1. Accounts payable should be paid within their payment terms and/or through periodical payments (at month-end, or every fortnight).
2. All invoices should be formally authorised and signed by each respective department head, before the payment is processed. This will ensure that the person responsible for the ordering of the good or service is aware that it has been provided and is satisfied with the amount.
3. Any credit notes owed to the hotel for returns, price adjustments, etc. should be entered into the system and applied to payment made.
4. Accounts Payable will prepare system generated remittance advices, together with a system generated report summarising the invoices and payments to be made (in Sun Accounting this report is the Detailed Payment Report Run), and cheques for the selected invoices due for payment. All invoices to be paid are matched to the remittances and the printed cheques and all documents are submitted to the Financial Controller and General Manager for review and signing.
5. All signed cheques must immediately be recorded in the accounting system. Invoices and attached documents must be stamped “paid” to prevent the risk of payment duplication. Paid invoices with all purchase documents, including a copy of the system generated remittance advice initialled by the cheque signatories, should be filed with all payments for the month.
6. All payments sent to suppliers must be accompanied by a remittance advice.
7. Whether EFT or cheque payments are used, the procedure remains the same. In any event the payment must be formally approved by the Financial Controller and the General Manager; or two authorised bank signatories in the case of an accounting hub.