What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all File Clerks in the U.S. earn more than $43,600 a year — the middle 80% land between $31,200 and $63,490. About 73,440 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “File Clerks”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Clerical support workers earn about ₹24,252 a month on average — around ₹2.9 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$43,600typical pay / year
73,440people in this work
$63,490+top 10% earn
₹2.9 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Keeping the record6
Maintain records of a company
+Update the company records index with last month’s incoming and outgoing mail log, scan and archive physical…
Maintain records of a company
+Update the company records index with last month’s incoming and outgoing mail log, scan and archive physical invoices to the records folder, then email the updated index to legal and HR and lock the archive against edits.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelAdobe AcrobatESCOjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Assist with office tasks and data entry
+Enter yesterday’s delivery receipts into the central database, reconcile quantities against the master…
Assist with office tasks and data entry
+Enter yesterday’s delivery receipts into the central database, reconcile quantities against the master spreadsheet, flag any discrepancies to the office manager, and file the source papers into the departmental filing system.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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File and organize documents
+Sort and index the incoming contracts folder, label each file with contract number and date, move completed…
File and organize documents
+Sort and index the incoming contracts folder, label each file with contract number and date, move completed files to the closed cases shelf, and email an updated folder map to the team before end of day.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Retrieve documents
+Locate and pull the customs declaration and original invoice for shipment CN-4589 from the archive, scan both…
Retrieve documents
+Locate and pull the customs declaration and original invoice for shipment CN-4589 from the archive, scan both to searchable PDF, attach them to the shipment record and notify the customs officer and operations lead they’re available.
The tools that do the workElectronic filingAdobe AcrobatESCOjob descriptions
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Track borrowed or removed files
+Log every file that leaves the records room today into the check-out ledger, include borrower name,…
Track borrowed or removed files
+Log every file that leaves the records room today into the check-out ledger, include borrower name, department, removal reason, expected return date, and barcode number, flag anything overdue for a phone follow-up by Thursday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Input documents into filing system
+Scan and index the incoming stack of vendor invoices and personnel forms into the central filing index,…
Input documents into filing system
+Scan and index the incoming stack of vendor invoices and personnel forms into the central filing index, assign each document a unique reference, attach the department code and retention period, then confirm upload and shred originals where retention allows.
The tools that do the workElectronic filingjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Staff service counters and assist customers
+Staff the front service counter from 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays, greet everyone by name when known, accept…
Staff service counters and assist customers
+Staff the front service counter from 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays, greet everyone by name when known, accept incoming parcels and mail, log each item in the incoming register, hand over confidential items only to the named recipient after ID check, and escalate any damaged or urgent deliveries to Facilities by phone.
The tools that do the workElectronic filingWikipedia
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Screen callers and direct inquiries
+Answer the service desk phone during shift, identify the caller and their unit, triage whether the inquiry is…
Screen callers and direct inquiries
+Answer the service desk phone during shift, identify the caller and their unit, triage whether the inquiry is mailbox, parcel, or records related, direct callers to the correct department extension or advise them to attend the counter, and record any sensitive requests in the enquiries log for follow-up.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookWikipedia
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Organise documents
+Collect the day’s delivered correspondence, sort it by team and urgency, remove staples and prepare each…
Organise documents
+Collect the day’s delivered correspondence, sort it by team and urgency, remove staples and prepare each bundle with a contents slip, file standard items into the departmental trays and scan confidential records into the secure archive with retention tags before routing to owners.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft SharePointESCO
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Sort papers alphabetically or by content
+Sort the incoming stack of paper and electronic records by surname A to Z and by document type so that…
Sort papers alphabetically or by content
+Sort the incoming stack of paper and electronic records by surname A to Z and by document type so that invoices, contracts, and correspondence are grouped, place alphabetic stacks in the outgoing tray and flag unclear items for Mary in Records by noon.
The tools that do the workElectronic filingjob descriptionsO*NET
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Find, retrieve, and make copies of information from files in response to requests and deliver information to authorized users.
