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Accounts Payable Clerk Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Accounts Payable Clerk interview questions and answers.

  1. How do you organise your accounts and accounting tasks, especially when you have tight deadlines? See answer
  2. What training and experience have prepared you for this position? See answer
  3. Share your familiarity with accounting computer programmes and software with us. See answer
  4. What do you think are the best qualities of Accounts Payable Clerks? See answer
  5. This job involves a lot of data entry, which can be repetitive. How do you stay motivated? See answer
  6. Share with us your journey to the accounts payable profession. See answer
  7. What documents have you worked with, and what do you expect to use in this role? See answer
  8. Can you explain your understanding of integrity, and why it is important in accounting? See answer
  9. Describe how a payment mechanism works. See answer
  10. Describe a time in your profession where you delivered beyond your expectations. See answer
  11. Can you share with us a difficult experience you have had to manage at work? How did you handle it? See answer
  12. Describe a time you had to correct a discrepancy in accounting documents. See answer
  13. What inspired you to apply for this role in our organisation? See answer
  14. How would your colleagues describe you? See answer
  15. Describe what you would do if you discovered that a vendor’s invoice is under-billed compared to what’s in the purchase order records.
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Accounts Payable Clerk Interview Questions and Answers

How do you organise your accounts and accounting tasks, especially when you have tight deadlines?

The goal of this question is to help you critically assess your applicants' abilities to complete their tasks on time. The job entails handling multiple tasks concurrently, so excellent organisation and time management skills are essential. What to look for in an answer:

  • Managing a busy work schedule
  • Multitasking and flexibility to work with tight deadlines
  • Collabouration with other employees

Example:

"I have always maintained a detailed personal schedule. For instance, in my previous role, I worked directly with three accounting officers. That means that I had to manage invoices, deliver reports, and have one-on-one meetings with all of them. Despite the heavy schedule, I always delivered my work on time."

What training and experience have prepared you for this position?

Accounts Payable Clerks usually handle many duties, meaning they need diverse skills. Most of them are graduates, but what you can pay attention to is if they have had training in invoice management. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication and customer service skills
  • Bookkeeping skills
  • Invoice management

Example:

"I have a bachelor's degree in finance and am currently pursuing a certificate in bookkeeping. On top of this, I have had on-the-job training in my last position. I'm confident that I have the right skills and competence to handle the responsibilities of this role."

Share your familiarity with accounting computer programmes and software with us.

You are likely using a programme to keep records of business transactions and track your finances. Software is important to many accounting jobs. Since software programmes can help Accounts Payable Clerks save time and become more efficient, candidates for this role should be knowledgeable about them. What to look for in an answer:

  • Familiarity with accounting software
  • Flexibility to switch to new programmes
  • Tech savvy

Example:

"I'm comfortable with Quickbooks, but I have also used Sage Intacct, FreshBooks, Xero, and Wave accounting apps. Furthermore, I'm a quick learner. Since most accounting software has nearly the same user interface, I can quickly learn to work on a new programme."

What do you think are the best qualities of Accounts Payable Clerks?

This question is crucial if you want to test the candidate's self-awareness. It can help you understand whether they are passionate, confident, and trustworthy in their conduct. What to look for in an answer:

  • Collabouration and good communication
  • Priorities and understanding of job requirements
  • Technical capabilities

Example:

"The position of Accounts Payable Clerk requires someone organised, detailed-oriented, a team player, trustworthy, and an excellent communicator. An accounting professional who can diligently keep up invoices and make important financial decisions can excel in this role. I believe I have all of these qualities and skills, so I'll be able to succeed in this role."

This job involves a lot of data entry, which can be repetitive. How do you stay motivated?

This question can help you identify candidates who are passionate and goal-oriented. Someone who is self-driven and enthusiastic is likely to stay committed to the job. What to look for in an answer:

  • Awareness of personal goals
  • Able to overcome the monotony of some tasks
  • Explain their passion for the role

Example:

"Actually, I don't see this job as repetitive. There are usually new challenges every day. So, while the tasks might look similar, there are different issues to address daily. Plus, I am a self-driven person. Having clear goals has also helped me stay focused on my job."

Share with us your journey to the accounts payable profession.

This question will help you evaluate how each candidate has grown to match your organisation's needs. It will also help you understand their passion and career path. What to look for in an answer:

  • Track record of accounts payments experience
  • Clear career progression and planning
  • Skills gained

Example:

"I began my career as Accounts Payable Clerk immediately after graduating with a bachelor's in finance. I was in my first role for over two years. During that period, I engaged in different accounting roles, such as keeping track of purchase orders, payroll, invoices, and statements. I have also been paying vendors, reconciling accounts, auditing, and performing financial analysis."

What documents have you worked with, and what do you expect to use in this role?

