What Material Recording Clerks Do

Material recording clerks keep track of information to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.  

Duties

Material recording clerks typically do the following:

• Keep records of items shipped, received, or transferred to another location
• Compile reports on various aspects of changes in production or inventory
• Find, sort, or move goods between different parts of the business
• Check records for accuracy

As warehouses increase their use of automation and computers, clerks will become more adept at using technology. Many clerks use tablets or hand-held computers to keep track of inventory. New sensors and tags enable these computers to automatically detect when and where products are moved, making clerks’ jobs more efficient.

Production, planning, and expediting clerks ease the flow of information, work, and materials within or among offices in a business. They compile reports on the progress of work and on any production problems that arise. These clerks set workers’ schedules, estimate costs, keep track of materials, and write special orders for new materials. Expediting clerks are in contact with vendors to ensure that supplies and equipment are shipped on time. They also may inspect the quality of products.

Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks keep track of and record all outgoing and incoming shipments and ensure that they have been filled correctly. Many of these clerks scan barcodes with hand-held devices or use radiofrequency identification (RFID) scanners to keep track of inventory. They also compute freight costs and prepare invoices for other parts of the organization. Some of these clerks move goods from the warehouse to the loading dock.

Stock clerks and order fillers receive, unpack, and track merchandise. They retrieve customer orders and transport products from a warehouse to shelves in stores. They keep a record of all items that enter or leave the stockroom and inspect for damaged goods. These clerks also use hand-held scanners to keep track of merchandise.

Material and product inspectors weigh, measure, check sample, and keep accurate records on materials, supplies, and other equipment that enters a warehouse. They verify the quantity and quality of items they are assigned, checking for defects and recording what they find. To gather information, they use scales, counting devices, and calculators. Some clerks also prepare reports on warehouse inventory levels.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition