A biweekly time card template is a reusable record for tracking an employee’s work hours across a 14-day period, including shift times, unpaid breaks, and daily totals. Use the blank printable tracker below to record each day, then add the hours for the full period and submit it according to your workplace’s process.
What “Biweekly” Means on a Time Card
In payroll and scheduling, “biweekly” usually means once every two weeks. A biweekly time card therefore commonly covers 14 consecutive calendar days. The term is sometimes used informally to mean twice a week, so it is worth confirming the intended schedule with a manager or payroll contact before filling out a form. A pay period and a time card period often match, but an employer may use a different cutoff or submission schedule.
A two-week record can suit employees with regular weekday shifts as well as people whose hours vary. It provides a place to note when work began and ended, the duration of unpaid meal periods, and the resulting hours worked. Depending on workplace procedures, employees may also need to record paid leave, approved time away, job codes, or a supervisor’s review. A basic template is a practical starting point, not a substitute for any required workplace system or official record.
Biweekly Time Card Template
Employee: ____________________ Department or job: ____________________
Pay period start: ____________________ Pay period end: ____________________
Supervisor: ____________________ Submission date: ____________________
| Date | Day | Start time | End time | Unpaid break (minutes) | Hours worked | Notes or initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | ||||||
| Day 2 | ||||||
| Day 3 | ||||||
| Day 4 | ||||||
| Day 5 | ||||||
| Day 6 | ||||||
| Day 7 | ||||||
| Day 8 | ||||||
| Day 9 | ||||||
| Day 10 | ||||||
| Day 11 | ||||||
| Day 12 | ||||||
| Day 13 | ||||||
| Day 14 | ||||||
| Total hours for this time card | ||||||
Employee confirmation: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Supervisor review: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Sample — fictional details: On Day 1, Jordan Example records a start time of 8:00 a.m., an end time of 4:30 p.m., and a 30-minute unpaid break. The recorded work time is 8 hours. This illustration is not a real employee record.
How to Fill Out the Two-Week Record
Start by entering the employee’s name and the exact beginning and ending dates for the period. These dates help distinguish one card from the next, especially when a pay period begins in the middle of a week or crosses into a new month. Put the calendar date beside each numbered day; do not assume that Day 1 is always Monday. If a day is not worked, follow the employer’s instructions for marking it, such as writing “off” or leaving the shift fields empty.
For each shift, enter the actual start and end times in a consistent format. Include a.m. or p.m. if using a 12-hour clock, or use a 24-hour clock if that is the established workplace convention. Record unpaid breaks in minutes or as a time range, depending on the form’s design. Keep notes factual and brief: for instance, identify an approved schedule change or explain a correction rather than using the notes column for unrelated personal details.
- Record time as it occurs, or as soon afterward as workplace rules allow, rather than relying on memory at the end of two weeks.
- Use the same time format throughout the card and write legibly if completing a paper copy.
- Leave a field blank only when the form’s instructions permit it; do not guess at a missing start time or break.
- Review the entries, daily calculations, and period dates before signing or submitting the record.
Calculating Daily and Period Hours
A common calculation is elapsed time from the start of a shift to its end, minus any unpaid break that is not counted as work time under the employer’s recording method. For example, a shift from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. spans 8 hours and 30 minutes. Subtracting a 30-minute unpaid break gives 8 hours recorded as work time. If a shift crosses midnight, the elapsed time must be calculated across two calendar dates; write the dates or add a note so the entry is not mistaken for an unusually long same-day shift.
When a form asks for decimal hours, convert minutes to a fraction of an hour rather than treating minutes as hundredths. For example, 30 minutes is 0.5 hours, and 15 minutes is 0.25 hours. Thus, 7 hours and 30 minutes is 7.5 hours, not 7.30. If the form uses hours and minutes instead, write the value in that format and do not convert it unnecessarily. Follow the employer’s stated method for recording time, including any approved time increments; do not invent a rounding rule to make entries easier.
Add the daily work-hour entries to obtain the total shown on the card. If the employee has separate categories for regular work, paid leave, or other hours, keep each category distinct instead of combining them into one figure. A period total is useful for checking completeness, but it does not by itself determine how hours are classified for payroll purposes. The applicable workweek, schedule, and employer procedures can matter, so ask a qualified professional or appropriate labor authority about a situation that turns on wage or recordkeeping requirements.
