Accounts Receivable Specialist Certification
A page within Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Wisconsin
Prepare for Your Accounts Receivable Career
Online Accounts Receivable Specialist Training
Prepare to elevate your career with this accounts receivable certification program! Designed to equip you with the skills necessary to execute the accounts receivable specialist function, your training covers internal controls, the P2P process of your customers, regulatory compliance, as well as best practices for customer master file, cash application, collections, and credit management.
Upon completing the accounts receivable training, you will be prepared to take a 90-minute, 100-question multiple-choice exam to demonstrate your ability to manage the accounts receivable process and earn the Accredited Receivables Specialist (ARS) designation from the Institute of Finance and Management (IOFM).
Accounts Receivable Specialist FAQs
What does an accounts receivable specialist do?
An accounts receivable specialist manages the money owed to a company by its customers. They ensure timely payment of invoices, maintain accurate financial records, and resolve any payment discrepancies. Essentially, they handle the bookkeeping and accounting related to incoming payments.
Does this course prepare you for a certification?
Yes. Upon successful completion of the course and final exam, you will earn the Accounts Receivable Specialist designation.
How long does it take to complete this course?
After you register, you will receive three months to complete the course. The time allotted for completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours.
Course Objectives
- Review peer-tested best practices for each phase of the payment process – from receipt of invoice, through processing and payment
- Learn how to mitigate risks stemming from tax laws, as well as T&E-related fraud and abuse
- Understand how automation will continue to adjust how you do what you do
- Comprehend the outline of the credit cycle (O2C), credit department goals, and its interdepartmental relationships within a business setting
- Discover how to analyze methods for credit application, credit line assignment, customer onboarding, credit limit management, and enhancement of sales interactions to optimize credit management processes
- Earn the Accredited Receivables Specialist (ARS) designation from IOFM, a recognized and respected authority in financial operations
Prerequisites and Certification Requirements
There are no prerequisites required to complete the Accounts Receivable Specialist Certification course; however, this training is specifically designed to help those with prior accounts receivable knowledge become certified. IOFM recommends that you meet one of the following for ARS certification:
- No degree = 3 yrs. Accounts receivable experience
- 2-year degree = 2 yrs. Accounts receivable experience
- 4-year degree = 1 yr. Accounts receivable experience
Instructor
Steve Fulmer
Steve Fulmer is the Director of Digital Transformation at South Mill Mushroom LLC, bringing over 20 years of finance and accounting experience. He focuses on stabilizing and optimizing financial processes while ensuring data integrity.
Steve began his career in a Fortune 100 chemical company, progressing through roles in tax, financial analysis, and corporate controllership. Before his current role, he served as financial controller for the U.S. operations.
At South Mill, Steve started as a senior accountant, later becoming accounting manager, overseeing the financial close and managing accounts payable and receivable teams. He earned an Accounts Receivable Manager Certification from IOFM, which helped improve DSO and reduce turnover.
Steve holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and an MBA in organizational development from Widener University. He has undergone extensive leadership training focused on team building and communication and now facilitates leadership courses for employees. He is passionate about learning, teaching, and building high-performing teams, believing in celebrating successes and having fun.
Registration and Enrollment
This course is 100% online. Start anytime.
Job Outlook for Accounts Receivable Specialists
Staffing trends and continued organizational demand will continue to drive the need for highly trained accounts receivable professionals. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly 175,000 annual job openings for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, which includes some accounts receivable roles, through 2033.
Another contributing factor to this growth is that cash management is a top concern for financial operations teams and their CFOs, concerned with whether enough funds are available to meet the business's needs, the customer experience when dealing with the company, protecting the company's cash from fraud, and the cost of performing these processes.
According to Glassdoor, the median salary for an accounts receivable specialist is $58,000, while the median salary for an accounts receivable manager is $79,000. As technology changes the landscape of financial operations and companies seek to optimize cash flow, skilled accounts receivable professionals can leverage in-demand technical and strategic skills to increase their compensation.