+Locate the Johnson contract and the March invoice bundle, make two certified copies of each, stamp them…
Find, retrieve, and make copies of information from files in response to requests and deliver information to authorized users.
+Locate the Johnson contract and the March invoice bundle, make two certified copies of each, stamp them copied, log the retrieval in the access log, and deliver the originals and copies to Procurement Manager Aaron by 4pm.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft SharePointO*NET
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Answer questions about records or files.
+Answer Helen in Claims about whether the original policy file exists, confirm its shelf location and…
Answer questions about records or files.
+Answer Helen in Claims about whether the original policy file exists, confirm its shelf location and retention status, and tell her the earliest pickup time today or arrange a scanned extract if she needs it sooner.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft OutlookO*NET
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Retrieve documents stored in microfilm or microfiche and place them in viewers for reading.
+Pull the customer ledger rolls from microfilm cabinet 3, load film set B into the reader, scan pages 1–20 to…
Retrieve documents stored in microfilm or microfiche and place them in viewers for reading.
+Pull the customer ledger rolls from microfilm cabinet 3, load film set B into the reader, scan pages 1–20 to create readable image files, then return the film and save the images to the customer file folder for audit access.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatO*NET
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Create or update records
+Create a new employee personnel record for Laura Bennett, enter her hire date, department, and ID, attach her…
Create or update records
+Create a new employee personnel record for Laura Bennett, enter her hire date, department, and ID, attach her signed forms, set retention to seven years, and notify HR that the record is available for review.
The tools that do the workElectronic filingjob descriptions
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Label and index files
+Label the boxes on Shelf B4 with clear index tabs showing year, department, and contents, update the master…
Label and index files
+Label the boxes on Shelf B4 with clear index tabs showing year, department, and contents, update the master index so box 12 reads Finance 2023 Invoices, and generate an index printout for the front desk.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Assign identification numbers or codes
+Assign unique ID codes to the new intake batch of 124 envelopes, label each with the department code and…
Assign identification numbers or codes
+Assign unique ID codes to the new intake batch of 124 envelopes, label each with the department code and date, update the master index so codes do not collide with existing records, and file a printed ID roster in the front binder.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Scan or read incoming materials
+Scan the incoming post for Finance and HR, read each cover sheet to route confidential items, OCR the…
Scan or read incoming materials
+Scan the incoming post for Finance and HR, read each cover sheet to route confidential items, OCR the searchable images, name files by sender and date, and drop them into the department inboxes so managers can review today.
The tools that do the workAdobe Acrobatjob descriptions
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Process invoices and financial data
+Process this stack of supplier invoices: capture invoice number, date, supplier name and amount, enter totals…
Process invoices and financial data
+Process this stack of supplier invoices: capture invoice number, date, supplier name and amount, enter totals into the payables spreadsheet, flag any missing approvals, and forward PDFs to Accounts Payable for coding and payment tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelAdobe Acrobatjob descriptions
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Ensure confidentiality and data security
+Secure all incoming personnel and legal documents: segregate confidential mail, apply access stamps, lock…
Ensure confidentiality and data security
+Secure all incoming personnel and legal documents: segregate confidential mail, apply access stamps, lock originals in the restricted cabinet, record chain-of-custody entries, and email the security log to Records and Compliance before leaving.
The tools that do the workElectronic filingjob descriptions
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Monitor file room conditions
+Inspect the file room now: check humidity, temperature, shelf stability, light exposure, and any pest signs;…
Monitor file room conditions
+Inspect the file room now: check humidity, temperature, shelf stability, light exposure, and any pest signs; note any damaged folders, move at-risk boxes to the climate-controlled area, and file the condition report with Facilities.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions
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Remove outdated or unnecessary files
+Identify files older than seven years in the retention list, pull and review them for legal holds, destroy…
Remove outdated or unnecessary files
+Identify files older than seven years in the retention list, pull and review them for legal holds, destroy eligible documents by secure shredding, update the retention log with destruction dates, and notify the records manager of actions taken.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft SharePointjob descriptions
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Says who?
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Activities this job lives in
The human activities behind the tasks — each with its honest AI ceiling.
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Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.
Related careers
Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses