this option only after the batch has been built and verified using the proof report.

Fields

  • Batch Number — batch to be printed.
  • Bank Code — bank account used for the checks.
  • Amount to Pay — total payment amount for the batch.
  • Created On / By — displays when and who created the print run.

After printing begins, confirm check stock alignment and verify numbering to prevent wasted checks.

Critical verification step: Before printing, verify the check stock in the printer aligns with the next check number expected for the bank account to avoid out-of-sequence checks.
Best Practice: After printing, run the Check Register Report to confirm checks issued and retain the output with the batch proof report.

Pay Customs Statement

Pay Customs Statement allows an A/P clerk to manually process payment for a U.S. Customs (CBP) statement when the normal ACH authorization workflow did not complete successfully.

This function is typically used as an exception process — for example, when an ACH payment was authorized but the statement did not post correctly, or when CBP requires a manual recovery payment.

When processed, the system creates an entry in the Check Register using the Statement Number as the Check Number.

Entry Fields

  • Statement No. — CBP statement number being paid.
  • Vendor Number — CBP vendor record associated with the statement.

Statement Detail Grid

  • Entry No. — customs entry number included on the statement.
  • File Number — operational file linked to the entry.
  • Importer No. — importer of record.
  • Type — entry type.
  • Entry Port — port of entry.
  • Duty Due — duty amount due for the entry.
Important: The system automatically totals all statement lines and posts the payment as a single check using the statement number.
Workflow note: This process should only be used when the standard CBP ACH workflow did not successfully post the statement. Under normal circumstances, Customs statements are paid automatically upon receipt of an ACH payment acceptance from CBP.
Best Practice: After processing, run the Check Register Report and retain the CBP statement confirmation with A/P documentation for audit purposes.

Accounts Payable Worksheet

The Accounts Payable Worksheet provides a snapshot of open vendor payables as of a selected date. It is commonly used for cash planning, accrual review, and period-end analysis before payments are scheduled or checks are printed.

This report is informational only. It does not schedule, select, or pay invoices.

Report Criteria

  • Ending Report Date — includes all open A/P activity through this date.
  • Vendor Name or (A)ll — limit the worksheet to a single vendor or include all vendors.
  • (S)ummary or (D)etail — choose between vendor-level totals or detailed invoice listings.

Output Details

  • Summary Mode — shows total open balances per vendor.
  • Detail Mode — lists individual invoices contributing to each vendor balance.
Workflow note: The worksheet is often run before scheduling payments to validate expected cash requirements and identify vendors requiring attention.
Best Practice: Run the worksheet in Summary mode for quick cash forecasting, then re-run in Detail mode to investigate large or unexpected balances.

Check Register Report

The Check Register Report prints a list of checks issued for a selected bank account and date range. This report is commonly used after a check run (or manual check entry) to verify what was issued, confirm payees and amounts, and support bank reconciliation and audit review.

The report can be produced in Summary or Detail format and may be sorted by Vendor, Check, or Account. You may also export the output as a Spreadsheet for analysis or archiving.

Report Criteria

  • Bank Code / Company Code — selects the bank account and company issuing checks.
  • Starting Check Date — beginning date for checks to include.
  • Ending Check Date — ending date for checks to include.
  • Sort Sequence — sort by (V)endor, (C)heck, or (A)cct No.
  • Vendor Code or * for all — limit to one vendor or include all vendors.
  • (S)ummary or (D)etail — vendor/check totals vs. full line detail.
  • Dept#, Group# or (A)ll — filter checks by department/group or include all.
  • (O)perations, (V)erhead, (D)irect or (A)ll — limit by check type/source.
  • Include Adjustments? — include adjustment lines (if applicable).
  • (R)eport / (S)preadsheet — output to standard report or export to spreadsheet format.

Click to view sample Report

Common Uses

  • Verify checks issued immediately after printing.
  • Support bank reconciliation and check clearing research.
  • Provide documentation for auditors and month-end close.
Workflow note: Run this report after Prepare and Print Checks (and after any manual check entry) to confirm issued checks and retain a supporting register for reconciliation.
Best Practice: Use Sort = (C)heck and Detail for reconciliation and troubleshooting. Use Summary for quick sign-off and management review, and export to Spreadsheet for audit packages.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Review the Worksheet before printing checks to confirm totals and timing.
  • Keep schedule dates aligned to your payment cycle (weekly/bi-weekly) for cleaner cash planning.
  • After printing, verify against the Check Register to confirm check numbers and amounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the recommended order for running Scheduling & Payment?

Select scheduled invoices, review the worksheet/report, then prepare and print checks, and finally confirm results with the check register.

Why would I modify a payment schedule date?

To shift payment timing for cash management, to align with vendor terms, or to correct an invoice that was scheduled incorrectly.

Which reports should I verify after printing checks?

Use the Check Register Report and/or the Accounts Payable Worksheet to confirm totals, check numbers, and the invoices paid.