Duke Corporate — Accounts Payable Customer Service: Expert Operational Guide

Overview and Purpose

As Accounts Payable (AP) customer service for Duke Corporate, our charter is to be the single, reliable point of contact for vendors and internal customers who need invoice, payment, and remittance support. We operate a centralized AP desk that handles supplier inquiries, dispute resolution, vendor onboarding, and payment execution. Typical annual throughput for a mid-size corporate AP function like Duke’s is 40,000–120,000 invoices and $400M–$4B in annual spend; staffing is scaled accordingly (for example, 1 AP analyst per $10–25M of spend).

The AP customer service role balances operational SLAs and controls: we maintain a First Pass Payment Approval (FPPA) target of 95%+, a same-business-day response goal for phone/email triage, and a Net 30 payment policy with targeted Days Payable Outstanding (DPO) between 35–45 days to optimize cash flow without jeopardizing supplier relationships. This guide documents processes, metrics, contact channels, and governance practices to sustain those targets reliably.

Service Channels and Contact Points

Vendors may contact Duke Corporate AP through three primary channels: the Supplier Portal (self-service), a dedicated AP helpdesk phone line, and the AP email inbox. Typical publicized contact points used by modern AP functions are: Supplier Portal URL (https://suppliers.dukecorp.com), AP Helpdesk +1 (800) 555-0123 (Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00 ET), and [email protected] for non-sensitive inquiries. Announce business hours, expected initial response time (same business day for phones, 24 hours for email), and hours for payments or remittance generation (payments posted at 17:00 ET daily).

For mailed invoices, provide a single standardized remittance address to reduce POA exceptions. Example formatting we use internally: Duke Corporate — Accounts Payable, PO Box 400, Raleigh, NC 27601 — however, vendors should always verify the remittance address on the Supplier Portal. For urgent or escalated issues, publish an escalation matrix with specific manager names and SLAs (see the escalation list below).

Required Invoice Data and Submission Formats

To achieve high FPPA rates, require standardized invoice content and formats. Mandatory invoice fields: vendor name and remit address, Duke Corporate purchase order number (if PO-based), invoice date, unique invoice number, description of goods/services, line-item amounts, tax amounts, currency, and clear payment terms (e.g., “Net 30”). We accept invoices via EDI/XML, PDF (email or portal upload), and paper (limited) — with a strong preference for electronic submission to reduce manual entry errors by >70%.

Suppliers using EDI or e-invoicing should register for ACH/EFT and provide bank routing/beneficiary details securely via the Supplier Portal. Typical electronic adoption targets are 80–90% of invoice volume and 95% of high-dollar invoices (> $50,000) by year-end; organizations that achieve these levels report a 30–50% reduction in invoice cycle time and lower query backlogs.

• Required invoice fields: PO number (if applicable); invoice number; invoice date; remit-to name/address; line-item detail; unit price and extended total; tax and freight separately; payment terms; supplier contact name/email/phone; bank details for ACH.
• Accepted submission channels: Supplier Portal (preferred); secure email ([email protected] with PGP/S/MIME); EDI ANSI X12/UBL 2.1; physical mail to AP remittance PO Box (paper accepted only when unavoidable).

Invoice Processing, SLAs and KPIs

Our standard processing SLA is 10 business days from receipt to payment approval for non-disputed invoices, with expedited lanes for priority invoices (e.g., critical vendors, emergency repairs) accomplished within 48–72 hours. Key performance indicators we track weekly/monthly: Invoice Cycle Time (goal ≤ 10 days), FPPA (≥ 95%), Invoice Exception Rate (≤ 5%), Discount Capture Rate (target ≥ 60% for early payment discounts), and DPO (35–45 days).

Exception handling workflow: an exception is triaged within 8 business hours; if data is missing, AP requests clarification and records the ticket ID. Typical root causes are PO mismatches (45% of exceptions), missing approvals (30%), and pricing variances (15%). Continuous improvement projects should target reducing PO mismatches by enforcing automated three-way matching and requiring line-level PO references on supplier invoices.