Choosing a Template That Fits the Job
A simple table is often enough for an employee with one shift per day and a consistent break routine. Choose a more detailed format if workers have split shifts, multiple jobs, changing locations, or different kinds of time to report. A template that is too sparse can leave important information undocumented; one that asks for unnecessary personal or operational details can be harder to complete and review.
- Daily time fields: Start, end, and break fields make the basic calculation visible.
- Two-week coverage: Fourteen dated rows accommodate a full calendar period, including weekends and days off.
- Space for exceptions: A notes column can explain corrections or unusual schedules without obscuring the time entries.
- Approval fields: Employee and supervisor sign-off areas can support a review process where the workplace uses one.
- Readable layout: Make sure printed columns are wide enough for times and notes, and that the form remains legible when copied or scanned.
Before adopting a template for a team, check whether the organization requires a particular form, timekeeping system, approval sequence, or retention process. A printable card may be useful as a personal record or as an approved paper workflow, but it should not conflict with the organization’s official instructions. If more than one person reviews or enters the data, consistent column names and date formats reduce avoidable confusion.
Common Errors and How to Prevent Them
One frequent error is recording only a total for the whole pay period. A total can conceal a missed day, a transcription mistake, or a break that was handled inconsistently. Daily entries make it easier for both the employee and reviewer to identify which shift needs clarification. Another common mistake is writing a decimal such as 7.30 to mean seven hours and 30 minutes. Decimal hours use a base of 100 for the written decimal notation, while minutes are based on 60; use 7.5 for that duration if decimal hours are requested.
Other problems arise when the dates are missing, a.m. and p.m. are omitted, or a shift that ends after midnight is placed entirely on the wrong date. Corrections made with an unclear overwrite can also make a paper record hard to interpret. If an entry needs changing, follow the employer’s correction process so the original information and correction remain understandable. For a digital copy, keep the file name and saved version clear enough to identify the employee and period, while storing it only in an approved location.
Do not assume that every break is automatically deducted or that a time card’s two-week total is the only number relevant to review. A break’s treatment and the way hours are assessed depend on workplace policy and applicable requirements. The employee should enter the information requested accurately, not alter hours to match a preferred total. Questions about a disputed or unclear entry are best raised promptly with the person responsible for timekeeping.
Printable Card, Spreadsheet, or Time Clock?
A printable card is straightforward, does not require a device to enter each shift, and can be convenient where paper records are part of an approved process. Its tradeoffs are manual arithmetic, handwriting that may be difficult to read, and the need to collect and store copies. A spreadsheet can add formulas for daily and period totals, but formulas should be checked and protected from accidental edits. A spreadsheet can also create version-control issues if several people keep separate copies.
A time clock or other electronic timekeeping process may capture entries directly and make review easier, but it depends on access to the required device or system and on following its instructions. None of these formats removes the need to check that the underlying entries are complete and accurate. The best choice is the one that matches the employer’s authorized process, the employee’s schedule, and the level of detail needed for review. If a workplace requires a specific system, a personal printable template should not be treated as a replacement without approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days does a biweekly time card cover?
It generally covers 14 consecutive calendar days, or two weeks. Enter the actual dates for the period because the first day may fall on any day of the week.
Does biweekly mean twice a week or every two weeks?
In payroll contexts it usually means every two weeks, but the word can be ambiguous in casual use. Confirm the intended schedule and the period’s start and end dates with the employer.
Should I subtract an unpaid break from my hours?
Record breaks according to the form’s instructions and your workplace’s timekeeping procedure. If the correct treatment is unclear, ask the person responsible for payroll or timekeeping rather than assuming every break is handled the same way.
How do I write 7 hours and 30 minutes as decimal hours?
Write 7.5 when the form requests decimal hours. Thirty minutes is half an hour, so it is represented by 0.5, not by .30.
Can I use this template if my shifts change every week?
Yes. Enter each shift’s actual date and times in its row, and use the notes field for a brief explanation when needed. Check that the template has enough room for split shifts or any additional fields your workplace requires.
A biweekly time card works best as a clear, dated record rather than a last-minute estimate. Use the blank two-week layout, follow the workplace’s time-entry instructions, and review every daily entry before submitting it.