second strike, page-39

trade payables looks a bit like accrual accounting.

if this is the case the easiest way to look at it is
"if the company was wound up today, how much would it have to pay out"

so it could be made up of a number of things

-work that has been done but not yet paid for
-goods ordered that may have not been recieved but you have committed to the purchase
-break clauses on any long term contracts that you have signed etc

lots of stuff like that.

So in some cases it is money that is owed but in others it is money you will have to pay or are expected to pay

disclaimer I am not an accountant, but often on the recieving end of the weird policies and rules they put in place to balance the books