Payables Management is an optional module within Interact SSAS designed to enhance internal controls over the disbursement of funds related to benefit claims and contribution refunds. It standardizes payment workflows and ensures secure processing while integrating with key financial and administrative modules. By requiring a payable voucher before issuing payments, this module provides an additional layer of validation and approval before disbursing funds to beneficiaries or employers.

Features and Processes

Issuing Payable Vouchers

• Payable vouchers are created automatically upon approval of a Benefit Claim or Contribution Refund Request.
• Organizations can choose whether payable vouchers are required before making payments.
• Vouchers include all relevant details such as payee information, amount, and due date.
• Each voucher is assigned a unique identifier for tracking and auditing purposes.

Types of Payable Vouchers

• Benefits Payable Voucher: Issued for payments related to approved benefit claims, payable to beneficiaries.
• Refund Payable Voucher: Created for contribution refunds requested by employers, employees or self-employed individuals.

Workflow for Payables Processing

• Step 1: Payable Voucher Generation
  • When a benefit claim or contribution refund is approved, a payable voucher is automatically generated by the system if it is configured to do so and linked to benefit claims and refund requests.
  • Payable vouchers can be generated manually if required.
  • If an organization does not require payable vouchers, payments can proceed without this step.
• Step 2: Payable Voucher Review and Approval
  • Authorized personnel review the voucher details.
  • Vouchers can be manually adjusted/updated before approval.
  • Approval workflows ensure compliance with internal financial controls.
• Step 3: Payment Processing
  • Approved vouchers proceed to the payment phase.
  • Payments can be issued through direct deposit, check, or other approved methods.
  • Payment transactions are logged for auditing and reconciliation.
• Step 4: Payable Voucher Rejection or Cancellation
  • If errors or discrepancies are found, vouchers can be rejected.
  • Reasons for cancellation can be / must be selected with the cancellation.
  • Rejected vouchers require review before resubmission.
  • Approved vouchers can be canceled if the payment has not yet been processed.

Integration with Financial and Administrative Modules

• Benefit Claims Filing & Payment: Ensures benefit claim payments follow approval workflows.
• Contribution Filing & Payment: Manages refunds and adjustments related to employer contributions.
• GL Interface: Automates journal entries for seamless financial reporting.
• e-Services Portal: Allows beneficiaries and employers to track their payments and refunds online.

Security and Compliance Controls

• Enforces strict approval requirements before payments are processed.
• Provides an audit trail for all payable vouchers and payments.
• Prevents duplicate or unauthorized payments through system controls.
• Configurable settings allow organizations to tailor approval levels and workflows to meet their compliance needs.

Payables Management provides a structured and controlled approach to handling financial disbursements within the Social Security Administration. By implementing payable vouchers, the system ensures payments are processed securely and in compliance with financial regulations. With automated workflows, seamless integration with financial modules, and strong internal controls, Payables Management enhances efficiency, accuracy, and accountability in the disbursement of benefits and refunds.

Overview

Payables Management is an optional module of Interact SSAS used in the Accounts Payable Process to standardize and enhance the internal controls over payments of Benefit Claims to Beneficiaries and Contribution Refunds to Employers. Payables Management is seamlessly integrated with relevant other Interact SSAS modules such as Benefit Claims Filing & Payment, Contribution Filing & Payment, GL Interface and e-Services.

Once a Benefit Claim is approved, the system will raise a Payable Voucher that is used to Pay the Benefit Claim to the Claimant (Payee).

A Contribution Refund Claim Form can also be raised when an Employer Requests a Refund and used to pay the Employer for the requested Refund. The Payable Voucher is not required to process a payment for Benefit Claims or Refunds. However, if an organization desires to have extra control over the payments, it can deploy the Payment Management process, so that before issuing any payment, a Payable Voucher needs to be issued and approved first.

The unpaid Payable Vouchers provide the detail for the total amount reported as Payable Vouchers in the Accounts Payable module. As a voucher’s payment date comes near, the voucher is forwarded to an authorized person for payment. After making payment, a copy of the check is attached and the voucher is stamped “Paid.” It is then filed in the paid voucher file in order to prevent a duplicate payment.

The voucher is then recorded in the Voucher Register. In case of Social Security Administration, there are two types of Payable Vouchers:

• Benefits Payable Voucher – Used to pay for benefits against a Benefit Claim. This is paid to a beneficiary
• Refund Payable Voucher – Used to pay for refunds against a Refund Request. This is paid to an employer or self-employed

Definition
Payee
A Payee defined in a Payable Voucher can be:

1. An Individual to whom the Social Security Administration owes money as a result of a Benefit Claim, or
2. an Employer who filed a Refund Request with the Social Security, and the Social Security Administration owes a Refund Payment to the Employer.

Payable Voucher
A Payable Voucher is used to record an IOU by the Social Security Administration to an individual or employer for a commitment to be paid to the Individual or an Employer. For an individual, the Payable Voucher is for payment commitment against a Benefit Claim, while for employers, the Payable Voucher is the result of a Refund Request by the Employer. A Payable Voucher can be issued ahead of time and paid at a later time, thus each Payable Voucher has a Due Date, the date the payment must be issued to the Payee.

Payable Item
A Payable Item defines the purpose of the Payable Voucher and includes:

• Benefit, as defined under Interact SSAS Benefit Policies
• Refund, as defined under Interact SSAS Refund Policies

Framework
The Payables Management Frame is based on a Payment Voucher for a Payee for a specific Payment. A Payee can be an individual or an employer.

Figure-1: Payables Management Framework

A Payable Voucher is not required to make payments to Individuals or Employers. The Payable Voucher is an added level of control. If an Orgnization elects to use the Payable Voucher, no payment can be made unless a Payable Voucher is issued and approved. The Payable Voucher is created automatically on approval of a Benefit Claim or Refund Request.

Workflow
The Payable Voucher workflow starts from:

• Benefit Claim raised by an Individual
• Refund Request raised by an Employer or Self-Employee

Any of the above transactions will generate a Payable Voucher if the Payable Voucher is linked to the Benefit Claim or to the Refund Request. If no links, then no Payment Vouched will be created/generated.

Figure-2: Payable Voucher Workflow

• Payable Voucher is not required to make a Benefit Claim Payment or Refund Request Payment
• Payable Voucher is only required if selected in the General Setup
• Payable Voucher is used as an added level of Control to avoid fraud
• Payable Voucher can be Rejected after review
• Payable Vouched can be Cancelled after approval, if it is not paid or partially paid