• Our Services

Accounts Payable Management

ACI helps our broker-dealer clients manage their payables by accurately recording expenses, monitoring remittance obligations, maintaining a clear schedule of liabilities and offering secure protocols for vendor payment – all in support of the month-end financial close, capital compliance and regulatory accuracy.

ACI’s accounts payable management services include:

Expense Accruals and Allocation

ACI records expenses on an accrual basis and assigns them to the correct general ledger accounts for financial and regulatory reporting purposes. Each invoice is reviewed for accuracy and recorded in the period services were rendered.
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  • Invoices allocated based on service date, not payment date
  • Expense classification aligned with FOCUS, SSOI and tax obligations
  • Recurring expenses tracked; missing invoices identified and addressed

Accounts Payable Scheduling and Oversight

ACI maintains detailed accounts payable schedules to support payment decisions, manage liabilities and streamline reporting. Clients receive a clear view of obligations at month-end and throughout the reporting cycle.
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  • Careful tracking of amounts owed to each vendor
  • Scheduling aligned to firm cash flow and internal review cycles

Vendor Bill Pay with Dual Authentication

Paying vendors shouldn’t require compromising internal controls. Our vendor management services are complemented by a secure dual-authorization vendor payment workflow designed to segregate duties and reduce risk – a best practice in regulated environments.
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  • Checks and wires issued only by client instruction – ACI never remits payments independently
  • Dual signoff protocols to prevent unauthorized fund movement
  • Authorization by licensed Series 24 supervisory principals to demonstrate regulatory controls
  • Flexible processing schedule (typically mid-month and month-end)
  • Frequently Asked Questions on Accounts Payable Management

Questions on accounts payable management for broker-dealers? Here’s what you need to know.

Accounts payable management involves recording, classifying and scheduling expenses. For broker-dealers, it ensures that liabilities are accurately recorded in the correct period, supports cash flow planning and helps meet regulatory and tax reporting requirements. It also creates a clear record of obligations to support audits and financial oversight.
Accurate accounts payable management ensures that expenses are properly classified and reported in accordance with GAAP, FOCUS and SSOI requirements. It also helps maintain accurate month-end books and supports regulatory filings and examinations. Errors or omissions can lead to discrepancies that affect net capital calculations and raise compliance concerns.
Scheduling vendor payments – such as mid- and end-of-month cycles – helps standardize cash flow, simplifies reconciliation and assists with coordination of internal approvals. Automating these workflows also minimizes human error and reduces the risk of duplicate or missed payments.
Best practices include accrual-based expense recognition, proper classification of vendor invoices and the use of detailed payables schedules. Firms should also monitor for missing or irregular invoices, align payments with internal review cycles and implement internal controls – such as dual authorization – to reduce risk.
Dual authentication (2FA) requires two separate credentials to create and authorize payments – one from your designated ACI regulatory bookkeeper and one from your licensed Series 24 supervisory principal. This extra layer stops unauthorized access to vendors or bank accounts, supports a secure audit trail, aligns with internal security policies and is generally a best practice in regulated environments.