Will AI replace Sales administrators?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 46 official task statements scored for Sales administrators (United Kingdom, SOC 4151), 54% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 55 out of 100 (range 50–61, band: partial). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.

Which tasks in “Sales administrators” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Answer customer questions by email” (93/100, very high); “Raise invoices for billing purposes” (93/100, very high); “Record sales transactions to maintain financial accuracy” (93/100, very high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.

Which tasks in “Sales administrators” stay human?

About 35% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Use clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs” (4/100, minimal); “Send cash, cheques, or other forms of payment to banks” (8/100, minimal); “Deliver good customer service by responding swiftly to client queries and concerns” (9/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.

What should someone working in “Sales administrators” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 54% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 35% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.

How is the AI exposure score for Sales administrators calculated?

Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 46 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

UK dataswitch to US

Sales administrators

answering customer questions by email, delivering after-sales support services to ensure customer satisfaction and answering in-person enquiries and providing necessary information or assistance. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

This job is splitting in two: answering customer questions by email is work AI now does quickly and cheaply, and using clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs is work it can't touch.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 54%
changing shape: 11%
staying human: 35%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 55 out of 100 (50–61 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, across 46 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for sales administrators is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Which half fills your week decides your exposure. The ledger below shows which rows you can move toward.

Your week, as this page understands it

Sales administrators provide support to the process of selling equipment, materials and other products or services. The job title says “sales administrators”. The real job is the part underneath: using clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But sales administrators is not one task. It is 46 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is using clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 54%
changing shape: 11%
staying human: 35%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

17 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

25 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Answering customer questions by email
This is reading one thing and writing another: customer questions in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Answer customer questions by email.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Email replies drawn from company information are among the tasks software does most reliably.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Raising invoices for billing purposes
This is reading one thing and writing another: invoices in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Raise invoices for billing purposes.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Invoicing follows fixed rules on prices, tax and terms, and billing software already does most of it without help.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Recording sales transactions to maintain financial accuracy
This is reading one thing and writing another: sales transactions in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Record sales transactions to maintain financial accuracy.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Recording each sale in the books is rule-based data entry that computers already handle faster and more accurately than people.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Updating customer records and performing administrative tasks to ensure data accuracy
This is reading one thing and writing another: customer records in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Update customer records and perform administrative tasks to ensure data accuracy.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Updating customer records and tidying data is exactly what software does best, with no approval step attached.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Changing shape

5 tasks

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Resolving customer complaints related to sales transactions
The software now makes the first pass at customer complaints, but the part that matters is a person saying it and standing behind it. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Resolve customer complaints related to sales transactions.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 53 out of 100 (46–60 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Most complaint replies follow familiar patterns, but an unhappy customer usually wants a person who can listen and make a decision.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Collecting payments from customers
The software now makes the first pass at payments, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Collect payments from customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Card and online payment is fully automated, but taking cash over a counter still needs someone there.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining stock levels to ensure efficient inventory management
The software now makes the first pass at stock levels, but part of it still happens in the physical world. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Maintain stock levels to ensure efficient inventory management.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 41 out of 100 (34–48 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Working out what to reorder and when is well-documented number work software does well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 4/4.

Staying human

16 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Delivering after-sales support services to ensure customer satisfaction
The value here is that a specific person handles after-sales support services and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Deliver after-sales support services to ensure customer satisfaction.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 39 out of 100 (32–46 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Most after-sales queries follow familiar patterns software answers well, though some customers still want a person to reassure them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Answering in-person enquiries and providing necessary information or assistance
This work happens in the physical world: in-person enquiries, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Answer in-person enquiries and provide necessary information or assistance.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: The information is easy to look up, but the task is answering people who come to the desk.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Selling additional merchandise or services to prospective or current customers by telephone or through visits
The value here is that a specific person handles additional merchandise and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Sell additional merchandise or services to prospective or current customers by telephone or through visits.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Selling extra products depends on reading the customer in the moment, which a phone call or visit from a person still does best.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

