An hourly timesheet template is a reusable form for recording when someone starts and finishes work, takes breaks, and spends time on tasks. Use the blank template below to log hours by day, then total and review the entries before submitting or filing the sheet.
What an Hourly Timesheet Records
An hourly timesheet documents time worked over a defined period, such as a day, week, or pay period. Unlike a schedule, which shows planned shifts, a timesheet records what actually happened. It can help an employee report hours and give a manager or project lead a consistent way to review work time.
A useful sheet usually captures the date, start and end times, unpaid break duration, and hours worked. It may also include the employee’s name, the covered dates, a task or project, and a space for notes or approval. The right fields depend on how the form will be used: a person tracking a single job may need only daily totals, while a contractor or project team may need to divide hours among different tasks.
Keep the distinction between time worked and time away from work clear. For example, a shift from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a 30-minute unpaid break represents eight hours worked. The timesheet should show the shift times and break separately, rather than treating the full span as work time.
Hourly Timesheet Template
Copy or print this generic weekly form. Write times in a consistent format, such as 8:00 a.m. or 08:00, and use the same unit for totals throughout the sheet. Add rows if the work period includes more days or separate task entries.
| Blank Hourly Timesheet | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee | Week or period beginning | |||||||
| Date | Start time | End time | Unpaid break | Regular hours | Overtime hours, if applicable | Total hours | Task or project | Initials or notes |
| Period total | ||||||||
Fictional sample entry: Jordan Sample, Monday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., 0:30 unpaid break, 8.00 regular hours, 0.00 overtime hours, 8.00 total hours; task: inventory check. This example only illustrates how to fill the fields; apply the timekeeping rules that govern your own workplace.
How to Fill In the Sheet
Complete identifying details first so a loose page can still be matched to the right person and period. Enter each workday on its own row. If the person works multiple shifts in one day, either list each shift separately or use a notes field to make the split unambiguous. For project-based tracking, separate tasks into distinct rows when the time must be allocated to different work.
Record start and end times as soon as practical, rather than relying on memory at the end of the week. Enter breaks according to the form’s instructions and distinguish unpaid breaks from paid rest periods if the workplace tracks them differently. If a shift crosses midnight, make the date change clear—for example, by using two rows or noting the next-day end time—so the elapsed time is not mistaken for an unusually long shift.
- Use one time style throughout the sheet, such as 12-hour time with a.m. and p.m. or 24-hour time.
- Leave no ambiguity about a missing entry: use the workplace’s approved notation for a day off or no hours, rather than silently leaving a confusing gap.
- Add a brief note for unusual circumstances, such as a shift split across locations, if the form allows it.
- Review the entries and complete any required acknowledgement or approval fields before submission.
Do not change a recorded time merely to make the totals look tidy. If you discover an error, follow the employer’s correction process, make the correction traceable, and preserve the accurate information. For a self-employed worker, a consistent dated record can also make it easier to review how much time went to each client or project.
Calculating Hours and Breaks
For a straightforward shift, subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract any unpaid break that should not count as work time. In the sample, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. spans 8.5 hours; subtracting a 0.5-hour break gives 8.0 hours worked. If a form records break minutes, enter 30 minutes. If it records decimal hours, enter 0.50. Do not mix these units in one column.
Decimal hours are not the same as minutes written after a decimal point. For instance, 7 hours and 30 minutes is 7.50 hours, not 7.30 hours, because 30 minutes is half an hour. A helpful conversion is to divide minutes by 60: 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.50, and 45 minutes is 0.75. Keep the original clock times as well as any decimal total so the calculation can be checked.
Some forms distinguish regular and overtime hours, but the categories and calculation rules depend on the applicable workplace policy and requirements. Do not assume a particular weekly threshold or method from a generic template. The form is a recordkeeping aid, not a determination of what hours qualify for a category. If your situation requires an interpretation of employment, tax, or record-retention obligations, ask a qualified professional.
