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:
- Attend one of our many e-Learning programs
- Earn a Professional Development Certificate
- Attend a local chapter meeting (either live attendance or virtual attendance if offered)
- Present an educational session for a local chapter, webinar, or live event
- Prepare an article to be included on the website
*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/Responsibilities | Processing Functions |
| Management Responsibilities | Invoice Handling |
| Customer Relations/Partnerships | Matching |
| Staff Motivation and Morale | Procurement Card |
| Project Management | Payment Processing |
| Travel and Entertainment | Controls |
| Travel Card Administration & Management | Vendor Master Files |
| Governmental Guidelines | Cash Management |
| Expense Reporting | Audits |
| Fraud | |
| Tax and Regulatory Issues | Technology |
| Sales and Use Tax | Processing Software |
| 1099 Reporting | Imaging |
| 1042/1042S Reporting | Workflow |
| Independent Contractor | E-Commerce |
| Escheatment | Other Topics |
| Value Added Tax | Operational Analysis |
| Minority and Women-Owned Businesses | Disaster Recovery |
| Sarbanes-Oxley | Outsourcing 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.