Accounts Payable Best Practices are an integral part of AP Technology Week. While accounts

#Accountspayablebestpractices are a key component of any technology project looking to

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Learn more about AP Technology Week at https://www.ap-now.com/public/AP-Technology-

AP Technology Week will have a different daily focus as follows: fraud, payments,

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Global Fraud is a serious problem. Information about Global Fraud is something All Accounting, Accounts Payable, Finance Employees Need to Know. It is critical that every Accounts Payable team integrate these tools to fight against #Globalfraud. #Fraudprotection has become increasingly important as crooks everywhere innovate and find new ways to defraud innocent companies, often focusing on the #accountspayable team, for that is where the money is. Of course, treasury also comes under attack. While #fraudprevention is ideal, sometimes #frauddetection is what comes into play after the fact.

In this discussion, AP Now’s Mary Schaeffer and the AP Association’s Jamie Radford discuss some of the newest global frauds and what organizations can do to protect themselves.

Criminals, often operating in other countries, study their targets and with increasing accuracy are able to pinpoint their weaknesses. To thwart them, you must develop a fraud protection strategy.

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Host: Mary Schaeffer (https://www.ap-now.com/)

Co-host: Jamie Radford (https://www.ap-association.com/)

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Nine entrepreneurs share their real-life experiences turning their corporate skills into niche businesses. Sharing insights and lessons learned from their accounting, finance, management, and leadership positions, these savvy women created niche businesses. These new enterprises dove into largely unchartered areas allowing these entrepreneurs to carve out a place for their very successful businesses.

Whether you consider them primarily #womenentrepreneurs or #nicheentrepreneurs their stories are an inspiration for those evaluating their #careers and wondering whether to stay or follow their own entrepreneurial path.

What makes this story particularly interesting is the fact that they each created businesses with a twist; they all adapted when they saw the market change. Whether that meant going online when live meetings became impossible or responding to market demand for a new type of service, they all rose to the occasion.

Interestingly, many in the group came together as a result of meeting on Twitter; hence the hashtag, #MagicofTwitter

Learn more about Brenda Bernstein at https://theessayexpert.com/

Learn more about Beth Blaney at: www.bethblaney.com

Learn more about Hanna Hasl-Kelchner at: https://businessconfidentialradio.com

Learn more about Lynn Larson at https://www.recharged-education.com/

Learn more about Marie Mills at: https://www.clearsolutionsbymarie.com/

Learn more about Kelly Paxton at https://pinkcollarcrime.com/

Learn more about Debra R Richardson https://www.debrarrichardson.com/

Learn more about Deborah Thomas-Nininger at:  www.dtn-productions.com

Learn more about Mary Schaeffer at www.ap-now.com

Listen to Brenda Bernstein on the AP Now Podcast here:

Listen to Beth Blaney on the AP Now Podcast here:

Listen to Hanna Hasl-Kelchner on the AP Now Podcast here:

Listen to Lynn Larson on the AP Now Podcast here:

Listen to Marie Mills on the AP Now Podcast here:

Listen to Kelly Paxton on the AP Now Podcast here:

Listen to Debra R Richardson on the AP Now Podcast here:

Listen to Deborah Thomas-Nininger on the AP Now Podcast here

Listen to Mary Schaeffer on the AP Now Podcast here:

Host: Mary Schaeffer (https://www.ap-now.com/)

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Far too many organizations pay far too much sales and use tax – and many don’t even realize they are doing it. Avoiding Costly Sales and Use Tax Overcharges is one quick way to improve your bottom line. That’s why we invited, Greg Anderson of P-Card Tax and Lynn Larson of Recharged Education to join us to discuss this issue. #SalesTax and #UseTax together are sometimes referred to as #Salesand#UseTax or simply #SUT.

By avoiding costly sales and use tax overcharges, the team responsible can also avoid unpleasant confrontations with management overpaying too much. Sales and Use Tax issues are complicated given that every state does things differently, taxes different items differently, and regularly change rates. Keeping up with the 7,000 taxing entities can be a nightmare without proper procedures and documentation.

The speakers identify some of the reasons for those Costly Sales and Use Tax Overcharges. By understanding how these sales and use tax overcharges happen, companies are in the best place to create practices and procedures to help them avoid those Costly Sales and Use Tax Overcharges in the future.

Sometimes companies who do a good job with their management of their sales and use tax obligations, forget about their employees’ credit card charges. Overpayments slip in here as well, sometimes even resulting in the organization double-paying their sales and use tax.

Host: Mary Schaeffer (https://www.ap-now.com/)

Guest: Lynn Larson (https://www.recharged-education.com/)

Guest: Greg Anderson (https://www.linkedin.com/company/application-design-resource-llp)

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Consumer-Type Purchases on Company Credit Cards (Amazon, eBay, PayPal etc.) present a number of headaches and issues for the accounts payable, accounting or procurement personnel responsible for monitoring such purchases. Consumer-Type Purchases on Company Credit Cards should also be addressed clearly and concisely in the company’s card policy. #Companycreditcards often do not take a cold hard look at Consumer-Type Purchases on Company Credit Cards resulting in big problems for the organization. 

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Many problems could be avoided in the company card programs if issues related to Amazon (regular or business), eBay, PayPal, food, gifts, and other consumer-type purchases were clearly addressed in the policy. Should company credit cards be used to purchase items on Amazon using Amazon Prime or Amazon business or should they be prohibited outright?

