Accounts Payable Template
To streamline your accounts payable process, download our free, simple-to-use Accounts Payable template in Excel at the bottom of this page. If you do not have Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets is a free alternative that is compatible with our template.
Do you struggle to know when to pay your supplier invoices? As a business, one of the last things you want to do is upset them by not paying your invoices on time. It may cause future problems when trying to obtain credit.
The easiest way to produce a list of accounts payable is to use accounting software. Although most packages have a monthly cost, they will save you time. Take a look at the free trials on QuickBooks, Xero and FreshBooks.
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Using our template, you can help ensure that bills are settled on time. If you have a dispute, there is a comments field to make notes. The data can be sorted by supplier or date to make it easier to view the necessary information.
What is the Accounts Payable Ledger?
Accounts payable ledger (AP) refers to the short-term debts your business owes to suppliers and service providers. It’s a key part of your day-to-day bookkeeping and essential for managing cash flow. Keeping track of what you owe—and paying it on time—helps you build trust with vendors and avoid unnecessary late fees.
Using an accounts payable template can simplify this process by giving you a structured way to record, track, and manage outstanding invoices. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to streamline your bookkeeping, a reliable AP template ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
How to Use the Accounts Payable Template
- Download the accounts payable spreadsheet using the link at the bottom of this page.
- Save it either to the hard disk or cloud software.
- Enable editing in Excel.
- At the top, please enter your business name where it says’ Enter Company Name Here’.
- You are now ready to start entering the details from the purchase invoices.
- Enter the supplier name, date, invoice number and amount. If there is no invoice number, you can leave it blank.
- Use the drop-down list to select the payment terms; the due date will be automatically entered based on this information.
- The spreadsheet will automatically enter the figure into the correct column and indicate whether the invoice is current or overdue.
- The comments section is helpful if you have a query on a purchase invoice, as you can add any notes. You may be waiting for a credit note because the order was incomplete, or for larger companies, the invoice is sent to a manager for approval.
When all the data is entered, you may find it helpful to sort the data by the supplier, invoice date, or due date. It will help you see how much you owe to one supplier or the order in which invoices are due.
Sorting Accounts Payable Template Data
- Highlight the rows that you want to sort
- Using the Excel ribbon at the top, select Data > Sort > Use the drop-down list to choose which column you want to sort it by and the order to sort it.
- Click OK
The data will be sorted in the format requested.
Removing Paid Invoices
You will need to clear the contents of the row rather than delete it. It will ensure you keep the same number of rows in the spreadsheet.
- Highlight the customer, invoice date, invoice number and amount.
- Use the mouse to right-click
- Select clear contents
You may then wish to sort the data to remove the cleared line.
Year-end Accounts Payable
Printing or saving a copy of the report at year-end, as part of your management reports, is helpful. To save a copy, select “Save As” and use a different name. You can then continue using the original spreadsheet to start the next financial year.
Alternatives to Accounts Payable Templates
While Excel templates can be a simple and accessible starting point for managing accounts payable, they have limitations as your business grows. Manually entering and tracking data increases the risk of errors and can become time-consuming. In contrast, accounting software offers a more efficient, accurate, and scalable solution. It automates many parts of the accounts payable process, including invoice matching, due date reminders, and payment tracking, helping you save time and reduce costly errors.
We recommend looking at some of the popular cloud-based software, including Xero, QuickBooks and Sage UK.
Advantages of Using Accounting Software for Accounts Payable Ledger
There are many advantages for a small business to use software for its accounts payable process, including:
- Adding bills using an upload feature
- Sharing information with the accountants and accounts payable department
- Other reports available
- Printing remittance advice and emailing it to the supplier
- Some allow for payment processing within the software
- Easier to keep track of when payments are due
Excel Bookkeeping Templates.
We have created other useful, free Excel templates to help with your bookkeeping. These include detailed templates for Accounts Receivable, designed to help you track outstanding sales invoices; a comprehensive Cash Book for recording all bank transactions; a Petty Cash template for managing small, everyday expenses; and a Budget template to assist in planning your finances over various periods.
Each template is designed with the user in mind, ensuring ease of use and efficiency in managing financial tasks.
Free Accounts Payable Excel Template Licence Agreement
By downloading the Excel Cash Book template, you agree to our licence agreement, allowing you to use the templates for your own personal or business use only. You may not share, distribute, or resell the templates to anyone else in any way.
Other Useful Templates
Accounts Receivable – Track all your sales invoices
Cash Book – Record Income and Expenses
