ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwire - March 25, 2009) - Days payable outstanding, or DPO -- a measure of the time a company takes to settle its accounts payable -- has increased for 36 percent of companies, compared to the same 90-day period one year ago, according to The Accounts Payable Network's Days Payable Outstanding Index(SM), which follows DPO. The TAPN DPO Index is a component of The Accounts Payable Network's benchmarking surveys, which follow DPO and other key accounts payable metrics.

Fifty-one percent of participating organizations report no change over the last 12 months, while 13 percent report a decrease in DPO. According to the TAPN DPO Index, median DPO is 38 days.

"In a down economy, it is not surprising to see DPO lengthen," says Rob Rogers, Vice President and Managing Editor of The Accounts Payable Network, "whether due to more effective cash management or to distressed cash flow."

The pace may be slowing, which would be good news, as the index shows only 25 percent expect to increase DPO in the remainder of 2009. To read a summary article, please visit www.tapn.com/DPO. TAPN's latest benchmark study also looks at payment term practices and accounts payable personnel changes over the past 12 months, as well as expectations for the remainder of 2009.

About The Accounts Payable Network

Founded in 2002, The Accounts Payable Network (TAPN) serves over 35,000 finance and accounting professionals with deep and comprehensive resources to help them meet their accounts payable objectives and challenges. As the premier resource for executives and managers who have oversight responsibility for accounts payable, TAPN provides convenient access to an exclusive accounts payable knowledge-base including best practices for every AP function; AP metrics and benchmarking data; tax, regulatory and compliance guidelines; solutions to real world problems; insightful analysis; AP automation case studies; member Q&A networking forums and more than 250 downloadable, customizable AP policies, flowcharts, templates and internal control checklists. TAPN's highly regarded training and certification programs provide AP education and credentialing for accounts payable managers and their staffs.