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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Order Desk Clerk

💰 $ - $

OperationsCustomer ServiceSupply Chain

🎯 Role Definition

An Order Desk Clerk is responsible for accurate and timely order entry, order maintenance, customer confirmations, and cross-functional coordination to ensure exceptions and fulfilment issues are resolved quickly. This role supports sales and operations by managing sales orders (phone, email, web, and EDI), monitoring inventory availability, coordinating shipments and returns, performing order reconciliations, and maintaining customer records in ERP/CRM systems. The Order Desk Clerk acts as the primary contact for customers and internal stakeholders on order status, delivery updates, pricing/credit issues, and logistics exceptions.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Customer Service Representative (Order Entry)
  • Warehouse or Shipping Associate
  • Sales Support Specialist

Advancement To:

  • Order Desk Supervisor / Lead
  • Customer Success or Account Manager
  • Operations or Fulfillment Supervisor
  • Supply Chain Analyst

Lateral Moves:

  • Inventory Analyst
  • Shipping & Logistics Coordinator
  • Billing & Collections Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Process and enter a high volume of customer orders (phone, email, EDI, web portal) into the ERP/order management system with meticulous attention to SKU numbers, pricing, discounts, delivery dates, billing terms and special instructions to maintain order accuracy and reduce fulfillment errors.
  • Validate customer pricing, terms, and contract exceptions at order entry and escalate or obtain approvals for any deviations to protect margin and ensure contractual compliance.
  • Confirm orders with customers by proactively communicating order receipt, expected ship dates, partial shipments, backorders, and any changes to product availability or lead times.
  • Monitor order status through each stage—picking, packing, shipment, invoicing—and coordinate with warehouse and logistics partners to expedite urgent orders and resolve shipping or fulfillment exceptions.
  • Manage backorders and replenishment requests by tracking expected receipt dates, communicating options to customers (substitutions, partial shipments, cancelations), and updating orders accordingly.
  • Resolve discrepancies between orders, inventory, and invoices by researching system records, shipment documentation, and communicating with operations, finance, and customers to issue corrections or credits.
  • Create and maintain sales orders, quotes, credit memos, invoices, and purchase order confirmations in the ERP or order management platform following company policies and audit requirements.
  • Process returns and RMAs (Return Material Authorizations), coordinate inspections with quality/warehouse teams, and ensure timely credit issuance or replacement fulfillment per warranty and return policies.
  • Manage EDI transactions and interfaces (orders, acknowledgements, shipping notices, invoices) including troubleshooting mapping issues, testing new EDI partners, and coordinating with IT or third-party providers to ensure seamless data exchange.
  • Perform credit checks, apply credit holds, obtain approvals for orders that exceed credit limits, and coordinate with the credit and collections team to minimize financial risk.
  • Prepare and transmit shipping documents, packing lists, commercial invoices, and customs paperwork for domestic and international shipments, ensuring compliance with export/import regulations and Incoterms.
  • Maintain up-to-date customer master data: create new customer accounts, update pricing, ship-to/bill-to addresses, tax and resale certificates, and ensure billing and shipping instructions are accurate.
  • Collaborate with sales representatives and account managers to process special orders, drop-ship arrangements, and customer consignments; ensure appropriate documentation and communication flows to fulfillment partners.
  • Generate and distribute regular and ad-hoc order reports (open orders, backorders, shipments, order cycle times) to sales, operations, and management to support decision-making and SLA monitoring.
  • Reconcile physical shipments to invoices and orders by auditing packing lists, carrier tracking, and freight bills to prevent mis-billing and to resolve freight discrepancies.
  • Coordinate with carriers and third-party logistics providers for booking pickups, securing freight quotes, tracking shipments, and resolving carrier claims related to damage or loss.
  • Support month-end billing and order close processes by ensuring all shipped orders are invoiced, credit memos are processed, and revenue recognition data is accurate in collaboration with finance.
  • Audit orders for regulatory, customer-specific, and internal compliance requirements (dangerous goods declarations, restricted party screening, or contractually mandated labeling) and record required documentation.
  • Identify and implement process improvements to reduce order cycle time, minimize data entry errors, and improve cross-functional handoffs; document standard operating procedures for the order desk.
  • Train and mentor new hires on order entry procedures, system use, exception handling, and customer communication best practices to maintain continuity and quality of service.
  • Act as a point of escalation for customer order inquiries, troubleshooting product availability issues, delivery discrepancies, and billing disputes, delivering resolution in a timely, professional manner.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with periodic inventory cycle counts by providing order history and exception reports to inventory control and reconciling discrepancies that affect available-to-promise (ATP).
  • Support the master data governance process by flagging inconsistent SKUs, duplicate accounts, and pricing anomalies for correction.
  • Participate in cross-functional project work such as ERP upgrades, order-to-cash optimization initiatives, and EDI onboarding for new customers/vendors.
  • Communicate service level metrics and customer feedback to operations and sales leadership to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Work with procurement and demand planning teams to address emergent supply constraints impacting orders and customer commitments.
  • Provide backup coverage for billing, collections, and customer service queues during peak periods or staff absences.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Order Entry / Order Management Systems: Expert-level experience entering and maintaining sales orders in ERP platforms (e.g., SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics).
  • EDI & File Transmissions: Practical knowledge of EDI 850/810/855/856 transaction sets, mapping basics, and coordinating EDI partner testing and troubleshooting.
  • ERP & CRM Proficiency: Proven ability to navigate and update customer master data, pricing matrices, and inventory records in integrated ERP/CRM systems.
  • Microsoft Excel & Reporting: Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, data validation) and experience building/analysing order and fulfillment reports.
  • Shipping & Logistics Knowledge: Familiarity with carrier booking, freight terms (FOB/EXW/CIF), tracking systems, and generating shipping documentation for domestic and international orders.
  • Billing & Invoicing: Experience preparing and validating invoices, issuing credit memos, and reconciling billing disputes with finance.
  • Inventory & ATP Concepts: Understanding of available-to-promise (ATP), backorder management, and how order entry affects inventory and fulfillment.
  • Payment Processing & Credit Checks: Experience processing credit card payments, validating payment terms, and applying credit holds or approvals.
  • Regulatory & Export Documentation: Basic knowledge of export documentation (commercial invoice, packing list, ECCN, HTS codes) and customs requirements for international shipments.
  • Data Quality & Master Data Management: Ability to maintain accurate customer and product master files, enforce naming conventions, and prevent duplicate records.
  • Order-to-Cash Workflow: Familiarity with the full order-to-cash cycle and the interdependencies between sales, warehouse, shipping, and finance.

