Adrian JohnsonTLDR:
Accounts receivable and accounts payable are two types of accounts that are essential for tracking a company’s financial operations. Accounts receivable refers to the money owed to your business by customers, while accounts payable refers to the money that your business owes to other organizations. Understanding the differences between these two accounts is crucial for managing cash flow and expenses effectively. Key differences between accounts receivable and accounts payable include:
- Accounts receivable captures incoming money owed to your business, while accounts payable captures outgoing money that your business owes to others.
- Accounts receivable is considered a current asset, while accounts payable is considered a current liability.
What is accounts receivable?
Accounts receivable (AR) is a general ledger account that records short-term payments owed to your business. Examples of accounts receivable entries include credit card purchases, unpaid invoices, and upcoming subscription or installment payments due within the next few months. When the payment is received, it is subtracted from accounts receivable and added to the cash account. Accounting software like QuickBooks can automate this process by linking bank accounts and automatically logging the appropriate credits and debits.
What is accounts payable?
Accounts payable (AP) is a general ledger account that records short-term payments owed to creditors, suppliers, and vendors. Examples of accounts payable entries include raw materials, supplies, equipment, and utility bills. These entries must be paid off within a certain time frame to prevent defaulting on the debt. Payment terms for accounts payable can range from 30 to 90 days. Accounting software can help track accounts payable and automatically log the appropriate credits and debits.
Key differences between accounts receivable and accounts payable
The key difference between accounts receivable and accounts payable is that accounts receivable captures money owed to your business by third parties, while accounts payable captures money that your business owes to other organizations. Additionally, accounts receivable is considered an incoming asset, while accounts payable is considered an outgoing liability.
Importance of accounts receivable and accounts payable for businesses
Accounts receivable and accounts payable are important for measuring the short-term financial health of a business. Analyzing these accounts can provide insights into sales trends, customer payment patterns, purchasing habits, and payment patterns for your own business. A growing accounts receivable may indicate increasing sales on credit or delayed customer payments, while a growing accounts payable may suggest increased purchases on credit or delayed vendor payments.
How to handle accounts payable and accounts receivable
In double-entry accounting, each transaction must have two entries: a debit and a credit. For accounts receivable, when an invoice is generated, the amount is debited from accounts receivable and debited from the appropriate sales account. When the payment is received, the amount is credited from accounts receivable and debited from the cash account. For accounts payable, when an invoice is received, the amount is credited to accounts payable and debited from the appropriate expense account. When the payment is made, the amount is debited from accounts payable and credited to the cash account.
