A Day in the Life of an Accounts Receivable Specialist

Have you ever wondered about the meaning behind “busy season” in an accounting position? Are you intrigued about the daily responsibilities of an Accounts Receivable Specialist? 

We recently conducted an interview with Emily Hull, who holds the role of an Accounts Receivable Specialist at Mappedin. This interview sheds light on her daily routine and tasks. 

What is your role? 

I am the Accounts Receivable Specialist who oversees collections and reduces customers’ delinquent accounts. I work closely with the Finance Manager and the Director of Finance to help ensure daily tasks and the workload is completed in a timely manner. I monitor and review outstanding balances by following up with our internal team and our customers to ensure payment is made while updating our AR Aging Detail report daily. I am responsible for checking the mail on a weekly basis and depositing cheques so that I can apply the payments against the invoices.

To add, I am always looking for new and efficient ways to improve our AR processes by looking at metrics and creating different types of reports to show the most valued information.

I also follow up internally with our team to collect purchase orders that may be required before preparing invoices for new and existing customers, and ensure billing process enquiries are handled quickly and efficiently. 

What does your typical workday look like? 

Morning

I like to start the day by going for an early morning walk with my tea or coffee and then spending time with my cat. I dedicate my morning to reviewing our AR Aging Detail report and banking reports to confirm if any new payments have been made. I check emails for any incoming payments and answer any enquiries or concerns from our customers. I also review any new contracts that come in and update my list of renewals and new deals to prepare for invoicing.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, I like to spend a good chunk of my time focusing on invoicing our customers. I participate in our weekly one-on-one meeting to discuss updates and action plans to complete any unresolved tasks that cause any delay. 

Before the end of my day, I will make a bank deposit once I’ve collected a good number of cheques. If I am not in meetings, or going to the bank, I will spend the rest of my afternoon working on reconciliation reports on customers' products and continue with admin work in organizing customer file folders.

What’s your go-to lunch?

My go-to lunch is either leftovers or a light lunch such as cottage cheese with blueberries, an avocado, Mary’s crackers with gluten free cheese, and a low sodium V8 juice.

How do you handle high-volume periods or month-end/year-end close activities?

I like to stay really focused and I am good at tuning out other noises around me by either working with my door closed at home or working in a quiet space at the office. 

I like to prioritize what is the most important task to be completed first by writing out a list. I set completion dates for tasks to make it a more realistic and reasonable workload for myself to reduce any unnecessary stress. I will pick the top three highest priority tasks that need to be completed in a day and focus on that and set aside other tasks that I don’t need to worry about until it is time to work on them. 

What made you want to pursue a career in Finance? 

When I was a kid I loved writing short stories, poems, and creating drawings. I wanted to grow up being a journalist or an artist, but as I got older and started doing my own taxes and working as an Office Administrator/Finance Assistant, I really started to enjoy working behind the scenes and with numbers rather than working in either customer service or general labor work. 

Since I have gained more experience and knowledge in the finance industry, I have found my niche in helping a growing company continue to build, by coming up with ideas/suggestions on how we can eliminate any inefficiencies and create better processes for the company to continue to be successful and thriving.

How has your experience as an Accounts Receivable Specialist at Mappedin been?

My experience as an Accounts Receivable Specialist at Mappedin has been different from my previous roles but in a positive way. I have been able to really focus on my position and what I currently do. Everyone has been so welcoming and patient with me since I came on board. I have learnt a few new things within my current position that I never had the chance to in my previous roles.

How would you best describe the work culture at Mappedin?

Mappedin has a very positive work culture that includes inclusiveness and diversity. Everyone here is valued, recognized for the hard work they’ve put in, important, and respected. There is a lot of team collaboration such as quarterly events, summer BBQs, lunches, and trips. I like attending these events because they provide the perfect opportunity for us to break the ice and connect with colleagues from various departments.

What are some key lessons or skills you have learned as an Accounts Receivable  Specialist? 

Some of the key lessons I have learnt as an Accounts Receivable Specialist are accuracy, always having your checks and balances when reviewing contracts, purchase orders, invoicing, and never making assumptions. 

Always ask questions if you’re not 100% certain before making the executive decision. Be simple and precise with communication to prevent any confusion between team members and customers.

What advice would you offer to someone who is considering a career in accounting?

Staying up to date with the newest technology gives you an advantage compared to those who may either be doing manual accounting or do not use the newest tools to perform the best accuracy of their work. Attention to detail and being very organized is important.

Also taking ownership, if you’ve made a mistake, you need to know how to correct it and understand why you need to correct it.

If you're interested in joining our team, be sure to check out our careers page for current opportunities.