Are you having trouble getting vendors to convert to accepting payments electronically instead of taking a paper check? One way to convert at least some of them is by insisting they take payment electronically the next time a rush check is demanded. By refusing to issue rush paper checks, many savvy AP pros have been able to convert some of their laggards to electronics. Once a vendor sees how easy it is to get a payment electronically, most don't have to be convinced to take payment that way in the future.

There's another benefit to this approach. Although many purchasing professionals support the accounts payable push to ACH payments, a few still don't get it. If you suspect that is the case in your organization, publicize your "No Paper Rush Check" policy. It may not get more vendors converted but it could put a dent in the number of rush check requests-which is always a plus for any accounts payable organization.

We'll be talking about ACH later today as part of the Quiet Payment Revolution Webinar. It focuses on the differing payment vehicles available for companies today and how to integrate the different options into an effective payment process.

Tomorrow I'm heading for Minneapolis to take part in an ACTE conference. I'm part of a panel on Travel and Entertainment Fraud. I have two T&E fraud stories and we are going to ask the audience for their input on how they would handle these situations. I'd like yours too. What would you have done?

Two women went to an out of town conference. It was their first business trip. They went out for dinner and noticed they got two receipts. Even though one paid for the dinner, both put in for it intending to split the profit. The company uncovered both charges.

I'll tell you what happened next week. The reason for the delay is I don't want to influence your thoughts. If you wouldn't mind, send a note to publisher@ap- now.com with your reaction. Simply put one of the following words in the subject line: Fire, Probation, Nothing, A Warning, or Prosecute. If you want to add your comments, that's fine, but don't feel obligated.

Probably the most frequent questions we receive at the Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow office relate to the TIN Matching Program. So, we rounded up all the questions we've been asked and put them together for a newsletter article. Here's part of that article, which appears in the October issue of Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow.

Frequently Asked Questions about the TIN Matching Program

Without a doubt, the TIN Matching Program is probably the best tool an accounts payable organization can use to minimize headaches when issuing 1099s. Yet, it is used by only a small fraction of eligible organizations. Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow receives so many queries about this program we thought our readers might appreciate some concise answers to their most frequently asked questions.

Background

As most reading this know, a TIN, or taxpayer identification number, can be any one of the following:
- SSN or social security number
- EIN or employer identification number
- ITIN or individual taxpayer identification number
- ATIN or adoption taxpayer identification number

Payers who file any one of the following documents may use the program:
 1099 B
 1099 INT
 1099 DIV
 1099 MISC
 1099 OID
 1099 PATR

Annually, information from the prior year must be reported to the IRS regarding payments made to third parties that are not corporations (except medical and legal). When information on a 1099 is reported with an error, a B-Notice is issued. To help reduce the number of errors, it is recommended that every organization use the IRS TIN Matching Program.

The rest of this article appears in the October issue of Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow. Click here to subscribe.

We also have a CD that provides an extensive discussion of how to use the TIN Matching Program.

If it's Fall it means it's time to start getting ready for those 1099s. Have you ordered your forms yet? If you use preprinted forms, it's probably time to get your order placed if you haven't done so already. We'll get you started also with our "Best Practices Refresher" Webinar featuring IRSCompliance.org's Jerry Michael. We have several other one-hour sessions planned for the Fall, if you prefer your 1099 information in small does

That's right, you can bring the one-day seminar to your office if you can't make one of the sessions in Boston on October 22, Chicago on November 5, or San Francisco on October 25. Jerry Michael and Carol Kassem are the featured lecturers at all four events. Please note: the Boston event is on a Monday.

Well, that's about it - except this one last item. For all those who asked, we are putting the final touches on the Unclaimed Property seminar brochure and should have it to you shortly as well as posted online. I'm especially excited because the speakers have agreed to deduct the cost of the seminar from their consulting fees for any attendee at the session. Until next week, thanks for listening.
Mary Schaeffer
Editorial Director
Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow