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How an administrative services manager can use AI, task by task

O*NET 11-3012.00: Administrative Services ManagersMedian pay $114,130/year (BLS, May 2025)18 tasksJob Zone 3: Medium preparation

Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services.

Type your own title and every prompt on this page updates to match. Also called: Administrative Coordinator, Administrative Director, Administrative Manager, Administrative Officer, Administrator, Business Administrator, Business Manager.

Where AI fits in this job

AI-ready 28%AI-assist 59%Stays human 13%

Share of the job's tasks, weighted by how important and how frequent each task is (O*NET ratings). 5 AI-ready, 11 AI-assist and 2 human-led tasks out of 18. This measures where AI can help, not whether the job will disappear.

Information & paperwork
Thinking & planning
People & communication
Leading & teaching
Hands-on & physical

Shape of the job: importance of each kind of work activity (O*NET, 1 to 5).

🗓 Start here on Monday

The most frequent, most important tasks where AI can help right away.

  1. Set goals and deadlines for the department.Plan & schedule · Monthly
  2. Prepare and review operational reports and schedules to ensure accuracy and efficiency.Write it up · Weekly
  3. Plan, administer, and control budgets for contracts, equipment, and supplies.Crunch the numbers · Weekly

AI can draft these 5

AI produces a usable first pass. You review it, fix it and own it.

Prepare and review operational reports and schedules to ensure accuracy and efficiency.

Weekly

AI writes the first draft from your notes; you check every fact.

📊 Real AI use (Anthropic Economic Index, Apr 2026 to May 2026): AI completed the task directly in 94% of those conversations; the rest were back-and-forth with the person.

Show prompt & steps

Give AI your rough notes, numbers or last version and it will turn them into a clean, well-structured first draft. You check every fact and figure before it goes anywhere.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to prepare and review operational reports and schedules to ensure accuracy and efficiency.

Context: We use Microsoft SharePoint and Adobe Acrobat.
Project or operation: [describe]
Updates: [paste]

Draft a status report: on track, risks, decisions needed. Use plain language and headings where they help, and mark anything you had to guess with [CHECK].

10-minute exercise: Status report

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you prepare and review operational reports and schedules (this week).
Step 2Fill in [Project or operation] and [Updates] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Check every fact, name and number against your source before it goes anywhere.

AI will happily make up numbers, names and dates. Every fact in the draft needs checking against your source.

Importance 3.7/5 · core task · O*NET work activity: Prepare operational progress or status reports..

Develop operational standards and procedures for the work unit or department.

AI writes the first draft from your notes; you check every fact.

Show prompt & steps

Give AI your rough notes, numbers or last version and it will turn them into a clean, well-structured first draft. You check every fact and figure before it goes anywhere.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to develop operational standards and procedures for the work unit or department.

Context: We use Microsoft SharePoint and Adobe Acrobat.
Area: [department, food production]
Requirements: [rules, safety]

Draft standards and procedures. Use plain language and headings where they help, and mark anything you had to guess with [CHECK].

10-minute exercise: Standards document

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you develop operational standards and procedures.
Step 2Fill in [Area] and [Requirements] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Review with staff and regulators as needed.

AI will happily make up numbers, names and dates. Every fact in the draft needs checking against your source.

O*NET work activity: Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures..

Learn to operate new office technologies as they are developed and implemented.

AI is a patient tutor for new rules and techniques.

Show prompt & steps

AI is a patient personal tutor. It explains new rules, techniques and technology at your level, quizzes you and builds a study plan.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to learn to operate new office technologies as they are developed and implemented.

Context: The work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Tool or topic: [software, method]
My level: [beginner, intermediate]

Teach me in 5 short lessons with exercises, then quiz me. Use examples from my line of work, quiz me with 5 questions one at a time, and list trustworthy sources.

10-minute exercise: Learn a new tool

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you learn to operate new office technologies.
Step 2Fill in [Tool or topic] and [My level] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Use the tool on a real task.

AI's knowledge has a cutoff date. For new regulations and standards, always confirm against the official source.

O*NET work activity: Maintain current knowledge related to work activities..

Manage paper or electronic filing systems by recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records or correspondence.

AI writes the first draft from your notes; you check every fact.

📊 Real AI use (Anthropic Economic Index, Apr 2026 to May 2026): AI completed the task directly in 87% of those conversations; the rest were back-and-forth with the person.

Show prompt & steps

Give AI your rough notes, numbers or last version and it will turn them into a clean, well-structured first draft. You check every fact and figure before it goes anywhere.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to manage paper or electronic filing systems by recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records or correspondence.

Context: We use Microsoft SharePoint and Adobe Acrobat.
Records: [paper, electronic]
Users: [describe]

Draft a filing structure and naming rules. Use plain language and headings where they help, and mark anything you had to guess with [CHECK].

10-minute exercise: Filing system

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you manage paper or electronic filing systems.
Step 2Fill in [Records] and [Users] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Check every fact, name and number against your source before it goes anywhere.

AI will happily make up numbers, names and dates. Every fact in the draft needs checking against your source.

O*NET work activity: Maintain records, documents, or other files.. Also involves: Select resources needed to accomplish tasks..

Read through contracts, regulations, and procedural guidelines to ensure comprehension and compliance.

AI pulls out what matters from long documents in seconds.

📊 Real AI use (Anthropic Economic Index, Apr 2026 to May 2026): AI completed the task directly in 56% of those conversations; the rest were back-and-forth with the person.

Show prompt & steps

Paste a long document, manual or policy into AI and ask for the parts that matter to you. You get a summary in seconds, then you read the key sections it points you to.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to read through contracts, regulations, and procedural guidelines to ensure comprehension and compliance.

Context: The work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Document: [paste the contract, regulation, manual or report section]
Why I'm reading it: [decision or task it feeds]

Give me a 5-bullet summary, the requirements or obligations it creates, key numbers and dates, and terms I should look up. Quote the source sentence for each point.

10-minute exercise: Get the key points from technical reading

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you read through contracts, regulations, and procedural guidelines.
Step 2Paste it into [Document] and say what you need it for in [Why I'm reading it].
Step 3Verify two quotes against the original and note anything important it skipped. Confirm the rules against the current official source.

Remove names and private details before pasting, and check your employer's rules on what you can share with AI tools.

Rules and regulations vary by place and change often. Confirm against the official source before relying on anything.

O*NET work activity: Read documents to gather technical information.. Also involves: Evaluate information related to legal matters in public or personal records..

AI can help you prep these 11

AI speeds up the prep, drafting or thinking. The core of the task is still yours.

Set goals and deadlines for the department.

Monthly

AI lays out options and timelines to react to.

📊 Real AI use (Anthropic Economic Index, Apr 2026 to May 2026): AI completed the task directly in 31% of those conversations; the rest were back-and-forth with the person.

Show prompt & steps

AI can lay out options, timelines and checklists to react to. Fitting it to your people, budget and situation is your call.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to set goals and deadlines for the department.

Context: We use Microsoft Project and Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management; the work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Department: [describe]
Priorities: [list]

Draft objectives, deadlines and owners. Lay it out as a table with steps, owner, timing and what could go wrong, then list the decisions I still need to make.

10-minute exercise: Department goals

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you set goals and deadlines.
Step 2Fill in [Department] and [Priorities] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Cross out anything that won't work on the ground and ask AI to revise with your corrections.

AI doesn't know your people, your site or your history. Treat its plan as a starting point to react to.

Importance 3.7/5 · core task · O*NET work activity: Develop organizational goals or objectives..

Plan, administer, and control budgets for contracts, equipment, and supplies.

Weekly

AI does the arithmetic and suggests what to look at; the conclusions are yours.

Show prompt & steps

AI can do the arithmetic, build the spreadsheet formula and suggest what to look at. Deciding what the numbers mean for your situation is still you.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to plan, administer, and control budgets for contracts, equipment, and supplies.

Context: We use IBM SPSS Statistics and SAS; the work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Program or unit: [describe]
Costs and income: [paste]

Build a budget with assumptions and formulas. Show your working step by step and give spreadsheet formulas so I can reproduce the numbers.

10-minute exercise: Operating budget

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you plan, administer, and control budgets (this week).
Step 2Fill in [Program or unit] and [Costs and income] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Recompute the most important number yourself before you trust the rest. Recompute every total yourself.

AI makes arithmetic mistakes. Recompute anything that matters with a spreadsheet formula.

Rules and regulations vary by place and change often. Confirm against the official source before relying on anything.

Double-check every number. AI can make arithmetic and rounding mistakes.

Importance 4.1/5 · O*NET work activity: Prepare operational budgets..

Analyze internal processes and recommend and implement procedural or policy changes to improve operations, such as supply changes or the disposal of records.

Monthly

AI helps you prepare clearer wording and likely questions.

📊 Real AI use (Anthropic Economic Index, Apr 2026 to May 2026): AI completed the task directly in 36% of those conversations; the rest were back-and-forth with the person.

Show prompt & steps

Use AI to prepare: simpler wording, analogies, likely questions and a one-page handout. The conversation itself is yours.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to analyze internal processes and recommend and implement procedural or policy changes to improve operations, such as supply changes or the disposal of records.

Context: We use Microsoft Visio; the work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Issue: [describe]
Options: [list]

Write a recommendation memo with trade-offs. Use plain language, one everyday analogy, and the questions people are most likely to ask with short answers.

10-minute exercise: Policy change recommendation

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you analyze internal processes.
Step 2Fill in [Issue] and [Options] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Check every answer is right for your workplace before you share it.

Rules, prices and policies change. Make sure AI is working from your current official version.

Importance 3.3/5 · core task · O*NET work activity: Recommend organizational process or policy changes.. Also involves: Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities..

Acquire, distribute and store supplies.

Weekly

AI preps the paperwork; approving and paying stay with you.

Show prompt & steps

AI can prep the paperwork, extract details from documents and make checklists. Approving, paying and verifying stay with you.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to acquire, distribute and store supplies.

Context: We use Intuit QuickBooks and Fund accounting software.
Resources: [supplies, equipment]
Needs: [describe]

Make an inventory and distribution tracker. Point out anything missing or inconsistent and suggest a template I can reuse.

10-minute exercise: Resource inventory

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you acquire, distribute and store supplies (this week).
Step 2Fill in [Resources] and [Needs] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Save the template and use it on the next one. Time both.

Personal, financial and health data shouldn't go into AI tools unless your employer has approved one for it.

Importance 3.4/5 · core task · O*NET work activity: Manage inventories of products or organizational resources.. Also involves: Purchase materials, equipment, or other resources..

Communicate with and provide guidance for external vendors and service providers to ensure the organization, department, or work unit's business needs are met.

AI drafts clear messages and talking points.

Show prompt & steps

AI can draft updates, emails and talking points so your message is clear and complete. Relationships and real-time calls are yours.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to communicate with and provide guidance for external vendors and service providers to ensure the organization, department, or work unit's business needs are met.

Context: We use IBM Notes.
Recipient: [vendor, regulator]
Information: [describe]

Draft the message. Keep it under 150 words with a clear ask, plus a 2-sentence version for chat.

10-minute exercise: Technical communication to external parties

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you communicate with provide guidance.
Step 2Fill in [Recipient] and [Information] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Edit it until it sounds like you, then send it yourself.

Never let AI send messages for you. Read every word, because tone mistakes cost trust.

O*NET work activity: Communicate technical information to suppliers, contractors, or regulatory agencies..

Establish work procedures or schedules to organize the daily work of administrative staff.

AI lays out options and timelines to react to.

Show prompt & steps

AI can lay out options, timelines and checklists to react to. Fitting it to your people, budget and situation is your call.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to establish work procedures or schedules to organize the daily work of administrative staff.

Context: We use Microsoft Project and Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management; the work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Who I schedule: [staff, attorneys, team]
Fixed commitments: [meetings, deadlines, court dates, hours]

Draft a weekly schedule or calendar that avoids conflicts and leaves buffer time, and list anything that needs a decision.

