Billing clerks keep the records, calculate the charges, and maintain the files of payments made for goods or services. Billing machine operators run the machines that generate the bills, statements, and invoices.
Billing clerks review purchase orders, bills of lading, sales tickets, hospital records, or charge slips to calculate the total amount due from a customer. In accounting, law, consulting, and similar firms, billing clerks calculate client fees based on the actual time required to perform the task. They keep track of the accumulated hours and dollar amounts to charge to each job, the type of job performed for a customer, and the percentage of work completed. In hospitals, calculating the charges for an individual's hospital stay may require a letter to an insurance company, whereas a clerk computing trucking rates for machine parts may consult a rate book. After billing clerks review all necessary information, they compute the charges using calculators or computers. They then prepare the itemized statements, bills, or invoices-depending on the organization's needs-used for billing am recordkeeping purposes. In one organization, the clerk might prepare a simple bill that only contains the amount due and the date and type of service; in another, the clerk would produce a detailed invoice that includes the codes for all goods and service provided. This latter form might list the items sold, credit terms date of shipment or dates services were provided, a salesperson' or doctor's identification, if necessary, and the sales total.
Once all the information has been entered, billing machine operators then run off the bill that will be sent to the customer. In a growing number of firms, billing machines are being replaced by computers and specialized billing software that allow clerks to calculate charges and prepare bills in One Step Computer packages prompt clerks to enter data from hand-written forms and manipulate the necessary entries of quantities, labor, and rates to be charged. Billing clerks verify the entry of information and check for errors before the bill is printed by the computer. After the bills are printed, billing clerks check them again for accuracy.
Working Conditions
Billing clerks generally work in an office environment, usually in centralized units away from the organization's front office. They may have to sit for extended periods.
An increasing number of billing clerks use computers as part of their daily routine. Workers who spend a lot of time a computers may experience eye and muscle strain, backaches, headaches, and repetitive motion injuries.
Most of these workers work regular business hours. Billing clerks in hotels, restaurants, and stores may work overtime during peak holiday and vacation seasons.
Employment
In 1994, billing clerks held about 323,000 jobs, and billing machine operators held about 96,000. About four of every ten billing clerks and billing machine operators were employed by banks and other financial institutions, insurance companies, and other organizations providing business and health services. About one of every five employees was found in wholesale and retail establishments, and a significant number worked in manufacturing, transportation, communications, and utilities. Approximately one in six billing clerks and billing machine operators works part-time.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Most billing clerk jobs are entry-level positions. Most employers require applicants to have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. A higher level of education will usually be favored over a high school diploma, but it is not generally required. However, in some cases, more extensive education is mandatory. Regardless of the type of work being done, most employers prefer those who are computer literate. Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet software is especially valuable, as is experience working in an office and good interpersonal skills.
High schools, business schools, and community colleges teach office skills. Business education programs typically include courses in typing (keyboarding), word processing, shorthand, business communications, records management, and office systems and procedures.
Some entrants are college graduates with degrees in business, finance, or the liberal arts. Although a degree is rarely required, many graduates take entry-level clerical positions to get into a company or into the finance and accounting field, with the hope of being promoted to professional or managerial jobs. Some companies, such as brokerage and accounting firms, have a set plan of advancement that tracks college graduates from entry-level clerk jobs into management positions. These workers may start at higher salaries and advance more rapidly than those without a degree.
Once hired, billing clerks generally receive on-the-job training. Under the guidance of a supervisor or senior worker, new employees learn company procedures. Some formal classroom training may be necessary, such as training in operating specific computer software.
Billing clerks must be careful, orderly, and detail-oriented in order to avoid making errors and to be able to recognize errors made by others. These workers must also be honest, discreet, and trustworthy because they frequently come in contact with confidential material. Billing clerks should have a strong aptitude for numbers.
Workers usually advance by taking on more duties in the same occupation with higher pay. Others advance to closely related occupations.
Job Outlook
Job openings for persons seeking work as billing clerks or billing machine operators are expected to be numerous. Despite the lack of employment growth, many job openings will occur as these workers transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Turnover in this occupation is relatively high, characteristic of an entry-level occupation requiring only a high school diploma.
Little change is expected in the employment of billing clerks through the year 2005. A growing economy and a greater demand for billing services will result in more business transactions, but productivity increases will keep employment from rising. Billing clerks will be affected as computers are increasingly used to manage account information. Less routine, more complex billing applications will increasingly require workers with greater technical expertise.
Employment of billing machine operators is expected to decline through the year 2005 as billing machines are replaced by more advanced machines and computers that enable billing clerks to perform the jobs formerly done by billing machine operators. In smaller firms, accounting clerks are taking over the responsibilities of billing clerks and billing machine operators due to productivity gains from billing software.
Earnings
Salaries of billing clerks vary considerably. Region of the country, size of city, and type and size of establishment all influence salary levels. The level of industry or technical expertise required and the complexity and uniqueness of a clerk's responsibilities may also affect earnings. Median earnings of full-time billing clerks in 1994 were $19,500.
In the federal government in 1995, billing clerks with a high school diploma or clerical experience typically started at $ 16,700 a year. Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas where the prevailing local pay level was higher.
In addition to salary, billing clerks receive the same package of benefits as other employees in the organization. Sick and annual leave, life and health insurance, and retirement plans are common.
Related Occupations
Most billing clerks today enter data into a computer system and perform basic analysis of the data. Other clerical workers who enter and manipulate data are bank tellers, statistical clerks, receiving clerks, medical record clerks, hotel and motel clerks, credit clerks, and reservation and transportation ticket agents.
Related D.OJ. Jobs
These job titles are related to or more specific than the more general description above. They will help you identify job options you may not otherwise discover. These descriptions are in the current edition of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and classified by numerical order.
There are too many D.O. T. titles to list here. Most are variations related to a specific industry, and a small number of representative D. O. T. titles are shown as examples. Complete lists are available in various career software published by JIST or directly from the U.S. Department of Labor.
211.482-014 FOOD CHECKER; 211.482-018 FOOD-AND-BEVERAGE CHECKER; 214.267-010 RATE ANALYST, FREIGHT; 214.362-014 DOCUMENTATION-BILLING CLERK; 214.362-022 INSURANCE CLERK; 214.362-026 INVOICE-CONTROL CLERK; 214.362-038 TRAFFIC-RATE CLERK; 214.362-042 BILLING CLERK; 214.382-014 BILLING TYPIST; 214.382-030 SETTLEMENT CLERK; 214.387-010 BILLING-CONTROL CLERK; 214.387-014 RATE REVIEWER; 214.387-018 SERVICES CLERK; 214.462-010 ACCOUNTS-ADJUSTABLE CLERK; 214.482-014 DEPOSIT-REFUND CLERK; 214.482-018 MEDICAL-VOUCHER CLERK; 214.482-022 RATER; 216.382-022 BUDGET CLERK; 216.382-034 COST CLERK; 216.382-050 POLICY-VALUE CALCULATOR; 216.382-054 RECEIPT-AND-REPORT CLERK; 241.267-026 DEPOSIT CLERK; 249.367-034 EVALUATOR
Sources of Additional Information
State employment service offices can provide information about job openings for record clerks.
