What is a characteristic of the accounts payable account?

The characteristic of the accounts payable account that makes it the correct choice is that it records transactions related to suppliers. This includes obligations to pay for goods and services that have been purchased on credit. Essentially, accounts payable is a liability account that reflects what a business owes to its vendors or suppliers for goods or services that have been received but not yet paid for. This functional aspect is crucial for managing a company's cash flow, budgeting, and overall financial health.

The other options focus on different aspects of financial transactions. Tracking goods received without invoice pertains to inventory management and receiving processes rather than accounts payable directly, which primarily deals with invoiced purchases. Reflecting sales for future payment relates to accounts receivable, where amounts owed by customers are recorded. Finally, measuring outstanding customer invoices is also an accounts receivable function, which deals with money that is owed to the business rather than what the business owes to suppliers.