Accounts Payable Services & AP Automation Providers in Portland, OR

ASP, which also goes by The ASP Team, is an outsourced accounting, bookkeeping and recruiting firm. Its Oregon practice is based in downtown Portland and also covers clients in Eugene, Bend, Salem, Medford and SW Washington. The firm has other offices in Washington, Colorado and Texas, and it operates as part of CFO Selections.

Its usual clients are small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations that need skilled finance help but don't need a full-time hire. For buyers comparing accounts payable providers, ASP is a people-based service. It does not sell AP automation software. Instead, it supplies experienced bookkeepers and accountants who run payables as part of a wider bookkeeping engagement.

Accounts payable and bookkeeping support

ASP lists accounts payable alongside receivables as a core bookkeeping service. Payables work fits into the routine finance cycle, which also covers bank reconciliations and closing the books each month and at year end. Clients that want stronger controls around paying vendors can also bring in ASP's accountants to design and maintain internal control systems. That service is relevant for companies trying to lower fraud risk in their payment processes. The full list of services includes:

• Accounts payable and accounts receivable
• Bank reconciliations and monthly or year-end close
• Payroll processing and payroll tax reporting
• Budget creation, maintenance and management
• Cash flow management and business intelligence support
• Financial and business reporting support
• Preparation of tax information
• Mentoring for in-house accounting and finance staff

How engagements work

Engagements are flexible in both hours and location. A client might use ASP staff for a few hours each day, week or month. The work can happen at the client's office, remotely or as a mix of both. Assignments may be ongoing part-time support, interim cover during a staffing gap or a single defined project.

Available roles range from professional bookkeepers to senior accountants, accounting managers and assistant controllers. The team works in the major accounting platforms, including QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, Peachtree and NetSuite. That makes it practical for AP work to continue in whatever system a company already uses.

ASP also handles project work beyond day-to-day processing. It can set up accounting for a new business, build or clean up accounting systems, move QuickBooks accounts to a new setup, and close the books for companies that have stopped operating. Client testimonials on its site mention bookkeepers placed on short notice who stayed through year end, including for a business with several legal entities and intercompany balances.

Recruiting and background

The firm's second line of business is contingent recruiting for accounting and finance roles. Placements range from A/R and A/P staff and staff accountants up to controllers and finance directors. ASP charges a fee only when one of its candidates is hired. It also gives advice on job titles, job descriptions and interview structure at no extra cost.

Companies building an internal payables team can therefore use the same firm for interim help and for permanent hiring. Jason McGill leads the Oregon and SW Washington practice. ASP says its team has decades of hands-on accounting experience, and it has published a formal commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Foster & Associates, CPA, LLC is a licensed Oregon certified public accounting firm based in the Raleigh Hills area of southwest Portland. The practice focuses mainly on tax preparation, advisory work and resolving disputes with federal and state tax authorities. It also offers ongoing accounting support for business owners, executives and independent professionals.

Companies looking for help with payables would most likely use its outsourced bookkeeping and small business accounting services. The firm does not describe a standalone accounts payable product or a dedicated AP automation platform.

Accounting and Bookkeeping Support for Businesses

The firm's business offering is designed for owners who would rather spend their time running operations than maintaining ledgers. Its staff can take over the client's books entirely, keeping transaction records accurate so that cash flow statements and other financial reports reflect the true state of the company.

This bookkeeping work is the part of the practice most relevant to buyers who want vendor bills and outgoing payments recorded properly. Payroll processing is offered alongside it, so several back-office finance tasks can sit with one provider. Prospective clients should ask directly how bill entry, approvals and vendor payments would be handled.

• Outsourced bookkeeping and small business accounting
• Payroll processing and payroll tax compliance
• Cash flow reporting and financial statement preparation
• Business advisory, strategic planning and business valuation
• Financial planning and analysis for growing companies
• New business formation and non-profit accounting

QuickBooks Expertise

For organizations moving away from paper-based processes, the firm promotes QuickBooks in both its desktop and cloud editions. It describes the software as well suited to small and mid-sized businesses. Its team can install and configure the software and train staff to use it. It also answers user questions and performs tune-ups on files that have become disorganized.

A properly configured QuickBooks file gives owners a clearer view of income and expenses, including money owed to suppliers. This makes the firm a practical option for companies that want to tidy up payables inside an existing small-business accounting system rather than adopt separate enterprise software.

Industries and Tax Capabilities

The firm lists experience with construction companies, dental practices, healthcare providers, hospitality businesses, law firms, manufacturers, real estate and the cannabis sector. Its tax side covers business and individual returns, year-round tax planning, estate and trust filings and cryptocurrency accounting.

It also handles a broad set of IRS problems, including audits, unfiled returns, payroll tax issues, liens, levies, payment plans and offers in compromise. For a business owner, this means the same firm that maintains the books can also address compliance questions about payroll, sales and use tax or estimated payments.

The firm says its work rests on three principles: professionalism, responsiveness and quality. It presents itself as experienced and affordable. Clients exchange documents through a ShareFile portal, and new engagements typically begin with a scheduled consultation. The firm is best suited to small and mid-sized Portland-area businesses that want CPA-level oversight of bookkeeping, payroll and taxes from a single local office.