Choose accounts receivable support for approved customer invoices, aging records, reminder drafts, remittance-match preparation, and dispute packets. Choose accounts payable support for vendor invoices, source checks, approval packets, due-date lists, and exceptions. Both roles prepare, document, and route work; authorized finance owners keep decisions that change money, terms, records, or account access.
AR support prepares the customer-invoice trail for review. AP support prepares the vendor-invoice trail for approval; neither role decides what is owed, what is paid, or how a financial exception is resolved.
Start with approved invoice delivery, aging cleanup, reminder drafts, remittance-match preparation, and dispute packets. The output makes customer-balance evidence reviewable without handing over credit, cash, or collection decisions.
Start with invoice intake, duplicate checks, source comparisons, approval packets, due-date lists, and exception notes. The output gives a named approver the evidence needed for a decision, not authority to make it.
Use the smallest role that matches the actual invoice path. A title cannot make an unclear task or a held decision safe to hand off.
Prepares approved customer-invoice delivery, aging notes, reminder drafts, remittance-match preparation, and dispute packets.
Prepares vendor-invoice intake, duplicate checks, source comparisons, approval packets, due-date lists, and exception notes.
Is the first batch about a customer receivable or a vendor payable?
Approved customer invoice, aging list, payment-status record, remittance reference, customer message, and order or contract reference.
Vendor invoice, approved inbox or portal source, purchase order, receiving record, and named approver.
Can every item be traced back to its original source?
One defined customer group with approved templates and clear status meanings.
One defined vendor-invoice batch with source records and known approvers.
Can the reviewer check every item in week one?
Delivery log, aging notes, approved reminder drafts, likely invoice matches, or a dispute packet.
Linked invoice, duplicate flag, match notes, approval packet, or due-date and exception list.
Does the output state facts, missing evidence, and the next owner?
Short payment, unidentified receipt, dispute, sensitive customer reply, or missing remittance detail.
Quantity, price, tax, freight, date, coding, purchase-order, receiving, duplicate, or approval question.
Is the action held until the named owner decides?
Limited billing, document, portal, or reporting access; bank, credit, and cash controls remain locked.
Limited invoice and document access; bank fields, payment actions, tax fields, and approval controls remain locked.
Does the worker have a named account, MFA, least access, and a review date?
Cash application, terms, settlements, credits, write-offs, account holds, collections decisions, or bank changes.
Invoice approval, payment-batch creation, scheduling, release, bank changes, tax classification, or exception overrides.
Would the action move money, change financial treatment, or bypass an approval?
Choose accounts receivable support to prepare the aging trail, approved reminder drafts, payment-status notes, and dispute evidence. Terms, settlements, promises, account holds, credits, write-offs, and cash application remain with the finance owner.
Choose accounts payable support to save and link invoices, flag duplicate candidates, compare available source records, and build packets for a named approver. Invoice approval, exception overrides, scheduling, and payment release remain with the finance owner.
Split it. “Follow up on invoices” is not a usable first brief when it combines customer-balance work with vendor-bill processing; start with one reviewable customer batch or one reviewable vendor batch.
Stop and route an item when it could move money, redirect money, change an invoice or payment term, alter tax or accounting treatment, change a controlled record, promise a customer outcome, or override an approval rule.
"Prepare one named batch from approved sources. Show the expected output, allowed preparation, held actions, reviewer, access limit, and stop rule before the task begins."
Start with one lane. Review real examples before you expand into another customer or vendor responsibility.
Sort customer-invoice and vendor-invoice preparation from broader bookkeeping, payroll administration, and owner-only finance decisions.
Review finance supportInvoice exceptionKeep the invoice, source records, mismatch, reviewers, evidence, and recheck together before an owner decides.
Open the exception logRole planningModel hours, tool seats, setup time, review time, and a buffer before you compare quotes.
Open the cost calculatorQuote preparationGive providers the same first batch, access limits, held actions, review steps, and escalation rules before comparing offers.
Build a provider briefNo. Accounts receivable support follows approved customer invoices, aging records, customer replies, and incoming remittance details. Accounts payable support organizes vendor invoices, source checks, approval packets, and exceptions before an authorized owner releases payment.
No. Both roles can prepare records and route questions. Payment release, money movement, bank changes, cash application, refunds, and other financial decisions remain with authorized finance staff.
No. The role can prepare likely matches and document unresolved differences. Cash application, reconciliation, accounting entries, and decisions about partial or unidentified payments require owner review.
No. The role can prepare due-date lists and approval packets. Invoice approval, payment scheduling, batch creation, release, and money movement remain owner-controlled.
Preserve the approved source, state the observed difference, hold the action, and route the packet to the named reviewer. The support role should not invent a fix or resolve the exception.
These sources help frame record work and account access. They do not define the job titles, authorize financial actions, or prove a staffing outcome.
Use OutsourcedU to write the role, SOPs, onboarding steps, and weekly review before you hire more people.