What is an accounts payable ledger?

An accounts payable ledger is a listing of all accounts on which a business or organization owes payment. It is a liability account, meaning that it carries a credit balance. The amounts due on the ledger are usually payable within a certain time frame.

The accounts listed in an accounts payable ledger have unique pages where transactions are recorded. A credit made on the ledger increases the balance, while a debit decreases the balance. Once a vendor invoice is approved, the invoice is recorded in the ledger, and a debit is made to one of the expense or asset accounts.