Enter and Pay Bills

There are two different ways you can pay a vendor in Patriot Software.

1. If you have Accounting Basic or Accounting Premium, you can first enter a vendor bill before you pay the vendor and then pay the bill.   To pay this way, see the help articles Entering Bills From Your Vendors and Paying Vendor Bills.
2. This article explains how to pay a vendor without a bill or on the fly.

Accounting > Payables > Enter & Pay Bills

Step 1: Enter Payment Details

• Select the “Payment type” (for example, check, credit card, cash)
• “Withdraw Account” – if this is a different account from the default account, click the dropdown.
  • When changing the withdraw account and printing checks from blank check stock, please be sure to change the account and routing numbers in your check printing options. See our help article, Vendor Check Printing Options, to learn more.
• Add the “Payment Date”

Step 2: Enter Bill

• Select a vendor to pay. You can also add a new vendor right from this page if needed by clicking 
  “+ Add New” above the Vendor field.
• The Statement Number is an optional field. If you enter a statement number that matches a bill you have entered for this vendor, this bill will be marked as paid.
• The Statement Date and Due Date default to today, but you can change either date if needed. If you have a 1099 only, you won’t see these fields.
• The Purchase Order Number is an optional field. If you enter a purchase order number that matches a bill you have entered for this vendor, this bill will be marked as paid.
• Add description (optional)
• Select the account that each payment should be posted to.
• Select the 1099 Type for each vendor payment. For more info, see our article about which 1099 type to choose.
• If you have added departments, select a department to record this vendor payment. For more details, see Managing Accounting Departments.
• Enter the payment amount.
• Enter an optional comment to appear on the check stub.
• To make more payments to the same vendor, click “+ Add Line Item” and repeat the steps.
• To pay another vendor, click “Add Another Payment” and repeat the steps. Any additional bills to vendors will use the same check date.
• Click the “Save and Continue” button.

You can click “Save Entries” anytime to save your changes. If you need to leave this page after saving, you will see a reminder to “Finish Payments” in the links on the left side of the screen.

To make corrections to a prior payment with this payment or to make a deduction from this payment, see Making Corrections or Deductions to Vendor Payments.

Step #: Approve Payments

You will see a summary of all payments. Choose one of three actions:

• If you need to make changes, click “Back To Step 1.” You will return to the Payment Entry screen. Enter your changes, and click “Next Step” again.
• Click the Approve Payments button to finish payments. Go on to Step 3: Print Checks.
• If you want to delete all information entered and start over, click Cancel Payments at the bottom left. You will return to the Payment Entry screen.

Step 3: Print Checks

Choose when you would like to print your checks:  now or later. You can click “View Payment Register” to view a list of payments made. You can also print this later in the Vendor Payment History report.   The Check Summary at the bottom of the page also shows a list of all payments made.

Print Checks Now

• Enter the starting check number. Check numbers can be printed on your checks.
• Click Download and Print Checks. A PDF will open with a page for each check. Print now or save them to print later. Be sure your pop-up blocker is disabled.
• Load check stock in your printer and print your checks.

If you have your check layout settings set to “Check Stub Only,” enter the starting check number and click Print Check Stubs. Load plain paper to your printer and print your check stubs.

Once you have printed your checks or stubs, you can click the “I’m Finished Printing” link to return to your Vendor List.

Print Checks Later

You can print your vendor checks by going to the “Print Vendor Checks” page.  For more details, see Printing Vendor Checks After Payment.

Once you have paid a vendor, a bill will automatically be created, marked as paid, and viewable in the Vendor Bills Report.