Choosing a Paper or Digital Format
A printable sheet is practical when workers need to record time away from a computer, when a supervisor signs paper forms, or when a simple weekly record is enough. It is easy to carry and does not require a device, but handwriting can be hard to read, arithmetic can be missed, and paper can be misplaced. Use clear writing and keep a copy according to the organization’s process.
A digital spreadsheet or fillable document can make totals easier to calculate and corrections easier to review. It may also be convenient for sharing, but check that formulas use the intended time format and that access is limited to people who need the records. A formula can produce a wrong result if a break is entered as hours instead of minutes, or if a shift crossing midnight is not handled correctly.
Choose based on the work, not just appearance. Consider whether people need to enter time by day or by project, whether they work overnight or irregular shifts, who reviews the entries, and whether a signed approval is required. A one-page weekly form is often simpler for a stable schedule; a more detailed daily log may suit changing shifts or work split among tasks. Whatever the format, keep the fields consistent from one period to the next.
Common Timesheet Errors
Many problems come from unclear entries rather than complicated calculations. A start time without a.m. or p.m., a break recorded without saying whether it is minutes or decimal hours, or a total with no underlying clock times can all prompt questions. Establish a standard format and label each column so that another reader can understand the entry without guessing.
- Forgetting a break: Compare the daily total with the shift span and confirm that breaks are handled as intended.
- Using inconsistent rounding: Follow one approved method rather than rounding some entries up and others down.
- Duplicating time: Check that overlapping shifts or task rows do not count the same minutes twice.
- Leaving corrections unexplained: Use the correction process and add a short note when needed, rather than obscuring the original record.
- Adding totals incorrectly: Recheck the daily entries and the period total, especially when converting minutes to decimal hours.
Rounding deserves particular care. Do not invent a rounding rule for convenience: use the method specified by the organization or system responsible for the record. If a person notices a discrepancy between a schedule, a punch record, and a timesheet, the entries should be checked against the underlying information instead of silently copying one number over another.
Timesheet, Timecard, and Work Log Compared
These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they can describe different ways of recording time. A timesheet is commonly a form or report where hours are entered for a period, often with task or project details. A timecard may refer to a record of clock-in and clock-out events, whether recorded on paper or electronically. A work log can be broader, with notes about activities, deliverables, or time spent on individual tasks.
The best choice depends on what needs to be documented. Use a basic timesheet when the main need is a clear summary of daily hours. Use a more detailed work log when allocating time among projects matters. A clock-based record may be useful where exact arrival and departure events need to be captured. One form can combine these purposes, but adding fields that nobody uses makes the sheet harder to complete and review.
Reviewing and Keeping Records
Before submitting a completed sheet, check that the employee and period are identified, every workday has an understandable entry, breaks and totals are expressed consistently, and the period sum matches the daily values. A reviewer can compare unusual entries with schedules or other records and ask for clarification while the events are still recent. Make approvals or returned corrections visible according to the process in use.
Keep completed timesheets in a consistent, access-controlled location and name files so they can be found later, such as by employee identifier and period end date. Avoid placing sensitive personal details in a general notes field; record only information needed to explain time entries. Retention and access requirements can vary by situation, so do not treat a generic template as a policy for how long records must be kept.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should an hourly timesheet include?
A basic form includes the employee’s name, the dates covered, daily start and end times, unpaid break duration, hours worked, and a period total. Add task, project, approval, or notes fields when they serve a clear purpose.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the number of minutes by 60. For example, 15 minutes is 0.25 hours and 45 minutes is 0.75 hours. Add that decimal to the whole hours; 7 hours and 30 minutes becomes 7.50.
Should I include lunch breaks on a timesheet?
Record breaks in the way the form or workplace process requires. A sheet may need the break duration to explain the shift span, even when that break is excluded from the hours-worked total. Do not assume all breaks are treated the same.
Can one timesheet cover multiple projects?
Yes. Use a separate row or clearly labeled allocation for each project when time needs to be divided. Make sure the task-level entries add up to the daily total and do not overlap.
What should I do if I made a timesheet mistake?
Follow the applicable correction process, explain the change if required, and keep the corrected record clear and traceable. If you are unsure which process applies, ask the person responsible for reviewing timesheets.