Shadowing Practice: Business English for Accounts Payable (Free PDF) - Essential Phrases and vocabulary - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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In today's class, we're diving into the world of accounts payable.
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In today's class, we're diving into the world of accounts payable.
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You can use what you learn in this class to better communicate with your colleagues and explain your process to auditors,
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senior management, and advisors.
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Specifically, we'll cover the following three areas.
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Firstly, how to explain the process from procurement all the way up until payment.
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Secondly, phrases that we can use when there is a payment delay.
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And thirdly, the most common errors an accounts payable officer will have,
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and the language you can use to deal with them.
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Welcome to the channel where you learn the business English skills you need to succeed.
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If you haven't already, please hit the subscribe button,
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tick that notifications button as it helps me grow my channel
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and you'll also stay up to date with any new videos I release.
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All the phrases that we learned today,
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I've put them into a PDF file and you can download that in the link below.
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So let's jump into our first topic.
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So our first topic is how to explain the accounts payable process from procurement all the way to payment.
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So what does that mean?
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We want to understand the process of how our company purchases either a good
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or a service and then understand the steps to payment.
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So I'll give you the phrases that you'll need at each stage of that process.
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The first step is the procurement or purchasing stage.
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This happens before any goods or services are purchased and the following steps occur.
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So the procurement officer would send a request to the supplier for a quote and they would say something like this,
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could you please send me a quote for the following
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and then they would list the product or service that they need
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and then they would wait for the supplier to send the quote
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and a quote is an estimated price of a service or product.
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Generally the procurement officer sends two
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or three other suppliers an email requesting a quote as well
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and the procurement team would then choose the best quote and usually this is based off price.
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The second step would be to create a purchase order or PO once we have selected the best quote.
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Now PO is the name of the document we use to initiate our process internally.
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It contains the supplier's name,
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a list of the goods or services and the costs.
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So the procurement officer would say I raised or created a purchase order.
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Step number three is then the approval of of the purchase order.
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So the PO is then sent to the appropriate approver per the approval matrix.
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So that's a key term, approval matrix.
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And that's the document that shows the approvers in the organization and their approval limit.
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For example, the manager can approve expenses up to $100,000 and the CFO approves amounts over $100,000.
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So that document that specifies the person and the limit is what we call the approval matrix.
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The phrase the procurement officer would use here would be,
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I submitted or sent the PO for a new computer for approval.
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The approver would then look at the PO and ask the following question.
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Is the vendor set up in our system?
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Here set up means do they exist in the system?
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Did the procurement team request two or three other quotes?
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What are the payment terms.
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This means when do we need to pay the invoice?
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Is it five days, 15 days, or 30 days, etc?
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Is this cost in the budget?
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Or does the PO match the quote?
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So here match means to be the same.
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After the PO is approved,
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our step four is to send that to the supplier.
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The supplier then prepares the order and delivers the product or completes the service.
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Step six is the delivery note.
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So if we ordered a product,
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we will receive a delivery note from the person that delivers the product or service.
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So the procurement team would ask themselves the following question.
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Does the delivery note match the original quote?
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If there is a discrepancy,
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they may use some phrases like there are some products
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that are missing or this is not what we ordered
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and then you would show them the specific thing you ordered and that concludes the procurement phase.
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So the next phase is the invoice processing stage.
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So here we can use phrases like these.
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I have received the invoice.
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I have completed our three-way match process.
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So this means to match the PO,
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delivery note and invoice to see if they are all the same.
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If they are not, you can say there's a discrepancy between the invoice and PO,
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which means they are different and shouldn't be.
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At the end of class we'll look at what to say when there is a problem.
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I have coded the invoice which means to allocate the invoice to a general ledger code in the system.
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I have put, recorded, entered the invoice in the system so they're the verbs you would use.
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I have submitted, sent the invoice to the manager for approval.
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The invoice is marked for payment in the next payment cycle on
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and then we would specify the date
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or we could say payment will be made in the next payment run
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which is on and then we would specify the date
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so next cycle payment run they mean the same thing it's
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when you pay all your invoices so after the invoice has been approved this is
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when we start to make payment so we can use the following phrases.
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The invoice is ready for payment.
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We process payments on a net 30 basis,
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meaning 30 days after the invoice date.
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The vendor has requested early payment.
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The payment will go out in Friday's payment run,
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means we will pay the invoice on Friday or I will make payment on Friday.
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We're making the payment via bank transfer.
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The remittance advice will be sent once the payment is complete.
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So the remittance advice is the document you send to your supplier that has the information related to the payment you're making,
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such as the invoice number and the amount,
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etc. It helps your supplier reconcile your payment to their invoices.
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And we need to update the vendor's banking details.
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So perhaps the bank details in the system doesn't match the invoice or the supplier sent you a request to change them.
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Our second part of the class is when there is going to be a late payment.
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So that happens from time to time.
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But what's important is to communicate clearly to your suppliers
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and to people in your organization who deal with those suppliers in an effective and professional way.
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So we can use phrases like these.
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The payment is on hold due to missing documentation.
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So if something is on hold, it means it's paused.
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We haven't received the original tax invoice yet.
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The invoice amount doesn't match the PO.
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There's a discrepancy we need to resolve first.
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The banking details need to be updated in our system.
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We're still waiting for internal approval.
