A LibreOffice timesheet template is a reusable spreadsheet for recording work dates, start and finish times, breaks, tasks, and hours. You can use the blank weekly layout below in LibreOffice Calc, then save or print a copy for each work period.
What a LibreOffice Timesheet Template Does
LibreOffice is an office productivity suite, and Calc is its spreadsheet application. A timesheet in Calc is a grid of rows and columns: each row can represent a workday or a separate work period, while formulas can calculate elapsed time and totals. The template is not a special kind of file; it is a spreadsheet arranged to make time entries consistent and easy to review.
A basic sheet is useful for personal records, project tracking, or collecting hours for a supervisor to review. It can also be adapted for different schedules, such as part-time work, shifts, or several projects in one day. It does not by itself establish that hours are approved or meet an employer’s recordkeeping requirements, so follow the process that applies to your workplace.
Blank Weekly Timesheet Template
Copy this table into Calc or use it as a guide when building a sheet. Enter one work period per row. Leave unused rows blank, and write breaks as hours—for example, enter 0.5 for a 30-minute break. The sample is fictional and demonstrates the fields rather than prescribing a required format.
| Date | Start | End | Break (hours) | