Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks

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.

Also called: Expeditor, Inventory Control Specialist, Material Requirements Planner (MRP), Materials Coordinator, Materials Planner, Production Assistant, Production Clerk, Production Controller, Production Planner, Production Scheduler, Advertising Dispatch Clerk, Aircraft Log Clerk, Alterations Workroom Clerk, Assignment Agent, Assignment Clerk, Automated Logistical Specialist, Back Shoe Worker, Batch Records Clerk, Beef Tagger, Billet Recorder, Box Estimator, Clerical Production Worker, Computer Processing Scheduler, Computerized Mill Recorder, Control Clerk, Crew Scheduler, Customer Supply Coordinator, Cycle Counter, Data Processing Control Clerk, Dispatcher Clerk, Ends Breakage Clerk, Engineering Document Control Clerk, Expeditor Clerk, Extension Clerk, Fabric and Accessories Estimator, Follow Up Clerk, Formula Clerk, Frequency Checker, Gas Flow Regulator, Inventory Analyst, Inventory Auditor, Inventory Control Coordinator, Inventory Controller, Inventory Coordinator, Inventory Management Specialist, Inventory Planner, Inventory Technician, Jacket Preparer, Jewelry Estimator, Job Checker, Job Estimator, Job Spotter, Job Tracer, Kit Planner, Labor Expediter, Load Planner, Locomotive Lubricating Systems Clerk, Logistics Clerk, Lot Worker, Lumber Estimator, Machine Stoppage Frequency Checker, Maintenance Scheduler, Manufacturing Planner, Material Control Clerk, Material Coordinator, Materials Clerk, Materials Control Clerk, Materials Controller, Materials Dispatcher, Materials Expediter, Materials Lister, Materials Man, Materials Requisitioner, Materials Scheduler, Materials Worker, Metal Checker, Metal Control Coordinator, Metal Flow Coordinator, Mill Order Scheduler, Mill Recorder, Millwork Estimator, Order Detailer, Order Dispatcher, Order Expediter, Order Planner, Order Schedule Clerk, Paperboard Boxes Estimator, Paperboard Products Production Scheduler, Parts Cataloguer, Parts Coordinator, Parts Expediter, Personnel Scheduler, Piece Goods Clerk, Planning Technician, Plant Clerk, Printing Estimator, Procurement Cost Coordinator, Production Associate, Production Checker, Production Control Coordinating Clerk (PC Coordinating Clerk), Production Control Coordinator (PC Coordinator), Production Control Expeditor (PC Expeditor), Production Control Planner (PC Planner), Production Coordinator, Production Counter, Production Dispatcher, Production Expeditor, Progress Clerk, Pullman Car Clerk, Relay Record Clerk, Repair Clerk, Repair Order Clerk, Reproduction Order Processor, Requisition Approver, Retort Load Expeditor, Schedule Checker, Schedule Clerk, Schedule Maker, Scheduling Coordinator, Scheduling Specialist, Service Order Expeditor, Shop Router, Stock Chaser, Television Production Clerk, Television Schedule Coordinator, Ticket Scheduler, Timer, Transportation Coordinator, Unit Supply Specialist, Upholstery Estimator, Weave Defect Charting Clerk, Work Ticket Distributor, Yardage Control Clerk, Yardage Estimator

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Distribute production schedules or work orders to departments.
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.
Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
Arrange for delivery, assembly, or distribution of supplies or parts to expedite flow of materials and meet production schedules.
Confer with establishment personnel, vendors, or customers to coordinate production or shipping activities and to resolve complaints or eliminate delays.
Requisition and maintain inventories of materials or supplies necessary to meet production demands.
Confer with department supervisors or other personnel to assess progress and discuss needed changes.
Plan production commitments or timetables for business units, specific programs, or jobs, using sales forecasts.
Compile information, such as production rates and progress, materials inventories, materials used, or customer information, so that status reports can be completed.

Skills, machines and equipment

Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Active Listening
Time Management
Critical Thinking
Writing
Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Coordination
Social Perceptiveness
Judgment and Decision Making
Systems Analysis

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (36.75% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

47,820–75,000 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 43-5061.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop inventory, scheduling, planning, and supply-chain analysis experience; explore coordinator, planner, or logistics-lead responsibilities.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (36.75% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks