What Do Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk Do?

Job Description & Duties Coordinate and expedite the flow of work and materials within or between departments of an establishment according to production schedule. Duties include reviewing and distributing production, work, and shipment schedules; conferring with department supervisors to determine progress of work and completion dates; and compiling reports on progress of work, inventory levels, costs, and production problems.

Life As a Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk: What Do They Do?

• Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
• Calculate figures, such as required amounts of labor or materials, manufacturing costs, or wages, using pricing schedules, adding machines, calculators, or computers.
• Compile information, such as production rates and progress, materials inventories, materials used, or customer information, so that status reports can be completed.
• Compile and prepare documentation related to production sequences, transportation, personnel schedules, or purchase, maintenance, or repair orders.
• Contact suppliers to verify shipment details.
• Revise production schedules when required due to design changes, labor or material shortages, backlogs, or other interruptions, collaborating with management, marketing, sales, production, or engineering.

What Every Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk Should Know

When polled, Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Parts Expediter
• Production Coordinator
• Pullman Car Clerk
• Assignment Agent
• Yardage Estimator

Job Outlook for Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks

In the United States, there were 329,400 jobs for Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 18,000 new jobs for Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk by 2026. The BLS estimates 35,500 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk are Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Delaware, Maine, or New Hampshire. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk Salary

Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks make between $29,610 and $75,110 a year.

Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks who work in Wyoming, District of Columbia, or New Mexico, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks in different U.S. states.

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$45,550
Alaska	$55,830
Arizona	$49,260
Arkansas	$48,740
California	$52,480
Colorado	$53,410
Connecticut	$56,370
Delaware	$52,980
District of Columbia	$60,830
Florida	$44,760
Georgia	$49,230
Hawaii	$52,390
Idaho	$45,690
Illinois	$49,270
Indiana	$50,320
Iowa	$48,380
Kansas	$51,340
Kentucky	$46,710
Louisiana	$53,960
Maine	$54,170
Maryland	$50,260
Massachusetts	$55,830
Michigan	$49,870
Minnesota	$50,760
Mississippi	$44,240
Missouri	$48,370
Montana	$52,910
Nebraska	$45,030
Nevada	$45,570
New Hampshire	$53,880
New Jersey	$50,860
New Mexico	$58,040
New York	$50,850
North Carolina	$46,240
North Dakota	$49,610
Ohio	$49,990
Oklahoma	$50,560
Oregon	$50,920
Pennsylvania	$47,850
Rhode Island	$54,370
South Carolina	$46,270
South Dakota	$41,830
Tennessee	$46,750
Texas	$49,310
Utah	$47,490
Vermont	$49,650
Virginia	$52,440
Washington	$51,000
West Virginia	$48,360
Wisconsin	$47,430
Wyoming	$60,020

Tools & Technologies Used by Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Access
• Data entry software
• SAP
• Microsoft Project
• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
• Structured query language SQL
• Microsoft Dynamics
• IBM Notes
• Google Docs
• FileMaker Pro
• Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
• Intuit QuickBooks
• Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
• Oracle PeopleSoft

How to Become a Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk

Learn what Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk education requirements there are.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk?

Who Employs Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks?

Below are examples of industries where Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks work:

Related Careers

Are you already one of the many Production, Planning, or Expediting Clerk in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• Farm Labor Contractors

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.