MDS generally supplies clerical services in preparing documents for data entry, scanning or lockbox processing. Paper documents are obtained in several ways. MDS maintains a bank of PO Boxes where respondents can send reply cards, applications, etc. or customers can have the US Postal Service forward mail from an existing PO Box. A freight carrier such as UPS or FedEx can also be used to send physical documents. If scanned images are utilized, they can be sent in an electronic file or on CD-ROM. MDS logs the receipt of all incoming documents.

Documents arriving from the US Postal Service are in envelopes and must be opened and the contents removed. MDS has invested in automated equipment capable of opening hundreds of pieces of mail per minute. Certain mail responses may need to be culled out and returned to the client. Many projects involve multiple forms and like forms are generally sorted together for further processing. Staples need to be removed for scanning or if a staple covers information that is going to be data entered. Documents that are disheveled, skewed, folded, upside down or backwards are placed in an orderly stack with all the documents facing the same direction. For tracking and control purposes, documents are divided into batches of a manageable size.

MDS will also handle disposition of the documents. MDS can (1) store the documents for a specified period of time, (2) return the documents, (3) recycle the documents or (4) give the documents to a third party and have their destruction certified.