Tatum Accounting Services, LLC

10/16/2026

THE PAYABLES PLAYBOOK | WEEK 02

Invoice Management: Getting Organized

An organized accounts payable process begins long before an invoice is paid.

In senior living, department leaders and business office staff manage invoices from multiple vendors, including utilities, food service, maintenance, and other essential services.

Without a consistent process, invoices can be overlooked, duplicated, or delayed, impacting financial accuracy and daily operations.

Here are 3 practices to strengthen your invoice management process:

✅ Centralize & Track Invoices: Establish a consistent process for receiving invoices and recording key details, including vendor name, invoice number, amount, and due date.

✅ Verify & Approve: Confirm charges are accurate, goods or services were received, and invoices have the proper approvals before processing.

✅ Monitor Invoice Status: Regularly review invoices that are pending approval, awaiting payment, or paid to prevent delays and duplicate payments.

The Takeaway: An organized invoice management process creates accountability, improves efficiency, and supports accurate financial reporting.

10/14/2026

Burdette Tatum will be facilitating GSLA | CALA Course Domain 2: Financial Management on November 9th. To learn more about how the full course equips new and experienced managers to strengthen operations, maintain compliance, and meet Georgia's regulatory standards in Senior Living, visit https://www.gasla.org/gsla-cala-course

10/09/2026

THE PAYABLES PLAYBOOK | WEEK 01
 
Accounts Payable Is More Than Paying Bills.
 
In senior living, an effective accounts payable process supports daily operations, strengthens vendor relationships, and improves financial decision-making.
 
Five habits that make a difference:
✅ Stay organized
✅ Verify invoices before payment
✅ Track recurring vendor invoices and utility bills 
✅ Request monthly statements 
✅ Communicate promptly about discrepancies
 
💡 The Takeaway: Effective accounts payable management isn’t just about paying bills on time. It’s about creating processes that support financial accuracy and operational efficiency.
 
At Tatum Accounting Services, we understand the important role business office managers play in keeping senior living communities running smoothly.
 
That’s why we’re introducing The Payables Playbook, a weekly series sharing practical insights to help strengthen your accounts payable processes, regardless of the system you use.
 
💬 Let’s talk: What’s one accounts payable challenge your community faces?

07/01/2026

What is a Property Accounting System Audit?

If your team has not conducted a property accounting system audit in a while, or ever, I wrote this article to share my experience of the true realities and benefits. Bottlenecks in accounting are very often an enterprise-wide problem, not just a team or deadline problem. Check this out if you are p...

06/13/2026

Celebrating the many Georgia Senior Living Association HEROs at Thursday’s Gala was an honor. Their stories remind us why we remain committed to serving this industry.

Congratulations to the Manor Lake nominees and award recipients on your well-deserved recognition.

05/11/2026

We cannot be a good accounting firm without understanding the day to day operations of the communities we serve.

05/08/2026

Help us celebrate Bianca as she proudly earns her Bachelors Degree in Finance from Kennesaw State University. 🎓

05/07/2026

What do you mean… I’m a “Profit Protector”?

Exactly that!...senior living operators work hard to generate profit.
But too often, that profit gets distorted—not from operations… 🤔

…but from how expenses are recorded.

That’s where the "Profit Protector" mentality comes in.

Your business office managers aren’t just processing invoices.
They’re time-traveling decision makers:

📁 Does this belong in May?
📁 Or is this a June expense?
📁 Should it hit now… or live in prepaid?

That single decision determines whether your P&L tells the truth.

Profit isn’t just earned. It’s protected.

And here’s the gap we see across the industry:

Most teams were never trained to think this way.

So we teach it.

We train your team to operate like Profit Protectors—
so the financials actually reflect the performance you worked for.

Empower.
Develop.
Train.

Because accuracy isn’t an accounting outcome…
it’s a trained behavior.


~Burdette K Tatum Jr., CPA

05/06/2026

🎥If you think Prepaid Expenses is about cash, you are getting it all wrong!

04/13/2026

Meet Evamarie! She is a junior at Kennesaw State University, a proud lefty who loves the color pink and enjoys problem-solving.