Host: Mary Schaeffer (https://www.ap-now.com/)

Guest: Lynn Larson (https://www.recharged-education.com/)

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Beth Blaney career skyrocketed when identified a burgeoning market opportunity and developed a business around it. Taking advantage of the remote business opportunities, before COVID had made its mark, she was able to create a business that has enough work for herself and 8 associates, all in a few short years.

The journey from Corporate Bookkeeper/Back-Office Jack-of-all-Trades to Successful Inspired Entrepreneur was not an arduous one but Beth learned a lot along the way. She’s also blazing roads as she develops one of the many new businesses needed to accommodate the changing workplace. She graciously shares what she has learned and where she is going.

She was also outspoken in sharing her plans for a new piece of her business, online training for QuickBooks using a membership model. The #nichebusiness model used by Blaney is one that many #accountspayable #accounting finance treasury and audit professionals will find of great interest. #QuickBooks, as well.

Learn more about Beth Blaney and Associates at: https://www.bethblaney.com/

Host: Mary Schaeffer (https://www.ap-now.com/)

Guest: Beth Blaney (https://www.bethblaney.com/)

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AP Now Podcast Episode 92: Creating a Brilliant LinkedIn Profile

Creating a Killer LinkedIn profile is the subject of this episode. Brenda Bernstein, author of How to Write a Killer #Linkedin profile ... And 18 Mistakes to Avoid, is the guest. The session begins with a discussion about using keywords when creating a killer #Linkedinprofile. She also points out all the different words keywords should be used when #creatingakillerLinkedInprofile.

During the session, she shares how listeners who purchased How to Write a Killer #Linkedin profile ... And 18 Mistakes to Avoid can get updates at no cost.

A LinkedIn profile for accounts payable, accounting, finance, treasury, and audit is a necessity.

The discussion then veered to the issue of who needs a LinkedIn profile (everyone) and why. Bernstein makes a compelling case. She shares an interesting journey of how she came to be a LinkedIn expert and then in closing she shares one common mistake many, many accounting, accounts payable, finance, treasury, audit, and tax professionals make with their Linkedin profile – and of course after identifying the mistake she shares a very easy way to fix it.

Whether you think your profile needs a minor spruce up or a total overhaul, you’ll get some useful tips from Bernstein as she discusses Creating a Killer LinkedIn Profile.

Link: How to Write a Killer Linkedin profile ... And 18 Mistakes to Avoid on Amazon

Link: The Essay Expert

Guest: Brenda Bernstein (https://theessayexpert.com/)

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The Gift Card Scam has been wreaking havoc in companies everywhere, especially in their accounts payable and accounting departments. In this episode, AP Now’s Mary Schaeffer explains exactly how gift card fraud is perpetrated. By understanding how the gift card scam works you can protect your employees and organization.

This fraud targets any and all employees. The #GiftCardScam is yet another variation of Business Email Compromise (#BEC) fraud. With this #fraud, the crook impersonates the boss and sends either an email or text to the employee instructing them to purchase gift cards. Once the employee has the gift cards, they are instructed to scratch off the back covering. They then are either asked to share the data or send the data to the crooks. The fraudsters then use this information to cash in the gift cards. Once the cards are damaged, they cannot be returned.

This episode on Gift Card Scams also contains advice from the FBI on how to ensure your employees can identify such phony requests. The Gift Card Scam has done untold damage.

Host: Mary Schaeffer (www.ap-now.com)

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To protect against #fraud, all companies should develop a Fraud Protection Strategy that includes these 5-Steps. It is critical that every Accounts Payable team integrate these tools. #Fraudprotection has become increasingly important as crooks everywhere innovate and find new ways to defraud innocent companies, often focusing on the #accountspayable team, for that is where the money is. Of course, #treasury also comes under attack. While #fraudprevention is ideal, sometimes #frauddetection is what comes into play after the fact.

Criminals, often operating in other countries, study their targets and with increasing accuracy are able to pinpoint their weaknesses. To thwart them, you must develop a fraud protection strategy. This 5-step plan any company can use will help. It is a great learning tool for those managing the accounts payable function.

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Sign up for AP Now’s twice a week, free ezine at www.ap-now.com

Link to Sound Bite #2 on Separation of Duties in Accounts Payable

Link to Sound Bite #5 on Being a Control Freak on Data Entry in Accounts Payable

Link to Sound Bite #9 on Invoice Receiving Best Practices:

Link to Episode #77 on Using Excel to Identify Duplicate Vendors: https://youtu.be/K7GDuB8hJx8

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AP Now Podcast Episode 89: How Do You End Up Managing Accounts Payable? 

How Do You End Up Managing Accounts Payable? That is the million-dollar question many find themselves asking. No, it’s not how on earthy did I get myself into this mess question, but rather a question on the career path that leads to managing the accounts payable function. The key paraments: #milliondollarquestion and #managingaccountspayable have very different answers for different people. But, they are frequently asked as #accountspayable is a function found in virtually every organization.

This episode of the #APNow podcast features two of my colleagues, The AP Association’s Jamie Radford and vendor file expert, Debra R Richardson discussing the issue of how they ended up in accounts payable and more specifically, how they ended up #managing the function.

Managing the accounts payable function and managing the accounts payable team require two different, but equally important skill sets.

Host: Mary Schaeffer (www.ap-now.com)

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