Fidesic Blog | Accounts Payable (AP) Automation for Dynamics GP

How to Be a Good AP Clerk

Written by Fidesic | Dec 6, 2023 4:15:00 PM

Are you ready to take 2024 by storm, boost your job performance and get noticed by your bosses? We looked at content from recruiting agencies all over the internet and came up with some tips on how to be a good AP clerk. The 5 skills we found to improve so you can be a better AP clerk include: Communication, Organization, Attention to Detail, Software Skills and Continued Learning.

For this post we will assume you know what an AP clerk is, the basic job functions and what an AP clerk is expected to perform. Rather than discussing the key performance indicators of the job, we are going to look at some of the soft skills you can work on to make you stand out as a valued member of the team even if you work remotely.

You may also be interested in 6 Tips on How to be a Good Remote Worker

5 Keys to Being A Good AP Clerk

What is a "good" AP clerk? According to ZipRecruiter, “A good accounts payable clerk produces accounting work that is consistent, timely, and useful. Accuracy and attention to detail are especially important since every dollar that is disbursed by accounts payable must be accounted for, so being a good accounts payable clerk requires attention to detail. Good accounts payable clerks regularly practice accountability, taking ownership of the invoices, spreadsheets, and reports they produce.”

1. Communication

Professionalism, accuracy, collaboration and continuity all depend on communication skills. Check out this list of tips to improve your communications skills from a recruiting firm.

2. Organization

Know your filing system well (paper or digital). If your desktop is cluttered with files and shortcuts from one end of the screen to the other, it's time to whip those documents and files into folders. Set up alerts and email rules to streamline how you receive and store information. Here are some organization tips from Slack.

3. Attention to Detail

Like we said before, accounts payable clerks have to be very detail oriented to maintain accuracy. Here are some tips on how to improve from Indeed.

4. Software Skills

Knowing the ins and outs of your software tools is critical. Squeeze more functionality out of the tools you already use like Outlook and Excel to improve your performance. Learn new software to help out your team in other departments. However you approach it, the idea is to keep adding more skills.

5. Keep Learning

This is similar to the previous tip on software, and the same goes for everything. Whether your goal is to move up to a management position or just be the best clerk you can be, take advantage of any seminars, trainings or other learning opportunities that come your way.

Conclusion

In a world of rapidly changing technology, staffing shortages and changing responsibilities in all business functions, soft skills are increasingly prized by hiring managers. Improving on these skills is the best way to bolster your technical training and certifications.