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the invoice missed the payment cutoff or cutoff date for this week.
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It will be paid in the next payment cycle on and then we would specify the date.
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So payment cutoff means if we have a date where all invoices must be received
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and it is received after that date we would not process them.
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We call that the cutoff date.
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For example, if the last day to receive invoices is on a Wednesday and the supplier sends on a Thursday,
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we can say they missed the payment cutoff or cutoff date.
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There was a delay in the invoice processing workflow.
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We've escalated the issue to the approving manager team.
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Escalate means to refer to a person with more authority or seniority.
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We are aiming to complete the payment by next Friday.
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So aiming means it is our intention to do something,
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but it's not 100% guaranteed.
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We sincerely apologize for delay.
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Thank you for your patience while we sort this out.
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If you don't know what sort out means,
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it's a phrasal verb that means to resolve an issue.
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I made a video explaining how to use phrasal verbs to describe problems and solutions.
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I'll leave the link at the end of the video for you.
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I'll follow up and get back to you as soon as possible.
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Two more phrasal verbs here.
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So follow up means to remind someone to do something and get back to you is the other phrasal verb,
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which means to reply or advise you in the future generally because you are waiting for information.
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Payment has been rescheduled for the next payment run on XYZ.
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We're experiencing a backlog of invoices at the moment and a backlog means accumulated invoices that you haven't processed.
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And that's because maybe you are away for a period of time,
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or because you receive more invoices than usual,
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and that's why they have accumulated.
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Mistakes happen, and that's all part of life,
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which brings us to our final subject for today,
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which is common accounts payable mistakes,
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and how to deal with them professionally.
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So we can use phrases like these.
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The invoice was entered with the wrong amount.
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I made a typo when I put the invoice in the system.
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So it's a little bit informal,
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but a typo means you made a mistake entering the invoice in the system.
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You could also say it was a typo.
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If you want to sound a bit more professional,
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you could say I put the wrong and then you specify whether it was the invoice number,
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the amount or the code in the system.
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We can also say it was assigned,
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allocated, put to the wrong vendor.
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So they're the verbs we use with vendor.
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Or the payment was made to the incorrect bank account.
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The same invoice was entered twice.
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It's a duplicate.
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We accidentally paid the wrong invoice number.
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The tax was calculated incorrectly
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The invoice was missed in the last payment cycle The invoice was not coded to the correct GL account
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We used the wrong currency for the payment
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The approval was not completed on time So there are our problems What are some phrases we can use to correct them?
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Thanks for pointing that out I'll fix it immediately.
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So if you point something out,
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you're bringing attention to something.
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We've issued raise a credit note to reverse the entry.
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I've updated the vendor profile with the correct information.
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The issue has been logged with IT support,
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meaning we've sent the problem to the IT team to try and correct.
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We've flagged the error to prevent it happening again.
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We'll make a manual payment to correct this.
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Please send us the corrected invoice.
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We've contacted the supplier to arrange a refund.
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We'll reconcile the error during the month-end closing.
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And that's our lesson for today.
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it's always important to reflect on what we've learned
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and the things we've learned today were our process from procurement until payment
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and the key phrases and terms we can use to help us describe each phase.
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If you like the video,
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please hit the like button,
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leave a comment below with any phrase related to accounts payable and I will correct it for you.
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Context & Background
In today's rapidly evolving business environment, mastering business English is crucial, especially in specialized areas like accounts payable. This section draws from a resourceful YouTube video that delves into the essential phrases and vocabulary used in the accounts payable process. The speaker emphasizes the importance of clear communication during each stage of this financial operation, from procurement to payment. By understanding these concepts, English learners can enhance their professional interactions, aiding both verbal and written communication with colleagues, auditors, and management.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- Could you please send me a quote for the following? - A polite request for pricing from suppliers.
- I raised or created a purchase order. - Indicates the initiation of the purchase process internally.
- I submitted the PO for approval. - Communicates that the purchase order has been sent to the approver.
- Is the vendor set up in our system? - A query regarding the registration of the supplier in the company’s database.
- What are the payment terms? - Asks about the timeline for when the invoice needs to be paid.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To fully grasp the nuances of business English in accounts payable, consider utilizing the shadowing technique. This involves listening to the video carefully and repeating the phrases after the speaker. Here’s how to effectively implement this method:
- Watch and Listen: Start by watching the video once without any interruptions. Focus on understanding the context of each phrase within the accounts payable process.
- Pause and Repeat: Use a shadowing app or any recording tool to play each phrase repeatedly. After hearing a phrase, pause the video and try to replicate it aloud, mimicking the intonation and pacing of the speaker.
- Use a Shadowing Site: Find a platform that allows you to practice speaking with built-in tools, such as slowed playback or interactive exercises that reinforce what you’ve learned.
- Engage with Peers: If possible, find a study partner or join a practice group to engage in dialogues that require using the learned phrases. This can provide valuable feedback and improve your confidence.
- Reflect and Refine: Record yourself speaking the phrases and compare your pronunciation and fluency with the original video. Adjust your approach to achieve natural-sounding speech.
By systematically applying these steps, English learners can not only enhance their business vocabulary but also prepare for real-world situations where effective communication is paramount. This targeted practice will significantly contribute to their success in IELTS speaking practice and bolster their overall English proficiency.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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