Entering a credit card payment to a posted payable

If we enter a payable and later decide to pay it using a credit card, what is the best way to record this? We frequently do this to earn the points on the credit card. But, it seems to be too many steps the way we do it right now. The payable has been entered. We pay using a credit card. So, then we enter a payable to a vendor that is set up for the credit card payable. Next we enter a credit payable to the vendor and apply the credit for a zero payment. When the credit card payment is due, we enter the credit card payment as you would normally enter a payment to a payable. We can track who was paid what so that vendor statements can be easily reconciled (especially when payments are in transit). But, is there an easier way that takes less steps than this?