A US-based interior design company needed a more efficient approach to managing its accounting operations, particularly vendor payments, purchase orders and financial recordkeeping. With several processes requiring attention, Farche Solutions provided dedicated accounting support to help the business address existing challenges and establish more structured procedures.
Addressing Gaps in Accounting and Vendor Payments
When Farche Solutions began supporting the company, several accounting procedures were creating unnecessary administrative work. Vendor invoices, credit card transactions and payment processing all required improvements to support more accurate financial records and consistent daily operations.
The company used a design management system to record materials ordered for its interior design projects, with transactions integrated into QuickBooks. However, orders were automatically recorded as bills rather than purchase orders. This made it difficult to track partial deliveries and created the risk of recording expenses before materials had been fully delivered.
The business also relied heavily on cheque payments, which required manual preparation, approval and delivery. Outstanding accounts payable transactions and delayed payments had resulted in vendors regularly following up on payment statuses.
Following a previous bank account security incident, the company also needed stronger controls over its payment procedures.
Dedicated Accounting Support from Farche Solutions
Farche Solutions assigned Ellie, an experienced accounting professional with a background in accounts payable management, accounting system implementations and process improvement, to support the company’s finance operations.
What initially began as a temporary assignment to cover an employee’s absence quickly developed into a broader engagement. After reviewing the company’s existing accounting procedures, Ellie identified several opportunities to improve how transactions were recorded, payments were processed and financial documentation was maintained.
Within her first month, Ellie introduced several process improvements covering vendor invoice management, payment security, credit card documentation and electronic vendor payments.
Restructuring Vendor Invoice Processing in QuickBooks
One of Ellie’s first priorities was addressing the integration between the company’s design management system and QuickBooks.
Previously, material orders entered into the design system were transferred directly into QuickBooks as bills. This created difficulties when orders were only partially delivered, as the accounting records did not clearly distinguish between ordered materials and actual expenses.
Ellie worked with the system developer to change the integration so transactions would be recorded as purchase orders rather than immediately recognised as bills.
She also established a revised process flow to support the new arrangement, helping the company monitor material orders more effectively and reduce the risk of prematurely recording expenses.
Strengthening Payment Security and Financial Controls
Following a previous bank account security incident, the company needed additional safeguards for its cheque payment process.
Ellie introduced a Positive Pay reporting procedure to support the verification of cheque payments with the company’s bank. She developed a report that could be generated consistently and documented the steps required to prepare and submit payment information.
This established an additional security measure for cheque transactions while providing the accounting team with a more structured approach to payment reporting.
Simplifying Credit Card Receipt Management
Another challenge involved collecting and organising receipts for company credit card transactions.
Supporting documents were often distributed across employees and the purchasing team, making it difficult to maintain complete transaction records.
Ellie initially developed a SharePoint-based submission process that allowed employees to upload receipts and organise them according to the credit card used.
While exploring existing accounting tools, she also identified functionality within QuickBooks that allowed receipts to be submitted directly and matched with corresponding transactions.
Using this feature simplified receipt collection and reduced the need to invest in additional software, helping the company maintain more organised supporting documentation for its expenses.
Transitioning from Cheque Payments to ACH
One of the most significant improvements involved moving vendor payments from traditional cheques to Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments.
Previously, cheque payments required manual preparation, approval and delivery. This created additional administrative work and could delay payments reaching vendors.
Ellie supported the implementation of ACH payments through QuickBooks, allowing the company to process vendor payments electronically.
The transition reduced the company’s reliance on physical cheques and removed the need for its president to sign individual cheque payments. It also introduced automated payment notifications, allowing vendors to receive updates when payments were processed.
According to Ellie, the company was able to address outstanding accounts payable transactions and eliminate the recurring late payment issues that had previously prompted vendors to follow up.
The change also reduced the time and administrative work associated with preparing, signing and sending physical cheques.
Operational Improvements and Client Feedback
The accounting improvements introduced during the engagement helped establish more consistent procedures across the company’s finance operations.
Changes to purchase order processing provided a clearer approach to tracking material orders and vendor bills. Positive Pay reporting introduced an additional payment security control, while improvements to credit card receipt collection made supporting documentation easier to manage.
The implementation of ACH payments also had a noticeable impact on daily operations. Vendors benefited from more timely payments and automated notifications, while management no longer needed to be directly involved in signing routine cheque payments.
Ellie reported receiving positive feedback from the company’s president, who particularly appreciated the resolution of outstanding vendor transactions, the implementation of electronic payments and the reduction in manual accounting responsibilities.
What began as a temporary support arrangement developed into an ongoing engagement, with Ellie assuming broader responsibility for the company’s accounting operations.
A Working Relationship Built on Trust
The client’s willingness to consider recommendations and allow Ellie to implement changes contributed to the success of the engagement.
Rather than limiting her responsibilities to routine accounting tasks, the company gave her the opportunity to review existing procedures, identify inefficiencies and introduce practical solutions.
Her previous experience with accounting systems and process improvement helped her make better use of the company’s existing tools, particularly QuickBooks, while establishing procedures suited to its operational requirements.
As the working relationship developed, Ellie became increasingly involved in managing the company’s accounting activities, supporting both its daily financial requirements and continued process improvements.
Supporting More Efficient Accounting Operations
Through its dedicated accounting support, Farche Solutions helped the US-based interior design company restructure vendor invoice processing, strengthen payment controls, simplify credit card documentation and transition to electronic vendor payments.
Today, the business benefits from more structured accounting procedures, improved transaction management and reduced administrative work associated with vendor payments.
Farche Solutions provides dedicated accounting professionals experienced in QuickBooks, NetSuite, accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations and financial process management. Our professionals support businesses with daily accounting operations, system implementations and process improvements tailored to their requirements.
Ellie’s story demonstrates how dedicated accounting support can extend beyond routine financial tasks to help businesses establish more efficient processes and maintain reliable accounting operations.