Continuing Education

CAPP and CAPA Certificants are expected to maintain the high standards of the accounts payable profession by selecting quality education programs to fulfill the continuing education requirements.

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits may also be attained through continuing education in:

  • Finance and accounting
  • College courses based on the below AP related subject areas, as well as finance and accounting
  • Skills training (e.g.; Excel, Word, Reading Skills, Project Management, etc.)

The Institute of Financial Operations qualifying activities:

*The above will qualify for continuing education credits based on program length.

The Institute of Financial Operations members-only activities:

  • Serve as chairperson for a committee for one full year: 20 credits
  • Serve as vice chair for a committee for one full year: 15 credits
  • Serve as secretary of a committee for one full year: 12 credits
  • Serve as an officer of a local chapter for one full year: 10 credits
  • Serve as a committee member for one full year: 10 credits

*The above must be one of The Institute of Financial Operations committees or local chapters groups.


Qualifying CPE activities

The overriding consideration in determining whether a specific continuing education program is acceptable is that it is a formal program of learning which contributes directly to the professional competence of the certificant. Acceptable formal programs may fall under the categories of education, publications, oral presentations, or professional participation. Credits may be attained through continuing education in AP related subject areas including, but not limited to:

Relationships/ResponsibilitiesProcessing Functions
Management ResponsibilitiesInvoice Handling
Customer Relations/PartnershipsMatching
Staff Motivation and MoraleProcurement Card
Project ManagementPayment Processing
Travel and EntertainmentControls
Travel Card Administration & ManagementVendor Master Files
Governmental GuidelinesCash Management
Expense ReportingAudits
 Fraud
Tax and Regulatory IssuesTechnology
Sales and Use TaxProcessing Software
1099 ReportingImaging
1042/1042S ReportingWorkflow
Independent ContractorE-Commerce
EscheatmentOther Topics
Value Added TaxOperational Analysis
Minority and Women-Owned BusinessesDisaster Recovery
Sarbanes-OxleyOutsourcing and/or Shared Services
 Accounting

CPE Credit Tracking 

Download a copy of the IFO CPE Credit Tracking template to keep track of credits earned from The Institute or non-IFO educational sessions during your certification term. 

If you would like for any credits earned from non-IFO educational sessions to be added to your account, you can send the credit tracking template spreadsheet to education@financialops.org.