10-minute exercise: Staff schedule and calendar

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you establish work procedures or schedules.
Step 2Fill in [Who I schedule] and [Fixed commitments] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Check it against everyone's real availability before sending.

AI doesn't know your people, your site or your history. Treat its plan as a starting point to react to.

O*NET work activity: Prepare employee work schedules.. Also involves: Develop organizational policies or programs..

Meet with other departmental leaders to establish organizational goals, strategic plans, and objectives, as well as make decisions about personnel, resources, and space or equipment needs.

AI drafts clear messages and talking points.

Show prompt & steps

AI can draft updates, emails and talking points so your message is clear and complete. Relationships and real-time calls are yours.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to meet with other departmental leaders to establish organizational goals, strategic plans, and objectives, as well as make decisions about personnel, resources, and space or equipment needs.

Context: We use IBM Notes and Human resource management software HRMS.
Decision: [operational plan]
Inputs: [data, conditions]

Draft a briefing and options. Keep it under 150 words with a clear ask, plus a 2-sentence version for chat.

10-minute exercise: Decision meeting prep

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you meet with other departmental leaders to establish organizational goals. Leave out names and identifying details.
Step 2Fill in [Decision] and [Inputs] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Edit it until it sounds like you, then send it yourself.

Never let AI send messages for you. Read every word, because tone mistakes cost trust.

O*NET work activity: Confer with managers to make operational decisions..

Oversee payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.

AI preps the paperwork; approving and paying stay with you.

Show prompt & steps

AI can prep the paperwork, extract details from documents and make checklists. Approving, paying and verifying stay with you.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to oversee payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.

Context: We use Intuit QuickBooks and Fund accounting software.
Area: [payroll, plans, approvals]
Tasks: [describe]

Organize a checklist and calendar. Point out anything missing or inconsistent and suggest a template I can reuse.

10-minute exercise: HR activities organization

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you oversee payroll functions.
Step 2Fill in [Area] and [Tasks] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Save the template and use it on the next one. Time both. Recompute every total yourself.

Personal, financial and health data shouldn't go into AI tools unless your employer has approved one for it.

Double-check every number. AI can make arithmetic and rounding mistakes.

O*NET work activity: Manage human resources activities..

Represent work unit at meetings or conferences and serve as liaison for requests or complaints.

AI builds you an answer bank; exceptions and the human touch are yours.

Show prompt & steps

Build a personal answer bank with AI for the questions you get every day. In the moment, the human touch and the judgment about exceptions are yours.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to represent work unit at meetings or conferences and serve as liaison for requests or complaints.

Context: We use Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge; the work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Complaints I get: [list typical ones]
What I can offer: [fixes, policies]

Write responses that acknowledge, explain and resolve. Keep answers to 2-3 sentences and flag any that depend on the situation.

10-minute exercise: Complaint responses

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you represent work unit.
Step 2Fill in [Complaints I get] and [What I can offer] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Make sure every offer is within your authority.

Don't paste customers' personal details into AI tools. Describe the situation instead.

O*NET work activity: Respond to customer problems or complaints..

Conduct classes to teach procedures to staff.

A few times a year

AI preps the materials; reading the room is you.

Show prompt & steps

AI preps the materials: lesson outlines, quizzes, examples, practice scenarios. Reading the room and coaching people is still you.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to conduct classes to teach procedures to staff.

Context: We use Microsoft PowerPoint; the work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Topic: [describe]
Employees: [describe]

Plan a program with sessions and evaluation. Include timings, a realistic practice scenario from my work, and a short check for understanding with answers.

10-minute exercise: Employee training program

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you conduct classes.
Step 2Fill in [Topic] and [Employees] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Swap one AI example for a real story from your own work. Real stories are what people remember.

Check that every procedure in the material matches your workplace's actual standards.

Importance 3.2/5 · core task · O*NET work activity: Conduct employee training programs..

Hire and terminate clerical and administrative personnel.

A few times a year

AI drafts the structure and wording; the specifics and sign-off are yours.

