◆ Administration & Clerical

What a data entry operator
really does.

20 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.

20evidenced tasks
127,080in the US (2025)
$41,340median pay / year
7systems it runs on
See the 20 tasks ↓Open in the atlasThe full career map →
This is what one task looks like here
Compare source material with entered data to identify errors
Compare the invoice scans in the source folder to the entered records …2 sources agree

The shape of the day

tap a movement to see its tasks

Which one is you, right now?

Pick the moment · no score, no sign-up
Which moment is me right now?
Whichever you pick, the task behind it opens below.

The work, task by task

20 tasks
Hands on the work14
Compare source material with entered data to identify errors+
Compare the invoice scans in the source folder to the entered records for April, flag mismatched invoice numbers, amounts, or vendor names, list each discrepancy with page reference and suggested correction by end of day Thursday.
jdonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Enter data from source documents into systems+
Enter the handwritten client intake forms from the April stack into the central ledger, validating name, DOB and ID number against the top of form and run a duplicate check after every fifty entries.
escojd2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Generate reports or summaries based on data+
Produce a weekly summary of transactions and key indicators from the sales log, include totals, three top-selling SKUs with quantity and revenue, and highlight any anomalous rows for review by Friday noon.
jd
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Keep information confidential+
Remove personal identifiers from the customer contact list, confirm encryption and access restrictions, produce a redacted copy for the marketing team and log who receives it before close of business today.
jd
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Scan documents and print files as needed+
Scan the signed vendor agreements, create print-ready PDFs with searchable text, staple and print one packet per contract, and place completed packets in Vendor Ops mailbox by 4pm.
jd
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Process records, orders, charges, or transactions+
Enter the batch of 220 online orders into the order ledger, validate pricing against the price list, flag any mismatches for supervisor approval, and generate a confirmation report for shipping by end of shift.
jd
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
km/h RPMMeet accuracy and volume standards+
Work through the backlog of scanned claims, hit 98 percent field-level accuracy and maintain the pace of 120 records per day, record daily accuracy and volume in the performance log before leaving.
jd
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Select materials needed to complete work assignments.+
Choose and list the specific paper stock, barcode labels, keyboard templates, and electronic file formats I need for the week’s queue of supplier invoices, payroll sheets, and archival records so purchasing can order by Thursday.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Keep the record3
Grow the practice3

What the work runs on

named inside the evidenced tasks
9 tasksMicrosoft Excelholds the entered records in tabular form for comparison and filteringOpen its task library →
5 tasksMicrosoft Accesscross-reference records and query the ledger to verify fields across tables
4 tasksData entryprimary interface for keystroke-driven transfer of source document fields into the system
2 tasksMicrosoft Wordused to update and maintain the digital index and descriptive file notes for each recordOpen its task library →
2 tasksGoogle Docsalternative for collaborative index edits and shared access
1 taskSAPrecord transactions, validate pricing rules and produce confirmation reports for downstream teams
1 taskElectronic medical record EMRstructured claim records management and accuracy tracking in a regulated workflow
Browse every evidenced software task →

The same task, four heights

this page is height one
ExecuteDo today's task, with fewer mistakesyou are here → ImproveMake it easy for the next person to acceptin the atlas → DecideWork out the right move when it is unclearin the atlas → BecomeLearn the pattern so it stops coming backin the atlas →

Can AI actually do this job?

the honest answer

It can

where it genuinely helps
  • Explain the theory behind the work
  • Draft, tidy and structure your writing
  • Rehearse a hard conversation before you have it
  • Build a study plan that fits your gaps

It cannot

where it stops, completely
  • Be in the room where a data entry operator actually works
  • Carry the responsibility when the call is wrong — that weight stays yours
  • Notice what no one wrote down: the hesitation, the thing left unsaid
  • Live with the outcome

What the work pays

two countries, two different measures

United States

this exact occupation · BLS 2025
  • $41,340 a year — the middle: half earn more, half earn less
  • The lowest tenth earn near $31,200; the top tenth near $58,790
  • 127,080 people employed in this occupation

India

the occupation GROUP, not this job · PLFS via ILOSTAT 2025
  • ₹24,252 a month — the median for Clerical support workers, the group this work sits in
  • India publishes pay by broad occupation group, so this covers many jobs besides this one. It is a shape, not a salary.
read this carefullyThese two numbers are not comparable and must not be converted into each other. One is a yearly figure for this job alone; the other is a monthly figure for a whole family of jobs. What travels between them is the pattern, not the amount: experience lifts pay almost everywhere.

Where the evidence lives

open any of it yourself
O*NETThe US Department of Labor's own record of this job6 of these tasks ESCOThe European skills and occupations register6 of these tasks Job descriptionsReal postings, in the wild11 of these tasks US Bureau of Labor StatisticsPay and employment, by occupation2025 figures UK NOS TECDT80851Design data processing systemsnational standard

Close to this work

9 nearby
Administration & ClericalFront Desk Coordinator24 evidenced tasks Administration & ClericalReceptionist23 evidenced tasks Administration & ClericalAdministrative Assistant22 evidenced tasks Administration & ClericalMailroom Clerk21 evidenced tasks Administration & ClericalOffice Clerk20 evidenced tasks Administration & ClericalPayroll Clerk20 evidenced tasks Administration & ClericalScheduling Coordinator20 evidenced tasks Administration & ClericalBilling Clerk20 evidenced tasks

Questions people actually ask

You usually start by opening the systems you use: Microsoft Excel, an electronic medical record (EMR) if healthcare, or Microsoft Access. Expect blocks of focused work entering data from source documents, scanning files, or updating existing records.

You’ll also run checks: compare source material to entered data, fix errors, keep logs of completed work, and generate reports. Supervisors set accuracy and volume targets, so days mix repetitive typing with short verification and filing tasks.

Prioritize Microsoft Excel and Word because most employers use them for spreadsheets and documents. Learn basic formulas, sorting, filters, and data validation in Excel, and simple formatting and templates in Word or Google Docs.

Next, learn Microsoft Access basics and at least one industry system like SAP or an EMR if you want healthcare work. Knowing how to scan documents and export/import CSV files helps a lot.

AI can help with formatting, cleaning CSVs, or recognizing text from scanned documents, but never paste confidential patient or customer data into public AI chat services. That would violate confidentiality rules and possibly laws like HIPAA.

Use AI only inside approved, secure systems. For tasks like correcting garbled text, prefer built-in OCR and your employer’s verified tools. Always follow your workplace policies on data handling and confidentiality.