Clerical work refers to daily office duties, such as data entry, answering phone calls, as well as sorting and filing documents. Clerical duties are often found in different types of administrative and office support roles.

Clerical work typically involves repetitive tasks, such as typing, whereas administrative work entails making decisions. Administrative workers tend to have less supervision. Think of clerical employees as those who keep the office functioning by doing a variety of tasks. That way administrative staff can focus on making decisions when needed.