Accounting Inbox & Requests Management

Department: Finance & Accounting
Process Owner: Accounting Coordinator
Last Updated: January 2026

1. Overview and Purpose

Objective:
To define the procedures for managing the centralized accounting inbox and responding to accounting-related requests, including audit inquiries and grant support documentation. This SOP ensures timely triage, response, and routing of accounting-related communications to avoid delays in financial processing or compliance.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to all staff responsible for managing the shared accounting inbox and processing inbound accounting-related requests. It includes handling vendor invoices, audit information requests, document routing to the appropriate team members, and support for grant and compliance program documentation.

3. Step-by-Step Process

3.1 Monitor and Sort Accounting Inbox (Daily)

• Access the shared Accounting email inbox (via Outlook).
• Review new emails for accounting-related requests, invoices, grant documentation, or audit inquiries.
• Respond to or route all emails within the following timeframes:
  • High-priority items (audit deadlines, payroll issues, compliance requests): Same business day
  • Routine requests (general inquiries, vendor questions): Within 24-48 hours
  • Complex requests requiring research: Acknowledge receipt within 24 hours and provide estimated response timeline
• Flag or categorize emails by topic (AP, AR, Payroll, Audit, Grants).
• Forward specialized items to the responsible party with clear routing instructions and expected response timeframe.
• Archive resolved emails into the appropriate Outlook folder by category and month for tracking.

Reviewer/Back-up: Finance Director

3.2 Upload Vendor Invoices to Accounts Payable System

• When vendor invoices are received via the inbox, upload or forward them to the accounts payable system.
• Ensure the invoice image is clear, attached, and linked to the correct vendor profile.
• If known, code to the correct expense account, location, and class.
• Flag incomplete or unclear invoices for AP follow-up.

Reviewer/Back-up: AP Specialist

3.3 Respond to Auditor Requests

• Identify emails from auditors or external financial reviewers.
• Coordinate with the Controller or Finance Director to prepare formal responses.
• Pull supporting documentation (e.g., timecards, reconciliations, journal entry logs) from the document management system (SharePoint) as needed.
• Confirm information is complete and accurate before sending.

Reviewer/Back-up: Controller

3.4 Support Compliance Program Ongoing Reporting Requests

• Monitor inbox for compliance program-related inquiries.
• Route requests to the appropriate staff member (Accounting Consultant or Finance Director), depending on content.
• Coordinate internal data pulls (expenses, support) when required.

Reviewer/Back-up: Accounting Consultant / Finance Director

3.5 Track and Escalate Unresolved Items

• Maintain a running log (Excel or Outlook task list) of pending or unresolved requests with the following columns:
  • Date received
  • Request type (AP, AR, Audit, Grant, Other)
  • Brief description
  • Assigned to
  • Due date
  • Status (Pending, In Progress, Resolved)
  • Date resolved
• Review the log daily during inbox triage to identify aging items.
• Follow up after 48 hours if no action has been taken.
• Escalate persistent or urgent issues to the Controller or Finance Director as appropriate.
• Archive resolved items monthly to maintain a clean working log while preserving records.

Reviewer/Back-up: Controller

4. Key Roles and Responsibilities

5. Key Files and Systems

• Outlook – Shared Accounting inbox
  • Recommended folder structure for archiving resolved emails:
    • Accounts Payable – Vendor invoices, payment confirmations, vendor correspondence (organized by fiscal year and month, e.g., "FY2026/January")
    • Accounts Receivable – Payment receipts, customer inquiries, deposit records
    • Payroll – Payroll-related questions, timecard approvals, employee inquiries
    • Audit & Compliance – Auditor requests, compliance documentation, external review correspondence
    • Grants – Grant-related inquiries, funder communications, documentation requests
    • General Inquiries – Miscellaneous requests that do not fit other categories
  • Archive emails monthly to maintain an organized inbox with no more than 30 days of resolved items in the main inbox
  • Retain archived emails for at least 7 years to meet audit and compliance requirements
• Accounts Payable System – Vendor invoice processing
• Document Management System (SharePoint) – Audit and compliance program documentation folders
• Grant folders – Timecards, receipts, and support
• Inbox Triage Log – Optional tracker (Excel/Outlook)

6. Exceptions and Special Cases

• Duplicate Submissions: If an invoice is received both in the payment system and email, retain only the payment system version; archive the email.
• High-Risk or Time-Sensitive Requests: Mark due dates in Outlook and notify the Controller directly if <48 hours remain.

7. Delegation and Escalation Protocols

7.1 Out-of-Office Coverage

When the Accounting Coordinator is unavailable (vacation, sick leave, or other absence):

• The Finance Director designates a backup from the finance team at least 5 business days before planned absences
• The Accounting Coordinator must provide a handoff document to the backup covering:
  • Pending items in the Request Tracking Log with status and next steps
  • Any time-sensitive deadlines occurring during the absence period
  • Access instructions for the shared Outlook inbox
  • Contact information for key stakeholders (AP Specialist, Controller, auditors, etc.)
• Set an out-of-office auto-reply directing urgent matters to the designated backup
• The backup reviews the inbox at minimum once daily and escalates urgent items immediately

7.2 Escalation Matrix

Use the following escalation paths when issues cannot be resolved at the coordinator level:

7.3 Emergency Contact Protocol

For urgent issues arising outside normal business hours:

• Finance Director serves as the primary emergency contact for accounting inbox matters
• Emergency contact information should be maintained in the shared finance team directory
• Use emergency contact only for items that cannot wait until the next business day (e.g., payroll processing failures, critical audit deadlines, system outages affecting financial operations)

8. Risks and Controls Summary