Show the other 36 tasks

Verifying customer and ordering information for correctness against previously obtained information
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: customer in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Verify customer and order information for correctness against previously obtained information as necessary.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Cross-checking order details against records held elsewhere is exactly the kind of comparison work computers do quickly and reliably.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Reviewing sales receipts or till rolls to identify shortages
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: sales receipts in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Review sales receipts or till rolls to identify shortages.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Comparing till records against expected takings is arithmetic on structured data, which software does better than people.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Typing detailed reports for business analysis
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: detailed reports in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Type detailed reports for business analysis.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Producing detailed written reports from analysis is routine drafting software does quickly.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Typing letters for business communication
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: letters in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Type letters for business communication.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Drafting routine business letters is the task current writing tools do best, needing only a quick read-through before sending.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing sales contracts to confirm transaction details
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: sales contracts in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Prepare sales contracts to confirm transaction details.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 88 out of 100 (84–92 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Sales contracts follow standard wording, so a good first draft can be produced automatically and then checked by someone senior.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Conducting credit checks to assess financial reliability
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: credit checks in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Conduct credit checks to assess financial reliability.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 81 out of 100 (77–85 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Credit checks are automated lookups against a credit agency, returning a score with no manual work needed.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Obtaining customers' names, addresses, billing information, product numbers and specifications of items to be purchased and entering this information on order forms
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: customers' names, addresses, billing information in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Obtain customers' names, addresses, billing information, product numbers, and specifications of items to be purchased, and enter this information on order forms.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (75–83 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Taking down customer details and typing them onto an order form is exactly the sort of structured data entry software handles well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Responding to customer enquiries
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: customer enquiries in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Respond to customer enquiries.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (75–83 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Answering customer questions from known information is something software already does at speed and scale.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Providing accurate sales reports to inform business strategy and performance evaluation
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: accurate sales reports in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Provide accurate sales reports to inform business strategy and performance evaluation.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Sales figures already sit in the system, so pulling them into a report is easy, but deciding what matters still needs judgement.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Writing management reports on sales performance for strategic planning
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: management reports in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Write management reports on sales performance for strategic planning.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Reports draft readily from sales data, with the reader's context added by a person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Calculating and compiling order-related statistics
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: order-related statistics in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Calculate and compile order-related statistics.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Order statistics come from data already in the system, so calculating and presenting them is largely a spreadsheet job.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing bills of lading, invoices and other shipping documents
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: bills of lading, invoices and other shipping documents in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Shipping paperwork follows set formats filled from order data, though unusual consignments and customs rules still need a person to check.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing inventory records to support stock management processes
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: inventory records in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Prepare inventory records to support stock management processes.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Stock records are built from figures already in the system, so keeping them up to date is mostly desk work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Reviewing orders for completeness according to reporting procedures
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: orders in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Review orders for completeness according to reporting procedures.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Checking an order has everything it needs is a rule-based comparison, although odd cases still get referred to a person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Adhering to relevant legislation and maintaining required documentation
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: relevant legislation in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Adhere to relevant legislation and maintain required documentation.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 66 out of 100 (59–73 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Keeping required documentation is easily automated, though following the law is something the person and the business are answerable for.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Arranging deliveries to meet customer orders
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: deliveries in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Arrange deliveries to meet customer orders.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (60–68 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Booking deliveries against orders is planning done at a computer, using details already held in the ordering system.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Informing customers by post or telephone of order information
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: customers in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Inform customers by post or telephone of order information, such as unit prices, shipping dates, and any anticipated delays.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (60–68 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Order updates follow a set pattern and the dates and prices come straight from the system, though customers still like a person calling.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Forwarding incomplete orders for further processing
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: incomplete orders in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Forward incomplete orders for further processing.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Spotting what an order is missing and sending it onward follows clear rules, but chasing the gap often means talking to someone.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Ordering supplies to support sales activities
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: supplies in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Order supplies to support sales activities.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (60–68 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Reordering supplies runs on stock levels and usage patterns already recorded, though suppliers still get a call when something is short.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Sending orders to the proper departments for fulfilment
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: orders in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Send orders to the proper departments for fulfilment.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Sending orders to the right department follows clear routing rules, though someone often has to nudge the department that receives them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Tracing shipments in coordination with warehouse or common carrier personnel
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: shipments in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Trace shipments in coordination with warehouse or common carrier personnel.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Tracking a shipment means reading carrier systems, which is easy, but sorting out a lost load still means ringing the depot.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Filing copies of received orders
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at copies of received orders, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “File copies of received orders.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Filing order copies is straightforward once records are digital, though some paper still has to be handled in the office.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Organising paperwork to maintain accurate records
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at paperwork, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Organise paperwork to maintain accurate records.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Keeping records tidy is largely a filing-system job, but paper documents still need someone in the office to handle them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Suggesting best methods of packaging or labelling products
staying human
The ratings behind this row put best methods well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Suggest best methods of packaging or labelling products.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Choosing how to pack or label a product depends on handling it and knowing the materials, which is learnt on the job.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Coordinating production or shipping activities by conferring with establishment personnel
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles production and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Coordinate production or shipping activities by conferring with establishment personnel, suppliers, or customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 35 out of 100 (28–42 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Keeping production and shipping in step means chasing colleagues and suppliers, where much of the useful information is never written down.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Assisting with the sale of motor vehicles by providing information on motor finance products to customers
staying human
The rules require a named, qualified person to answer for the sale of motor vehicles, and that person cannot be a piece of software.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Assist with the sale of motor vehicles by providing information on motor finance products to customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 30 out of 100 (23–37 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Finance product details are easy to explain, but UK rules mean a trained person must handle motor finance conversations with buyers.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Communicating with customers to address their needs
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: customers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Communicate with customers to address their needs.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (13–27 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Serving a customer at the counter happens face to face.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Obtaining and handling client feedback
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: client feedback, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Obtain and handle client feedback, both positive and negative, to improve the business's services.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (13–27 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Collecting and sorting feedback automates well, but hearing a complaint in person does not.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Supervising the delivery of a quality service that supports the department in achieving overall business objectives
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: the delivery of a quality service, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Supervise the delivery of a quality service that supports the department in achieving overall business objectives.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (13–27 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Service standards can be planned and tracked on paper, but overseeing them happens in the room.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Examining merchandise to identify items
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: merchandise, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Examine merchandise to identify items to be reordered or replenished.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Reorder levels can be calculated, but looking over the merchandise means being there.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing and organising own work
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: own work, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Prepare and organise own work, following business/brand guidelines and procedures, meeting agreed deadlines.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 13 out of 100 (6–20 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Organising your own shift work happens on the restaurant floor, judging what needs doing next.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Providing excellent customer service by understanding the needs and expectations of customers
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: excellent customer service, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Provide excellent customer service by understanding the needs and expectations of customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 11 out of 100 (4–18 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Good service here comes from reading the customer standing in front of you.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Advising customers on merchandise selection
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: customers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Advise customers on merchandise selection.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Product knowledge is easy to look up, but the advice is given in person as the customer browses.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Delivering good customer service by responding swiftly to client queries and concerns
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: good customer service, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Deliver good customer service by responding swiftly to client queries and concerns.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 9 out of 100 (2–16 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Sorting out a guest's problem quickly usually means noticing it and dealing with it there at the table.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sending cash, cheques or other forms of payment to banks
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: cash, cheques or other forms of payment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4151/00
Source: “Send cash, cheques, or other forms of payment to banks.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (1–15 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cash and cheques have to be physically taken to the bank, so only the paperwork around the deposit can be produced automatically.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Using clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: clear, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4151/00
Source: “Use clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 4 out of 100 (0–11 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Building rapport with a customer happens face to face in the moment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: £28,700a year, before tax, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.ashe-t14, 2025 · ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
How we know this
Source: ashe-t14
Reference period: ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)
Rounding: Shown to the nearest £100. The exact published figure is in the downloadable dataset. We do not render pounds the survey cannot support.
People doing this job: 85,100in the UK, 2026.nomis-aps · Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period)This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: customer questions in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: answering customer questions by email and raising invoices for billing purposes. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where clear gets done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

