Records clerk duties cover the management of an organisation’s information as a governed asset rather than as filing. The role applies classification schemes, enforces retention rules, controls access and maintains the audit trail showing what happened to a record and when. In regulated South African environments it carries legal weight. This page sets out what a records clerk does, how the role differs from filing, the skills employers expect, and how to phrase these duties on a CV or in a job description.
What Does a Records Clerk Do?
A records clerk manages records through their full lifecycle: creation and capture, classification, storage, access, retention and eventual disposal. They maintain the systems and registers that make records findable and accountable, apply retention schedules that determine what is kept and for how long, and control who may access what.
The role exists because information carries obligations. Organisations must produce records during audits, disputes, regulatory inspections and legal proceedings, and must equally be able to show that records were disposed of properly and on time. A records clerk maintains the evidence for both.
How This Differs From a Filing Clerk
The two overlap and smaller organisations combine them, but the emphasis differs. A filing clerk is focused on the operational task: classifying, filing, retrieving and archiving documents so people can find them. A records clerk is focused on governance: maintaining the classification scheme itself, applying and enforcing retention schedules, controlling access rights, documenting disposal, and ensuring the organisation can account for its records.
Put simply, filing is about retrieval and records management is about accountability. Where an organisation employs both, the filing clerk works within the system the records clerk maintains. For the operational role see filing clerk duties, and for related positions see Admin and Office Duties.
Key Records Clerk Duties and Responsibilities
- Classifying and registering records according to the records classification scheme.
- Maintaining the classification scheme and file plan.
- Capturing records into the records or document management system with accurate metadata.
- Maintaining registers of records created, transferred, borrowed and returned.
- Controlling access to records according to authorisation and sensitivity levels.
- Applying retention schedules to determine retention periods for each record type.
- Identifying records due for archiving, transfer or disposal.
- Preparing and documenting the secure destruction of records at end of life.
- Maintaining the disposal register as evidence of proper destruction.
- Transferring inactive records to archive storage and recording locations.
- Retrieving records for audits, legal matters, investigations and regulatory requests.
- Ensuring records are protected against loss, damage and unauthorised access.
- Handling personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act.
- Supporting data subject access requests where the organisation receives them.
- Reporting missing records, breaches or non-compliance with records procedures.
- Training staff on records procedures and correct filing practice.
The accountability that defines the role is evidential. A records clerk must be able to demonstrate not only where a record is, but that it was handled correctly throughout its life, including that it was destroyed at the right time and for the right reason. That documentation trail is the output of the job.
Daily Records Clerk Duties
- Registering and classifying newly received records.
- Capturing records into the system with accurate metadata.
- Processing access and retrieval requests within agreed turnaround times.
- Updating registers of records issued and returned.
- Following up records that are overdue for return.
- Reviewing records approaching the end of their retention period.
- Preparing batches for archiving or secure destruction.
- Updating the disposal register with completed destructions.
- Advising staff on correct classification and filing.
Records Clerk Skills and Requirements
- Matric, with a records management, information management or archival qualification an advantage.
- Understanding of records lifecycle management and classification schemes.
- Familiarity with retention schedules and the obligations behind them.
- Working knowledge of records or document management systems.
- Accurate metadata capture and indexing.
- Understanding of the Protection of Personal Information Act as it applies to records.
- Awareness of statutory retention requirements under company and tax legislation.
- Discretion and integrity with confidential and sensitive records.
- Methodical, systematic working habits.
- Attention to detail sustained across repetitive registration work.
- Ability to enforce procedure with staff who find it inconvenient.
- Physical capability for handling boxes and accessing archive storage.
- Clear communication for advising staff and handling retrieval requests.
Records Clerk Duties for a CV
A records CV should show the volume and sensitivity of records managed, the systems used, and any governance or compliance responsibility. Experience in a regulated environment is treated as specialised.
- Managed records for a department generating approximately four thousand new records annually.
- Maintained the records classification scheme and advised staff on correct application.
- Applied retention schedules and prepared records for archiving and secure destruction.
- Maintained the disposal register as evidence of compliant destruction.
- Controlled access to confidential records according to authorisation levels.
- Retrieved records for annual audits and regulatory inspections within required timeframes.
- Supported data subject access requests under the Protection of Personal Information Act.
- Migrated a legacy paper archive into an electronic records management system.
- Trained departmental staff on records procedures, improving classification consistency.
Records Clerk Job Description Template
When advertising, state the volume and type of records, the regulatory environment, and whether the system is physical, electronic or hybrid. Name the records management system in use.
Be explicit about authority over retention and disposal, since this is what distinguishes a records role from a filing one. Say whether the clerk determines retention periods, authorises destruction, or refers those decisions upward. Where the organisation operates under specific statutory retention obligations, name them.
State the confidentiality and access control responsibilities, and whether the role supports data subject access requests. Include the physical requirements of archive handling, and specify whether the clerk trains or advises other staff, which is common and rarely mentioned in adverts.
FAQs
What are the main records clerk duties?
The main duties are classifying and registering records, maintaining the classification scheme, capturing records with accurate metadata, controlling access, applying retention schedules, preparing and documenting secure destruction, transferring records to archive, and retrieving records for audits and legal matters.
What are examples of records clerk duties?
Examples include registering and classifying a new batch of records, identifying records that have reached the end of their retention period, preparing them for secure destruction and updating the disposal register, retrieving records for a regulatory inspection, and advising a department on correct classification.
How is a records clerk different from a filing clerk?
A filing clerk focuses on classifying, filing, retrieving and archiving so documents can be found. A records clerk focuses on governance: maintaining the classification scheme, applying retention rules, controlling access and documenting disposal. Filing is about retrieval; records management is about accountability.
Why does retention matter so much in this role?
Because organisations must both produce records when required and demonstrate they disposed of them properly. Company law and tax legislation set minimum retention periods, while the Protection of Personal Information Act requires that personal information is not kept longer than necessary. The records clerk applies both.
How should records clerk duties be written in a job description or CV?
On a CV, give the volume and sensitivity of records, the systems used, and any retention, disposal or compliance responsibility you held. In a job description, state the record volume and regulatory environment, name the system, and define the authority over retention and destruction precisely.