APS Exam Dumps - Accredited Payables Specialist (APS) Certification Exam

A blanket purchase order (PO) is a long-term agreement with a supplier to purchase goods or services over a specified period, often used for recurring or high-volume purchases. A key limitation is that itshould not extend past a specified timeframe, as blanket POs are typically set for a defined duration (e.g., one year) to manage pricing, terms, and supplier commitments. Extending beyond this timeframe without renegotiation can lead to pricing discrepancies or supply chain issues.

The web source from NetSuite explains: “A blanket purchase order covers multiple deliveries over a set period, but it is limited by a specified timeframe to ensure pricing and terms remain valid.” This directly supports Option B. The other options are incorrect:

Option A: Blanket POs can be used for both goods and services, not just services.

Option C: Payment terms for blanket POs vary and are not restricted to same-day wire transfers.

Option D: Blanket POs are designed for multiple deliveries over time, not a specific delivery date.

The IOFM APS Certification Program covers “Invoices,” including the use of purchase orders in invoice processing. The curriculum’s focus on “peer-tested best practices” supports the understanding of blanket POs and their time-bound nature.

Payment cards, such as procurement cards (P-cards) or corporate credit cards, have significantly reduced the number of small dollar invoices processed by accounts payable departments. Byconsolidating small, recurring, or low-value purchases onto a single card statement, organizations can avoid processing individual invoices for each transaction, streamlining AP workflows and reducing administrative costs.

The web source from Corcentric states: “Payment cards, like P-cards, significantly reduce the number of small dollar invoices by consolidating multiple purchases into a single statement, minimizing AP processing efforts.” This directly supports Option D. The other options are less relevant:

Petty cash (A)is used for small cash transactions but does not reduce invoice volume, as it typically bypasses invoicing.

Evaluated receipt settlement (B)eliminates invoices for specific purchases but is not primarily focused on small dollar transactions.

Electronic data interchange (C)automates invoice data exchange but does not inherently reduce the number of invoices.

The IOFM APS Certification Program covers “Payments,” including the role of payment cards in optimizing AP processes. The curriculum’s focus on “peer-tested best practices for each phase of the payment process” aligns with the use of payment cards to reduce small dollar invoice processing.

TheInvoicestopic in the APS Certification Program covers double-entry accounting for recording invoices. When an incoming invoice is received, it represents an obligation to pay a vendor (a liability) and an expense (or asset, depending on the purchase). The correct journal entry is todebit the expense account(to recognize the cost incurred) andcredit the accounts payable (AP) liability account(to record the amount owed).

Option A (A debit to the asset account and a corresponding debit to the expense account): Incorrect, as recording an invoice does not typically involve debiting both an asset and an expense account. An asset might be debited for capital purchases, but the second debit to an expense account is invalid, and no credit is provided to balance the entry.

Option B (A credit to the AP liability account and a corresponding credit to the expense account): Incorrect, as crediting the expense account would reduce expenses, which is not the purpose of recording an invoice. Additionally, two credits do not form a valid journal entry without a debit.

Option C (A debit to expense and a credit to the AP liability account): Correct. Debiting the expense account (e.g., utilities, supplies) recognizes the cost incurred, and crediting the AP liability account records the obligation to pay the vendor. This is the standard entry for expense-related invoices.

Option D (A credit to expense and a debit to the AP liability account): Incorrect, as crediting the expense account would decrease expenses, which is not appropriate when recording an invoice. Debiting the AP liability would also incorrectly increase the liability.

Reference to IOFM APS Documents: The APS e-textbook underInvoicesexplains, “When an invoice is received, the journal entry debits an expense account (or asset for capital purchases) andcredits the accounts payable liability account to reflect the obligation.” The training video illustrates this with examples, such as debiting “Office Supplies Expense” and crediting “Accounts Payable” for a supply invoice, emphasizing accurate recording to ensure financial statement integrity.

TheVendor Master Filetopic in the APS Certification Program covers vendor validation to ensure legitimacy and prevent fraud. The best way to verify a vendor’s business registration in the U.S. is tocheck the database of the Secretary of Statein the state where the vendor is registered, as this provides authoritative, public confirmation of the vendor’s legal status and registration details.

Option A (Send a letter to the vendor requesting written confirmation): Incorrect. Vendor-provided confirmation is less reliable, as it may be falsified, and is not authoritative.

Option B (Submit a request to the IRS to do a Form 1120 search): Incorrect. Form 1120 is a corporate tax return, not a business registration record, and the IRS does not provide registration verification services.

Option C (Require a sworn affidavit from the vendor’s financial institution): Incorrect. Financial institutions do not typically provide affidavits for business registration, and this is not a standard practice.

Option D (Check the database of the Secretary of State where the vendor is registered): Correct. Secretary of State databases offer verifiable, public records of business registration, the most reliable method.

Reference to IOFM APS Documents: The APS e-textbook underVendor Master Filestates, “To verify a vendor’s business registration, check the Secretary of State database in the vendor’s state of incorporation for authoritative confirmation.” The training video notes, “The best practice for validating vendor legitimacy is accessing Secretary of State records online to confirm registration details.”

Even when using a corporate travel card, employees must keep and submit T&E receipts for several reasons. First, there may be additional out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., tips, small cash purchases) not charged to the card, requiring receipts for reimbursement (Option I). Second, corporate card statements often lack sufficient detail (e.g., itemized expenses or business purpose), necessitating receipts to meet approval and compliance requirements (Option III). However, paper receipts are not inherently easier to handle or archive than electronic ones (Option II), as modern T&E systems favor digital receipt management for efficiency and accessibility.

The web source from Esker states: “Employees must submit receipts for T&E expenses, even with corporate cards, to account for out-of-pocket expenses and to provide detailed documentation for approval, as card statements may lack itemized details.” The NetSuite source adds: “Digital receipt management is preferred over paper receipts, as it simplifies archiving and retrieval.” This supports Options I and III, while refuting Option II, as paper receipts are less efficient in modern systems.

The IOFM APS Certification Program covers “Travel and Entertainment (T&E),” emphasizing proper documentation and compliance in expense reporting. The curriculum’s focus on “peer-tested best practices” aligns with the need for receipts to document out-of-pocket expenses and provide detailed approval data, but not for paper-based archiving.