Dispute Resolution and Remittance Advice

Duke Corporate AP maintains a documented dispute-resolution process to close vendor disputes within 10 business days on average. Vendors must clearly reference the invoice number and any PO or receiving document numbers when escalating a payment inquiry. All disputes are logged with case IDs, ownership, and target resolution dates; unresolved disputes move to weekly escalation meetings with procurement and the business unit within 3 business days.

Remittance advices are issued electronically for every payment and include payment ID, invoice numbers, gross/net amounts, and reason codes for deductions. For ACH payments, advices are delivered via the Supplier Portal and by secure email. For checks, remittance advices accompany physical checks or are posted to the portal within 24 hours of check issuance.

Technology, Security and Compliance

Modern AP customer service relies on an integrated ERP (e.g., SAP, Oracle) with a supplier portal, e-invoicing (Peppol/UBL), and payment automation (Paymode-X/Bank ACH). Security practices include dual-control for vendor master changes, mandatory W-9/W-8 collection for US vendors, monthly bank statement reconciliation, and 1099 reporting processes as required by the IRS (Form 1099-NEC/1099-MISC). As of 2024, organizations with strong vendor master governance reduce fraud risk by an estimated 60%.

Compliance checkpoints include sanctions screening (OFAC/Terrorist lists), VAT/GST tax determination, withholding tax where applicable, and retention of original invoices per corporate policy (typically 7 years). All vendor banking changes require dual verification: portal submission plus a live-call confirmation to the known procurement contact to prevent payment diversion fraud.

• Escalation matrix (example): Tier 1 AP Helpdesk — +1 (800) 555-0123 (initial triage, response within 24 hrs); Tier 2 AP Supervisor — [email protected] (response within 48 hrs); Tier 3 AP Director — [email protected] (final escalation, resolution target 5 business days).

Vendor Onboarding, Payment Options and Pricing Considerations

Onboarding requires a completed supplier packet: W-9/W-8, bank details (ACH), a copy of the insurance certificate (if services), and a signed supplier agreement when applicable. Typical onboarding timeline is 3–7 business days for electronic submissions; expedite options can reduce this to 24–48 hours for critical suppliers. Encourage suppliers to enroll in ACH: ACH payments incur no fees to suppliers and reduce float by 2–5 days versus check.

Discounts and early-pay programs should be documented in the supplier agreement. Common commercial terms used are 2/10 Net 30 (2% discount if paid within 10 days; otherwise due in 30 days). Monitor discount capture economics: if the annualized rate of return on a 2/10 discount exceeds the company’s short-term borrowing rate (e.g., borrowing costs of 3–5% APR), prioritize capturing discounts. AP customer service should publish the annualized savings achieved from discount capture (e.g., $120,000 saved in calendar year 2024) as a performance metric.

Who is the accounts payable team?

The AP department is responsible for managing the company’s outgoing payments, ensuring suppliers and vendors are accurately paid, on time. This includes tasks such as scheduling payments & maintaining their records. Effective management by the AP department leads to: Strong vendor relationships.

Who is an accounts payable contact?

Accounts Payable Contact means an individual designated to manage organization’s financial processes, banking details, credit limits, order communications and tax-related affairs.

What are the two types of accounts payable?

Types of Accounts Payable

• Trade Payables. Trade payables refer to moneys owed to suppliers for inventory-related goods.
• Expense Payables. Most AP falls in this category.
• Rebates and Discounts Payable.
• Notes Payable.
• Dividends Payable.
• Taxes Payable.

Who is the person in charge of accounts payable?

An accounts payable specialist handles the AP—the bills or liability—for an organization. This person makes sure that bills are accurate and paid on time and that any invoices received are authorized.

What are corporate accounts payable?

Accounts payable is an accounting term that describes the short-term debt that a company owes to its suppliers or vendors for products or services received before a payment is made, typically less than a year, such as within 30 or 60 days.

Is accounts payable a high paying job?

The average salary for a accounts payable specialist is $47,913 per year in the United States. 9.2k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated August 18, 2025).