# How to stop paying a bill twice in MYOB Acumatica

Before you enter a bill in MYOB Acumatica, search the vendor's bills for the same number or amount. Use one reference format and check the Prepare Payments for repeats.

Duplicate payment is when the same supplier invoice is entered or paid more than once. It often happens when an invoice arrives by two routes.

## Before you start

- AP Preferences access

## The MYOB Acumatica way

Where to find it: Finance > Accounts Payable > AP Preferences (AP101000)

1. Open AP Preferences (AP101000).
2. Tick Require Vendor Reference. The Vendor Ref. box on Bills and Adjustments (AP301000) is then required for documents of the Bill type.
3. Tick Raise an Error on Duplicate Vendor Reference Number. A new document with a Vendor Ref. already used in the system is refused.
4. Tick Validate Document Totals on Entry. The user must key the invoice total into the Amount box before a bill can be saved as Balanced.
5. Tick Require Approval of Bills Prior to Payment and approve on Approve Bills for Payment (AP502000) before payment runs on Prepare Payments (AP503000).

## Limits in MYOB Acumatica

- The check is on the vendor reference number.
- Require Vendor Reference only forces the box for Bill documents. For other types it stays optional.
- The duplicate error is not raised when you reverse a document (the correcting document keeps the same Vendor Ref.) or when a recurring document is released.

## Good to know in MYOB Acumatica

- Even with approval before payment on, users can still pay a bill on Checks and Payments (AP302000). Limit that form to the right roles.
- Hold Documents on Entry makes new documents drafts that can be edited but not released, which gives a second look before posting.

## The Pulsify way

1. Forward the supplier's invoice to Pulsify.
2. Pulsify compares the invoice number with punctuation and case ignored, plus the same vendor, invoice date or tax ID.
3. It checks other Pulsify documents and active bills in MYOB Acumatica.
4. A possible duplicate is flagged. Open the match, then reject or approve anyway.

Pulsify connects to MYOB Acumatica. We set up the connection for you.

What Pulsify does not do here:

- Pulsify flags. You decide.
- A duplicate with a quite different invoice number may not be found.

## Common mistakes

- Turning on the duplicate error but not Require Vendor Reference, so bills with no number slip through.
- Typing a different reference for a re-sent invoice, which gets past the check.

## Common questions

### Does MYOB Acumatica warn about duplicate bills?

Yes. Tick Require Vendor Reference and Raise an Error on Duplicate Vendor Reference Number in AP Preferences (AP101000). A new bill with a number already used is blocked.

### What does the check look at?

The vendor reference number only.

### What else helps?

Use approval before payment as a second check.

### What does Pulsify check?

The invoice number with punctuation and case ignored, plus the same supplier, invoice date or tax ID.

## Sources

- https://help.myob.com.au/advanced/Docs/Published/UserGuide/AP_10_10_00.html
- https://help.myob.com.au/advanced/Docs/Published/UserGuide/Finance_ProcessingAPBills_GeneralInfo.html
- https://help.myob.com.au/advanced/Docs/Published/UserGuide/AP__con_Bill_Approval_for_Payment.html

Source: https://www.pulsify.tech/how-to/stop-paying-a-bill-twice-in-myob-advanced/ (last checked 2026-10-19)