How it runs for marketing agencies and consultancies
You release every payment; we never move money. Contractor payments are tracked by vendor all year so the 1099-NEC report is a click in January, and media bills are matched to the rebill so nothing is paid twice or forgotten.
What is accounts payable outsourcing?
Accounts payable outsourcing means a remote specialist runs the process from vendor invoice to approved payment run: capturing bills, coding them to the ledger, matching them to purchase orders and receipts, chasing approvals and preparing payments for release. The business keeps control of the bank account and the final release. The provider works in the company's own software.
What we handle for marketing agencies and consultancies
- Capture freelancer and vendor bills through Bill.com, Dext or a shared inbox
- Code each bill to client, project and pass-through or overhead
- Match platform media bills to the client rebill before approval
- Hold contractor bills until a W-9 or W-8 is on file
- Prepare weekly payment runs for your approval and release
The KPI that matters here
100% of bills coded and approved within 5 business days of receipt, with zero contractor payments to vendors missing a W-9.
Agencies compliance notes
1099 contractor reporting
Agencies rely on freelancers, and the IRS requires Form 1099-NEC for nonemployee compensation above the annual threshold, which is $2,000 for payments made in 2026. We collect W-9s at vendor setup, code every contractor payment, and hand your preparer a reconciled 1099 report each January. Your firm reviews and files; we do not sign.
Retainers and deferred revenue
A retainer billed before the service period is a liability until the work is delivered. We keep a deferred revenue schedule that releases each retainer to income as hours are logged or the month ends, so your P&L matches the work actually performed.
WIP and unbilled revenue
Work delivered but not yet invoiced is an asset that lenders and buyers ask about. We reconcile unbilled hours from Harvest or your PM tool against the ledger monthly, so WIP is real, aged and collectible.
Gross versus net for media
ASC 606 and IFRS 15 ask whether the agency is principal or agent for media it buys on a client's behalf. We apply the treatment your CPA or accountant chooses and keep the pass-through account reconciled to platform statements so the answer is documented.
Agencies software we work in
More for marketing agencies and consultancies
Other services for agencies
Accounts payable in other industries
Frequently asked questions
Do you pay our freelancers?
No, we prepare the payment run and you release it. Bills are captured, coded to the client job, checked against the contractor's W-9 and queued in Bill.com, Melio or your bank's payment tool. Your approver clicks release. This keeps control with you while the data entry, coding and vendor chasing sit with your dedicated accountant.
How do you stop media bills being paid twice?
Each platform invoice is matched to the campaign, the client and the rebill before it enters the payment run. Duplicate invoice numbers are blocked in Bill.com, and a monthly reconciliation compares total media paid with total media rebilled. Any gap is listed on the close note with the campaign and amount.
Can you code freelancer costs to the right client project?
Yes, every freelancer bill is coded to a client, a project and a cost type using classes or tracking categories. Where a freelancer works across projects, we split the bill by the hours or deliverables stated on it. This is what makes the client profitability report accurate and shows which accounts rely most on outside talent.
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