Verifying invoices is one of the key tasks of an Accounts Payable Clerk. The company needs to be sure that it is paying the correct amounts. What to look for in an answer:

  • Attention to details
  • Identifying systematic errors
  • Familiarity with payments, processes, and controls

Example:

"In my previous roles, I relied on purchase orders to compare with vendor invoice details. Besides these two, I compared them with a receiving report. If all of them match, then that is a good sign that a bill is payable."

Can you explain your understanding of integrity, and why it is important in accounting?

Integrity is a top priority in most organisations. It is even more crucial when it comes to financial matters. Any form of dishonesty not only destroys the credibility of your company but also leads to inefficiencies and loss of resources. Therefore, it's important to have people in your team that share the same ethical values. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to report fraud
  • Non-compromising character
  • Confidential in handling sensitive financial information

Example:

"Integrity is a top priority for any company. It ensures the organisation's resources go where they're required. Employees will feel more confident in an honest work environment. As you can imagine, there is a lot of sensitive information that an Accounts Payable Clerk handles. So, without complete honesty, fraudulent activities will occur."

Describe how a payment mechanism works.

A payment mechanism is key to business partnerships and transactions. Whichever payment mechanism you choose, you are always a step ahead in managing risks. So, try to hire someone who understands how payment mechanisms work. What to look for in an answer:

  • Explain how payment works
  • Understanding of bank clearing
  • Knowledge of credit and debit

Example:

"In a typical transaction, I can only clear an account after I post an equivalent offsetting amount to the account. In this arrangement, the scheme inputs a payment document number and the transaction date. So, invoices in vendor accounts are basically salaries, while entries in a bank clearing account appear as cleared."

Describe a time in your profession where you delivered beyond your expectations.

In a busy work environment, circumstances arise that require an employee to go the extra mile to get things done. This question can help you identify candidates who are hardworking, flexible, and willing to sacrifice to deliver in a given situation. What to look for in an answer:

  • Explain how they exceed expectations
  • Exceptional performance
  • Flexible to assist in other roles

Example:

"I have many, but here is one example: In my last job, my team was responsible for handling invoices from our partners. Then, one week, my colleague had an emergency. She had a list of unattended invoices, so I offered to work late on the outstanding invoices so that she wouldn't have to worry about missing the deadline."

Can you share with us a difficult experience you have had to manage at work? How did you handle it?

One of the tasks that can emerge in this role is conflict management. This question can help you understand how applicants diffuse disputes, especially in a team environment. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills
  • Emotional maturity
  • Problem-solving capability

Example:

"Technology and software advancement has made it easy to streamline the accounts payable process. However, uncertainties are inevitable. For instance, I was managing vendors and contractors that had diverse payment modes. It was going to be a challenge to pay them on time without automation. So, we had to switch to a platform that enabled us to use a centralized payment spot that integrated into different systems."

Describe a time you had to correct a discrepancy in accounting documents.

An experienced candidate for this role is likely to have encountered several accounting reconciliation issues. A specific answer to this question may help you understand how skilled a candidate is in solving discrepancies. What to look for in an answer:

  • Problem solving and creativity
  • Eye for details, which include double-checking documents
  • Technical knowhow

Example:

"About a year ago, while doing my last review of an invoice, I discovered a discrepancy. It involved errors with the dates. A later date appeared on top of an earlier date. Though minor, this was odd, so I went back to the original documents to confirm the details. I did discover that someone incorrectly keyed the invoice date in. Such an error can easily cause trouble during a tax review."

Describe what you would do if you discovered that a vendor's invoice is under-billed compared to what is in the purchase order records.

Busy business operations may have to handle discrepancies, which is why many organisations have clear policies on resolving them. This question can help you assess your applicants' knowledge of account reconciliation and vendor relationship management skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Honesty in transactions
  • Willingness to report the discrepancies
  • Understand the importance of vendor relationship

Example:

"Usually, when a discrepancy occurs, I follow the laid down company procedures to resolve the issue. I also keep the vendor engaged while handling the shortcomings to inspire confidence in the process. For complex discrepancies, I usually seek clarification."

What inspired you to apply for this role in our organisation?

You want to find someone who not only has the right qualification but also values their work and your organisation. What to look for in an answer:

  • Likes about your organisation
  • Career goals
  • Shared values

Example:

"This company impressed me in many ways, especially your value for excellence and commitment in the workplace. Apart from displaying a high level of confidentiality and honesty, I have always strived for accuracy, consistency, and prompt response. I believe these are the qualities that are vital in delivering high-quality work. The opportunities available here also excite me, as they will support my growth. "

How would your colleagues describe you?

An Accounts Payable Clerk will work with many people, including vendors and coworkers. Consequently, this question may allow you to gauge applicants' communication and collabouration skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills
  • Collabouration and leadership
  • Demonstrate excellence working in a team environment

Example:

"My colleagues would probably describe me as friendly and personable, since I consider many of them my close friends. Generally, I think of myself as a social person and a team player. In my last position, I worked in a fast-paced environment, so teamwork was essential to deliver quality work on time. I always try to use my skills in collabouration to work as effectively as possible."

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