Segregation of duties and accounts payable
Segregation of duties strengthens internal controls. Accounts payable or AP is one of the easiest channels for an organization to lose money if internal controls are weak. The AP department’s responsibility to monitor, process, and control payments to creditors is essential to avoiding improper payments. If there is no segregation of duties, internal controls are likely to be weak. If internal controls are weak, the risk of errors and improper payments increases.