The exposed part of your job is the biggest part, and I am not going to dress that up: answering customer questions by email is work today's tools do quickly and cheaply, and that is not coming back.

So, given all that: 54% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 11% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 35% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 46 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

What you have that the software does not is using clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs, plus the years of knowing when something looks wrong before you can say why. That is the raw material for everything below.

This week: one thing

Sit on the machine's side of the desk. Pick one real piece of customer questions you would normally do yourself, let whatever software you already have take the first pass at it, and then go through what it produced and write down every single thing it got wrong. One evening this week. Do not fix anything yet. Just catch it.

What you end up holding: a written list of the machine’s mistakes, in your handwriting
How long it takes: an evening, or an hour if you pick one job rather than one client

If you can’t run software on your employer’s or your clients’ data: Do the same hunt on paper. Take one printed piece of customer questions, work through it the way you always do, and mark every point where you made a call rather than followed a rule. Same evening, same list, nothing to log into and nobody to ask permission from. That list is the same artifact: it is the judgment written down.

Over the next 90 days

Change one sentence about what you do. Not on a CV. Out loud, to whoever pays you. From “my job is answering customer questions by email” to “I check what the software does and tell you what it means.” Your error list from this week is what makes that sentence true instead of a claim, so use it: show it once, to one person, inside the next ninety days. Same skills, priced as judgment rather than as typing.

