The results are in: The IAPP 2009 Membership Survey is complete, having received 488 responses. We are in the process of analyzing them, and we’ll be sharing the results in future issues of Membership Matters. One result we are especially pleased to share is that when asked to rate their overall membership experience with IAPP, 74 percent of our members said “Very Good” or “Excellent.”

Thank you for taking the time to let us know how we’re doing and for sharing your thoughts on what we could do better. The collected feedback allows us to continually develop services of ever-increasing value for our members. Your suggestions also help us create an organization that is dynamic and responsive. We hope you agree.

A $5 Starbucks card is on the way for those of you who shared your contact information on your survey submission. All of you who shared your contact information were also entered into a drawing for a free Forum registration. Congratulations to Joanie Johnston, AP manager with Kaiser Permanente, who was selected as the winner.

The survey is just one of the many ways we listen to our members. Here’s another: By now, you probably know that IAPP has a sister association, IARP. Not only is this association our response to the trend at many organizations toward a shared services approach, it’s also our response to YOU. You told us that many of you aren’t working exclusively in accounts payable anymore and you want the same recognized certification, state-of-the-art training, and member benefits for AR that you have long enjoyed in AP.

Did you also know that IARP membership benefits are available to IAPP members, and vice versa? Those benefits include AR training, already being incorporated into our offerings, and AR certification, coming in 2010. Check out the Web site just for accounts receivable professionals, www.TheIARP.org, where you will find the full press release, and be on the lookout for the launch of AR Matters, the bimonthly digital magazine that will bring you practical knowledge, informative articles, case studies, research, and columns by experts.

This addition to the family had its beginnings in the comments and feedback of IAPP members. You asked, and we answered. When it comes to meeting your professional needs, you are our best source of ideas. Tell us about other challenges you are facing in this rapidly changing world and ever-evolving economic environment. In what other ways can we help you excel?

AP professionals working in healthcare face a unique set of circumstances, with patient issues, physician issues, bill-only invoices, funding needs for upgrades for automation – all of which were topics of lively discussion at the Healthcare Panel at IAPP-U, the 2009 Annual Forum. Those discussions made it clear: Follow-up was needed – and BEFORE the next Forum in 2010.

The panelists and attendees had come from all over the country, but they wanted somehow to continue the conversations they had begun. Enter the Virtual Healthcare Chapter. The inaugural meeting of the chapter was held on August 26, with more than 50 healthcare AP professionals logged on for this historical event.

The chapter is open to all healthcare AP professionals. The meetings will be held bi-monthly via the Internet. Each will consist of a presentation followed by open discussion and last approximately 90 minutes. The members will help steer the topics for each meeting and will also be pivotal in shaping the Web site and networking within the chapter. The next meeting will be on October 21 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. For more information, go to www.TheIAPP.org/healthcare.

Other industry specific virtual chapters will be forming soon. Keep an eye on Chapter Chatter for more details.

Show your accounts payable team members that they are an integral part of your organization by participating in IAPP’s annual Accounts Payable Recognition Week October 19-23. We make it easy for you by offering a selection of gifts, including umbrellas, tote bags, journals, mugs and much more. Start shopping now at www.theiapp.org/apweek.
    
When planning your celebration, don’t forget our annual photo contest. Plan to take plenty of pictures that show how your department demonstrates this year’s theme, Celebrate the Power of AP. Then send your best photos to apweek@theiapp.org.

How will YOU empower the heroes in YOUR AP department?

Pathway to Progress. The fall 2009 certification exam window is now under way, and IAPP applauds all our candidates for taking this admirable step forward down the path to advance their career. Many will soon find themselves part of the elite group of accounts payable professionals and associates who have proved they have mastered the skills required to be successful in any AP environment!  Although the road is not easy, commitment and preparation will lead to the success of these candidates, who are among the first to benefit from IAPP’s new exam review options.

Here’s what some recent candidates had to say about their journey:

“I am very impressed with the updated CAPP manual,” said Ruth Cooper, Goodrich-Engine Components, of the recently updated Certification Study Manual. “It clearly includes the latest AP material.”

Eli Cooper, Baylor Healthcare Systems, attended the exam review webinar series and wrote: “Coming from a nonprofit background, our staff had virtually no experience with tax. The CAPA webinars were able to breathe life into our weakest domain and create real-world examples to our textbook knowledge. Thank you again!”

Yet another candidate, Jonathan Ward of Business Strategy Inc., participated in an on-site review at his company: “The facilitator provided helpful stories and real-world examples during our on-site presentation.”

You, too, can have the confidence of these candidates by charting your course with these convenient new study options. Whatever your study preference, IAPP has a solution to meet your needs. And now that these study opportunities are available year-round, you can begin your journey at any time.

• Your Certification Study Manual is on hand in the IAPP Bookstore every day of the year.
• Benefit from our exam review webinar series by accessing the recorded sessions anytime, anywhere.
• Our instructors are available to schedule a customized on-site review program whenever it’s convenient for your organization.