Soft Skills

  • Customer Service Orientation: Strong customer-facing skills with a focus on responsiveness, clear communication, and proactive status updates.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous accuracy in data entry, pricing validation, and documentation to minimize fulfillment and billing errors.
  • Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis: Ability to investigate order exceptions, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
  • Time Management & Prioritization: Skill at managing competing priorities, urgent orders, and peak workload periods while meeting SLAs.
  • Communication & Collaboration: Clear written and verbal communication to coordinate with internal teams, carriers, and customers across time zones.
  • Adaptability & Flexibility: Comfortable working in fast-paced, changing environments with evolving product lines and customer requirements.
  • Teamwork & Mentoring: Willingness to support colleagues, train new staff, and share process improvements.
  • Integrity & Confidentiality: Protect sensitive customer and financial information; exercise good judgment on credit and pricing matters.
  • Conflict Resolution: Tact in handling escalations, negotiating solutions, and de-escalating customer complaints.
  • Continuous Improvement Mindset: Drive process efficiency, reduce manual work, and support automation initiatives.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Accounting, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics & Transportation
  • Operations Management
  • Accounting / Finance

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–4 years of order entry, customer service, or logistics experience in a fast-paced distribution, manufacturing, or B2B sales environment.

Preferred:

  • 2–5 years experience with ERP systems (SAP, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Epicor), demonstrated EDI exposure, and prior experience coordinating with warehouse and shipping teams. Experience in B2B order-to-cash processes, international shipping documentation, or technical product environments is a plus.
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