Show prompt & steps

AI can draft the structure and standard wording. The specifics, the judgment calls and the sign-off are yours.

Ready-to-use prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to hire and terminate clerical and administrative personnel.

Context: We use Microsoft SharePoint and Adobe Acrobat.
Role: [describe]
Needs: [duties, skills]

Draft a job description, posting and interview questions. Use plain language and headings where they help, and mark anything you had to guess with [CHECK].

10-minute exercise: Hiring documents

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you hire and terminate clerical and administrative personnel. Leave out names and identifying details.
Step 2Fill in [Role] and [Needs] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Check the posting for biased or unlawful wording.

AI will happily make up numbers, names and dates. Every fact in the draft needs checking against your source.

Importance 4.0/5 · O*NET work activity: Hire personnel..

These stay human 2

They need your hands, your presence or your accountable judgment. Lean into them: they get more valuable as routine work is automated.

📏 Measured in this job (O*NET work context): Face-to-face discussions: every day · Contact with others: contact with others most of the time · Dealing with the public: very important · Responsible for others' health and safety: high responsibility

Direct or coordinate the supportive services department of a business, agency, or organization.

Daily

Leading people runs on trust. AI can prep the paperwork around it.

Show prep prompt & steps

Where AI still helps: AI can prep the paperwork around leading: meeting agendas, feedback drafts, rotas, briefings and difficult-conversation rehearsals.

Prep prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to direct or coordinate the supportive services department of a business, agency, or organization.

Context: The work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Department: [admissions, support services]
Goal: [describe]

Help me prepare: the key message in 2 sentences, what good looks like, how people might react and how I'll respond, and one thing I'll check next week.

10-minute exercise: Directing support services

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you direct or coordinate the supportive services department of a business, agency (today).
Step 2Fill in [Department] and [Goal] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Afterward, note one thing people responded to and one thing you'd change.

Importance 3.9/5 · O*NET work activity: Direct administrative or support services..

Supervise administrative staff and provide training and orientation to new staff.

Leading people runs on trust. AI can prep the paperwork around it.

Show prep prompt & steps

Where AI still helps: AI can prep the paperwork around leading: meeting agendas, feedback drafts, rotas, briefings and difficult-conversation rehearsals.

Prep prompt

I work as an administrative services manager. Part of my job is to supervise administrative staff and provide training and orientation to new staff.

Context: The work draws on administration and management, administrative and customer and personal service.
Team: [admin, customer service]
Issue or goal: [describe]

Help me prepare: the key message in 2 sentences, what good looks like, how people might react and how I'll respond, and one thing I'll check next week.

10-minute exercise: Supervising office staff

Step 1Pick a real example: the next time you supervise administrative staff.
Step 2Fill in [Team] and [Issue or goal] with the real details, then run the prompt.
Step 3Afterward, note one thing people responded to and one thing you'd change.

O*NET work activity: Supervise clerical or administrative personnel..

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Your next moves

Skills to build

From O*NET's ratings of how important each skill is in this job, matched to which part of the work it supports.

With AI Use these to work with AI

When AI does the first draft, these are the skills you use to brief it and check what comes back.

  • Active Listeningimportance 4.0/5
    Used in: Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
  • Critical Thinkingimportance 3.8/5
    Used in: Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
  • Speakingimportance 3.9/5
    Used in: Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
  • Writingimportance 3.8/5
    Used in: Documenting/Recording Information

Where you could move

Related jobs from O*NET with the closest skill profile, favouring ones where more of the work stays human. No step down in preparation.

Getting into this job

High school diploma is most common (34% of workers)

  • High school or less 34%
  • Certificate or some college 26%
  • Associate's 12%
  • Bachelor's 24%
  • Graduate degree 4%
  • On-the-job training: 1–3 months
  • Related experience: 2–4 years

What workers in this job report, from O*NET surveys (typical values).

Software in this job

In-demand tools from O*NET. Many now have AI built in, so check what yours can do before adding a new tool.

Adobe AcrobatAtlassian JIRAAutodesk AutoCADGoogle DocsIBM SPSS StatisticsIntuit QuickBooksMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Project