Why All File Clerks (and Other Office Workers) Should Learn to Use Document Management Software

When I began working in the clerical field, filing duties were usually in the top three of my daily priorities. Invoices, correspondence, actual folders and other like paperwork were placed on a daily basis by alphabetical, chronological, numerical or whatever order each company saw fit their needs best. I didn't mind it because I worked alone, was able to independently create a system that made things easy in case papers were misfiled or was interrupted to do other things.

The downside of those kinds of jobs are that files can be filthy (there's always someone who does not wash their hands after eating, using the restroom or blowing their nose. Ugh!), those who have access to the files and do not replace them properly (I've found this is due more to laziness than dyslexia) or the constant bending, kneeling and stooping can wreck havoc on the body. If you take short breaks as needed, use a stool and latex gloves this will make your job a little easier. Sometimes it helps more to keep chit-chat to a minimum so that you will not be distracted and lose your rhythm.

In the past few years, I have seen fewer and fewer job listings for file clerks. Most of the time, those responsibilities are given to administrative assistants or clerical workers. Depending on the company, a temporary or student worker may be brought in to take over filing duties during extremely busy times. If File Clerk is your working title, you may want to read on as technology once again has made things run faster, which increases productivity which can cause cutbacks in what may be deemed as unnecessary overhead.

Last fall, I worked at a transportation company that not only had many offices but had an average of seven sheets of paper per transaction. My job was to scan the paperwork using a high-speed (about 50 sheets a minute) top-load scanner, edit for basic clarity and index by category (this was usually purchase order, invoice, correspondence, checks and miscellaneous). My work was then forwarded to another clerical person who would double-check that everything was correct. Finally, within twenty-four hours, about twenty pounds of paperwork scanned and sorted by me was sent to a shredding company.

A recent job assignment had me using a very modern electronic document management software, made by eDrawer. Prior to this, the closest thing I had used was the database program, Microsoft Access in the mid-to-late nineties. As I watched the interactive tutorial, I became fascinated as to how any electronic document saved or scanned to the hard (or "C") drive could be sorted, saved and retrieved in less than half the time it takes to sort through tons of hard copy. Whether a person chooses to use the old school 3.5" floppy, USB flash drives or the 2.5" microdisk - the fact is you can't carry a metal cabinet in the palm of your hand!

This type of software, which ranges from $50 to a couple thousand, this would be a definite asset and a good investment for a growing company. For a computer-phobic file clerk, this could weaken their job security. Seriously. Following this method of filing increases physical space taken up by file cabinets and other items used to aide in the paper filing method, the increased speed allows for someone working in an office to do perform other duties such as reception relief or data entry and even the costs of higher priced software is much less than the annual salary of a file clerk (even if they only make minimum wage).

Now this may be good news for the clerical worker who enjoys learning and taking on new responsibilities. Especially, if you work for a small to mid-size company that may be profitable but still might jump at any chance to trim costs. If you have a good rapport with your immediate supervisor, it may not hurt to bring this up during a meeting. Since this would relate directly to your job, the company would probably pay normal wages as well as training expenses. If not, you can always take a course at your own expense and then write it off when you file taxes the following year. Finally, should you look for a new job, taking a class such as this not only looks good on paper but may bring an increase in salary.