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document clerk

title: Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Document Clerk
salary: $28,000 - $45,000 / year
categories: [Administrative, Records Management, Office Support, Document Control]
description: A comprehensive overview of the key responsibilities, required technical skills and professional background for the role of a Document Clerk.
Hiring a detail-oriented Document Clerk to manage, organize, and control paper and electronic records. Ideal candidate has strong document control experience, proficiency with document management systems (DMS), excellent data-entry accuracy, and a solid understanding of records retention and compliance. This job listing is optimized for search: document clerk, document control, records management, filing clerk, records clerk, document scanning, data entry, DMS.

🎯 Role Definition

A Document Clerk (also known as Records Clerk or Document Control Clerk) is responsible for the accurate intake, processing, indexing, retention, retrieval, and disposition of corporate and client documents. This role ensures that paper and electronic records are organized, secure, and accessible, supporting operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness. The Document Clerk routinely interacts with cross-functional teams (legal, HR, finance, operations) to maintain document workflows, update document control logs, and implement improvements to filing and retrieval processes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Administrative Assistant
  • Data Entry Clerk
  • Mailroom Clerk

Advancement To:

  • Senior Document Control Specialist
  • Records Manager
  • Compliance Coordinator
  • Office Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Control Coordinator
  • Records Analyst
  • Legal Support Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Receive, review, and process incoming and outgoing documents (paper and electronic) by verifying completeness, applying required stamps/labels, and entering metadata into the document management system to ensure accurate tracking and version control.
  • Maintain a structured and consistent filing system—both electronic and physical—by indexing files according to established naming conventions, retention schedules, and confidentiality classifications to support quick retrieval.
  • Scan, OCR (optical character recognition), and quality-check bulk paper records for conversion to electronic format; ensure image quality, searchable text accuracy, and linkages to the correct database records.
  • Perform high-volume, high-accuracy data entry of document attributes, client IDs, dates, and reference numbers into DMS and enterprise systems; validate entries against source documents to minimize errors.
  • Implement and enforce records retention schedules by identifying expired records, initiating approved disposition or archival workflows, and preparing records for secure destruction or transfer to offsite storage in accordance with policy.
  • Manage and update physical records inventories and location logs, coordinate transfers between departments or to offsite storage facilities, and track chain-of-custody for sensitive materials.
  • Process confidential and regulated documents (e.g., legal, HR, medical, financial) in compliance with corporate policies and applicable laws (HIPAA, GDPR, SOX, or industry-specific regulations), ensuring appropriate access controls and audit trails.
  • Create and maintain document control logs, version histories, and change records; ensure the latest approved versions are accessible and obsolete versions are archived or removed from active workflows.
  • Respond to internal and external document requests, locate and deliver records on time, and provide supporting documentation for audits, legal holds, or regulatory inquiries.
  • Reconcile discrepancies between physical and electronic records by performing periodic audits, identifying missing or misplaced files, and conducting investigations to resolve issues and update records.
  • Coordinate with IT and DMS vendors to troubleshoot system issues, request enhancements, and participate in DMS upgrades and testing to ensure continuity of document workflows.
  • Prepare and ship records and document packages for court filings, compliance reviews, third-party audits, or inter-office transfers; track shipments and confirm receipt.
  • Support onboarding and offboarding processes by ensuring employee records are created, maintained, and removed in accordance with retention policies, and by transferring documents to appropriate locations when roles change.
  • Label, barcode, and track consumables and archival boxes; maintain inventory of supplies necessary for document processing (labels, forms, archival sleeves) to prevent workflow interruptions.
  • Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions for document intake, scanning, indexing, and retention; train colleagues on proper document handling practices to ensure consistency and compliance.
  • Monitor and report key performance indicators (KPIs) for records management such as processing time, retrieval turnaround, error rates, and storage utilization; recommend process improvements based on metrics.
  • Prepare periodic reports for compliance, legal, and operations teams summarizing retention actions, outstanding requests, and audit findings to support risk mitigation efforts.
  • Support legal holds and eDiscovery by isolating relevant documents, preserving metadata, and preparing production sets while maintaining strict chain-of-custody documentation.
  • Ensure physical files are stored securely in accordance with access and security policies; control access permissions for electronic documents and maintain logs of user access and changes.
  • Assist with digitization projects and document migration efforts by coordinating scanning schedules, verifying metadata mapping, and validating post-migration accessibility and integrity.
  • Perform routine quality assurance checks on document indexing and naming conventions; correct misfiled or poorly indexed records to maintain searchability and accuracy.
  • Communicate proactively with stakeholders (operations, legal, HR, finance) to clarify document requirements, resolve ambiguities, and reduce rework from improperly submitted or incomplete documentation.
  • Maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when handling sensitive or personal information; escalate suspected breaches or policy violations to management immediately.
  • Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to streamline document handling and retrieval, including recommending automation opportunities (barcoding, bulk import tools, workflow rules) and piloting new processes.
  • Assist in the preparation and support of internal and external audits by compiling requested documentation, demonstrating retention/retrieval procedures, and implementing audit recommendations in the records program.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc document special projects such as large-scale digitization, back-file indexing, and content migration to new DMS platforms.
  • Create and maintain training materials, user guides, and quick-reference documentation for document control processes and DMS usage.
  • Provide frontline support for user questions about document access, retrieval procedures, and document format standards.
  • Help manage document-related vendor relationships, including mailroom providers, scanning vendors, and offsite storage companies; coordinate pick-ups and returns.
  • Participate in cross-functional meetings to align document workflows with changing business needs and compliance requirements.
  • Assist the records manager with compiling monthly metrics, SLA performance reports, and recommendations for resource allocation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Document Management Systems (DMS) proficiency: experience with tools like SharePoint, OpenText, Documentum, Laserfiche, M-Files, or similar platforms.
  • High-accuracy data entry and metadata tagging skills with sustained typing speed and low error rate.
  • Scanning and OCR workflow expertise, including batch scanning, image enhancement, and text recognition validation.
  • Knowledge of records retention and disposition practices, including creation and application of retention codes and schedules.
  • Familiarity with regulatory compliance requirements relevant to records (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR, SOX) and the ability to implement controls accordingly.
  • Strong file naming, indexing, and version control practices to maintain integrity of active and archived records.
  • Basic understanding of document security and access control mechanisms, including role-based permissions and audit logging.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel for inventory and reconciliation, Word for document templates, Outlook for communications).
  • Experience with barcoding, labeling systems, and inventory management tools for physical records handling.
  • Ability to prepare documentation for legal holds, eDiscovery, and audit productions while maintaining chain-of-custody.
  • Familiarity with imaging hardware (scanners, multifunction devices) and basic troubleshooting.
  • Knowledge of quality assurance techniques for verifying data integrity and correcting indexing errors.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and sustained focus when handling repetitive tasks.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills to prioritize high-volume workloads and meet retrieval SLAs.
  • Effective written and verbal communication to interact with internal stakeholders, vendors, and auditors.
  • Discretion and integrity when working with confidential or sensitive information.
  • Problem-solving orientation with the ability to identify root causes of misfiled documents and implement corrective actions.
  • Customer-service mindset to respond to and fulfill document requests promptly and courteously.
  • Adaptability to changing processes and willingness to learn new systems or standards quickly.
  • Team collaboration skills to support cross-functional projects and handoffs.
  • Analytical mindset to use metrics for continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
  • Dependability and accountability for maintaining uptime of records services and meeting audit requirements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or certificate in Records Management, Office Administration, Library Science, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Records Management / Information Management
  • Office Administration
  • Library Science
  • Business Administration
  • Legal Studies / Paralegal Foundations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–3 years in document control, records management, or administrative data entry roles.

Preferred:

  • 2–5 years of progressive experience in document control or records management within regulated industries (legal, healthcare, finance, manufacturing).
  • Proven experience working with enterprise DMS systems, retention schedules, and audit support for internal or external reviews.
  • Prior exposure to digitization projects, bulk scanning, and migration activities is highly desirable.
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