Timesheet Calculator
Track hours, calculate pay, and manage employee time with precision.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Break (min) | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 0:00 | |||
| Tuesday | 0:00 | |||
| Wednesday | 0:00 | |||
| Thursday | 0:00 | |||
| Friday | 0:00 | |||
| Saturday | 0:00 | |||
| Sunday | 0:00 |
Summary
Input Tips & Instructions
Time Entry Formats
- Hours only: Enter single or double-digit numbers (e.g.,
9for 9:00) - With colon: Enter hours and minutes separated by colon (e.g.,
9:30) - Without colon: Enter hours and minutes together (e.g.,
930for 9:30) - Decimal: Enter hours and decimal portion (e.g.,
9.5for 9:30)
Keyboard Navigation
- Press Tab to move between fields
- Press Enter to calculate
- Press Shift+Tab to move to the previous field
Special Time Formats
- Military time: In 24-hour mode, enter values like
1530for 3:30 PM - Midnight: Enter
12:00 AMor00:00in 24-hour mode - Noon: Enter
12:00 PMor12:00in 24-hour mode
Break Time
- Enter break time in minutes
- Break time is deducted from the daily total
- For multiple breaks, enter the combined total minutes
Common Input Examples
| What you type | Interpreted as |
|---|---|
9 | 9:00 |
930 | 9:30 |
1230 | 12:30 |
9.5 | 9:30 |
9:45 | 9:45 |
900 | 9:00 |
Timesheet Calculation Methods
Accurately tracking employee hours requires understanding different calculation approaches. The method you select affects both compliance and payroll accuracy.
Standard Hours Calculation
Most employers calculate work hours by tracking clock-in and clock-out times, then subtracting breaks. For example, an employee working 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch has worked 8 hours.
Time Rounding Practices
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) permits employers to round employee time in fixed increments, provided the rounding policy doesn’t consistently favor the employer.
| Rounding Increment | Rounding Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | Round to nearest 5 minutes | 8:07 → 8:05, 8:08 → 8:10 |
| 15 minutes | Round to nearest quarter hour | 8:05 → 8:00, 8:10 → 8:15 |
| 6 minutes | Round to nearest 1/10 hour | 8:03 → 8:00, 8:04 → 8:06 |
Overtime Calculation Rules
Overtime regulations vary by jurisdiction and industry. Understanding overtime rules ensures compliance and accurate payroll processing.
Federal FLSA Standards
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, at a rate of at least 1.5 times the regular pay rate.
- Workweek is a fixed, regularly recurring period of 168 hours (7 consecutive 24-hour periods)
- Overtime calculation is based on actual hours worked, not scheduled hours
- Paid leave (vacation, sick days, holidays) typically doesn’t count toward overtime threshold
- Employers may define when their workweek begins, but must maintain consistency
State-Specific Overtime
Some states have overtime laws that differ from federal standards. When state and federal laws differ, the standard more beneficial to employees applies.
California
- Daily overtime: over 8 hours in a workday
- Weekly overtime: over 40 hours in a workweek
- Double time: over 12 hours in a workday
- 7th day premium: first 8 hours on 7th consecutive workday
Colorado
- Daily overtime: over 12 hours in a workday
- Weekly overtime: over 40 hours in a workweek
- Overtime for consecutive days (specific industries)
Timesheet Best Practices
Effective timesheet management benefits both employers and employees by ensuring accurate pay, reducing disputes, and simplifying record keeping.
Consistent Tracking Procedures
Establish clear procedures for time tracking, including when and how employees should record time. Consistent procedures reduce errors and simplify training.
Secure Record Keeping
The FLSA requires employers to keep time records for at least two years. Maintain electronic or physical copies of all timesheets in a secure, organized system.
Regular Verification
Implement a verification process where employees and managers review and approve time records weekly or bi-weekly. This reduces discrepancies and resolves issues promptly.
Clear Documentation
Document time tracking policies and overtime rules in employee handbooks. Include examples of how to correctly complete timesheets and calculate hours.
Common Timesheet Errors
Timesheet errors can lead to payroll mistakes, compliance issues, and employee dissatisfaction. Identifying and preventing these common errors helps ensure accuracy.
Break Time Miscalculation
Error: Not deducting unpaid break time from total hours.
Impact: Overpayment and potential compliance issues.
Solution: Always record break times separately and subtract them from the total work hours. This calculator allows specific entry of break minutes for each day.
Overtime Threshold Confusion
Error: Using incorrect overtime thresholds for your jurisdiction.
Impact: Underpayment of overtime and potential legal liability.
Solution: Verify federal and state overtime requirements. Adjust the overtime threshold in the calculator settings to match your jurisdiction’s requirements.
Time Format Inconsistency
Error: Mixing 12-hour and 24-hour formats or inconsistently recording AM/PM.
Impact: Incorrect hour calculations, especially for shifts crossing noon or midnight.
Solution: Select your preferred time format (12-hour or 24-hour) in the calculator and use it consistently for all entries.
Rounding Errors
Error: Inconsistent or incorrect rounding of time entries.
Impact: Accumulated discrepancies in hours and pay.
Solution: Use the time rounding option in the calculator to apply consistent rounding rules that comply with labor regulations.
Timesheet Data for Payroll and Analysis
Beyond calculating hours for payroll, timesheet data provides valuable insights for workforce management and business planning.
| Data Point | Business Application | How to Calculate |
|---|---|---|
| Labor Cost Percentage | Measures labor costs as a percentage of revenue | Total weekly pay ÷ Weekly revenue × 100 |
| Overtime Percentage | Identifies departments or periods with excessive overtime | Overtime hours ÷ Total hours × 100 |
| Productive Hours Ratio | Measures time spent on billable or productive tasks | Productive hours ÷ Total hours × 100 |
| Absenteeism Rate | Tracks unplanned absences that affect scheduling | Hours absent ÷ Scheduled hours × 100 |
| Labor Cost per Unit | Evaluates production efficiency | Total labor cost ÷ Units produced |
Timesheet Record Keeping Requirements
Federal FLSA Requirements
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to maintain the following payroll records for at least 3 years:
- Employee’s full name and social security number
- Address, including zip code
- Birth date, if younger than 19
- Sex and occupation
- Time and day of week when employee’s workweek begins
- Hours worked each day and total hours worked each workweek
- Basis on which employee’s wages are paid
- Regular hourly pay rate
- Total daily or weekly straight-time earnings
- Total overtime earnings for the workweek
- All additions to or deductions from the employee’s wages
- Total wages paid each pay period
- Date of payment and the pay period covered by the payment
Note: Using this calculator creates documentation that helps fulfill FLSA requirements for tracking hours worked, but should be part of a comprehensive record-keeping system.