Over the next 12 months

Walk toward the end of this job that answers for things, and get it recognised. Pick the one part of using clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs you are already best at, and spend the year making it formal: a qualification, a named responsibility, a specialism people ask for by name. Price it honestly: that is evenings, it is months rather than weeks, and the seats are competitive because everyone in your position is looking at the same door. Before you pay for anything, spend an hour with National Careers Service. It is free and government-funded, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest UK occupations to sales administrators (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was waiters and waitresses: only about 14% of its durable work is work you already do and it pays 20.2% less. Your own job splits about 54/46: that share of the list sits in the top exposure band and the rest does not. On this evidence the honest move is inside the job rather than out of it. Become the person who owns “advise customers on merchandise selection”, and let the exposed end go.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 412 UK occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Waiters and waitresses
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “use clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions…”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 14% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 14% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on. It is a pay cut, in those words: £22,936 against your £28,745, 20.2% less (ASHE Table 14.7a, 2025 provisional (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “assist with the sale of motor vehicles by providing information on motor finance products to customers”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 12% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 12% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Call and contact centre occupations
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “use clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions…”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 11% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 11% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on. I will not move you off one melting floe onto another: 58% of its own task list already scores in the top exposure band (61/100 in this release), so the same software is eating it.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 54% of its task weight, across 46 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
“It’s too late for me to become something else”
You are not starting from zero, and the page shows why: using clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs is work the software cannot do and you already do it. The move above is a repricing of what you know, not a new career. Nobody who has just left college has that.
“I should learn to code”
Almost certainly not. The value in your job is moving toward checking, deciding and answering for the output, not toward writing the software. A weekend of Python will not change your position; the error list from this week will.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United Kingdom figures

The United States splits this work across more than one official group, of which Correspondence Clerks is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United States page →partial match

The other groups this work is counted across:

In US official statistics this job is counted as Correspondence Clerks, Order Clerks, Information and Record Clerks, All Other and Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

Your route through this

Two honest options, and no deadline on either

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

In England:
National Careers Service
A free hour with a government-funded careers adviser is worth more than another evening of reading. In England that's the National Careers Service.
Free, government-funded
- Discover your skills and careers (the skills assessment)
In England:
National Careers Service - Find a course
Search what's actually running near you before you spend anything.
Free to search; individual courses vary
In England:
Free courses for jobs (Level 3 qualifications)
A free Level 3 qualification you already qualify for beats a paid course you don't need.
Free for eligible adults
In England:
Skills Bootcamps
Free, up to 16 weeks, and you get a job interview at the end. In England these are Skills Bootcamps - search what's running near you.
Free for eligible adults in England
- Skills Bootcamps - what they are and who can do them (DfE, Skills for Careers)
- Skills Bootcamps - JobHelp (DWP)
In Scotland:
My World of Work (Skills Development Scotland)
In Scotland it's My World of Work, from Skills Development Scotland.
Free, publicly funded
- Skills Development Scotland
In Wales:
Careers Wales
In Wales it's Careers Wales.
Free, Welsh Government-funded
In Northern Ireland:
Careers Service Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland it's the Careers Service on nidirect.
Free, Department for the Economy-funded

A nearby route

There's no Space built for sales administrators yet.

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

The closest match is Microsoft 365 Productivity Workers, a community for coordinators, administrators and team leads who run their working day in Outlook, Teams, meetings, files and task lists. It overlaps with the part of your job that is growing: the order, quote and follow-up trail, kept in one place rather than in a mailbox. If that overlap isn't you, the free route below covers the same ground.

Try Microsoft 365 Productivity Workers free →

7 days free, no card needed. Explore up to 2 Spaces before you choose a plan: you pick a plan later, not now.

After the trial it is a paid community, and you get identical data either way. If the overlap above is not your job, the moves above cost nothing and stand on their own.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for sales administrators launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Sales administrators?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 46 official task statements scored for Sales administrators (United Kingdom, SOC 4151), 54% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 55 out of 100 (range 50–61, band: partial). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Sales administrators” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Answer customer questions by email” (93/100, very high); “Raise invoices for billing purposes” (93/100, very high); “Record sales transactions to maintain financial accuracy” (93/100, very high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Sales administrators” stay human?: About 35% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Use clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs” (4/100, minimal); “Send cash, cheques, or other forms of payment to banks” (8/100, minimal); “Deliver good customer service by responding swiftly to client queries and concerns” (9/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Sales administrators” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 54% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 35% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Sales administrators calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 46 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

About the data on this page

Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
17 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: gaisi-indexProcessing: catalogue-bridge → ssc-relatedness-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: gaisi-index (relatedness)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
Pay and employment: ashe-t14 (ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025))nomis-aps (Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

How we score a job Download this release Look up another job

Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.