Have you visited the IAPP and IARP Resource Center lately? There are almost 1,000 tools and resources that are available for FREE to members only. Visit www.TheIAPP.org/resource and take a closer look at the Benchmarking section. There, you’ll find the following featured items:

• Hot off the press! TAWPI/IAPP Document Management Study provides comparative information covering document prep, imaging, recognition and key entry, workflow, archival, retrieval and retention, disaster recovery, outsourcing, and off-shore capability. Hundreds downloaded this study within the first 24 hours of availability. Get your copy today.

• IAPP 2008 Benchmarking Report allows you to compare and contrast your department’s performance against your peers, while highlighting the trends shaping the rapidly changing AP environment. The survey includes:
• AP department structure and annual salaries and benefits for AP positions.
• Invoice, payment, and T&E volume metrics and processing costs.
• Importance of capturing supplier discounts.
• Use of technology and the impact of automation on processing costs and efficiencies.

• The Compass Benchmark from APEX Analytix™ (formerly the Top Gun Benchmark) provides a highly objective assessment of a company's accounts payable performance, identifies emerging best practices, and quantifies the high standards of achievement by premier organizations in the areas of key metrics, AP infrastructure, cash management, processing efficiency, payables controls, and risk management.

These tools are only a small sample of what you’ll find in IAPP’s Resource Center ― another benefit of your IAPP membership

The planning is under way. The call for speakers has begun. Are you ready? You may be asking, ready for what? FUSION 2010 – better known as the IAPP Annual Forum and Expo in conjunction with TAWPI and IARP.

Don’t delay; get your budgets secured and your creative thoughts flowing so that YOU may be selected as one of our breakout session speakers and share your knowledge with your colleagues and peers in AP, AR, and automation. If you are interested in presenting at FUSION 2010, please fill out the Call for Speakers Form at theiapp.org/conference. The call for speakers will be open until October 15.

Lastly, please be on the lookout for registration, which will be open in the next few weeks. An e-mail notification will be sent to all members when it is available.

David Bush - CAPA EBS Entitlements Supervisor DFAS Columbus David Bush of the U.S. Defense Finance and Accounting Service, shares his views of the IAPP and IARP.

How long have you been a member of IAPP? I have been a member of the IAPP since 2007.

Why did you join initially? I initially joined because I was new to AP and was turned on to the IAPP by my director at that time. He had the idea to form the first government chapter of the IAPP and wanted to work on group certifications. I looked at this as an opportunity to be part of something great and learn more about AP at the same time.

Is that still your primary reason for membership, or, if not, what has changed? The AP knowledge and networking is a big part of what keeps me involved. I enjoy seeing familiar faces at the local IAPP chapter meeting and hearing what is going on in their AP worlds.

Similarly, how has IAPP changed since you joined? The IAPP has gone through a lot of changes since I first became involved. One of the biggest improvements I’ve noticed is the Web site. I have an easier time navigating through it and find is more appealing. The AR portion is also something I’m looking forward to. I’ve been involved mainly in AP and with the IAPP’s new AR webinars, I can get some exposure to the “other side.”
 
How do you think the role of the IAPP should change in the future? For example, should there be more focus on advocating for the profession, or some other area? Being with the federal government, I would like to see some focus on governmental AP. There are a lot of similarities with the private sector but there’s a lot that’s different, too.

What do you see as the most valuable member benefit to you? The networking. I have met a lot of great people at the local chapter meetings, at the national forum, and through the government chapter at Defense Finance and Accounting Service. The knowledge and experiences that can be shared are priceless.

What are some of the highlights of your involvement with IAPP, and what motivates you to stay involved. The highlight of my involvement was helping establish the first governmental chapter of the IAPP. I have also enjoyed holding office for the chapter and helping arrange for groups of employees to go through the CAPP and CAPA certifications. I am also looking forward to this year’s AP Recognition Week. Last year, we had great participation and put a lot of time and effort into making the employees know how much we really appreciate them. We hope to step it up a notch this year!

What would you tell someone who is considering whether membership is worth the investment (or worth the continuing investment)? I can only share my great experiences and let them know it has definitely been worth it to me. If they take advantage of the local meetings, webinars, networking opportunities, the Web site, and everything else offered by the IAPP, it would be a no-brainer.

What would you tell someone who is considering accounts payable as a career? Do it. I have definitely enjoyed my time in AP! If you had told me five years ago that I would think a seminar on electronic invoicing or discounts was interesting I wouldn’t have believed it.

What was your most memorable experience with the IAPP? There have been a lot of great experiences with the IAPP so far, but this past year, I was able to attend my first IAPP National Forum in Orlando. It was great to put faces with names and meet the great people behind the IAPP. The night at Disney’s Animal Kingdom was definitely a highlight, too.

Anything else you would like to add? All of my experiences with the IAPP have far exceeded my expectations. I look forward to continuing to develop the governmental chapter here at DFAS and extend it to other government agencies. The knowledge from the IAPP and those involved in it could really benefit the federal government and any other agency or company out there. Thanks, and keep it up!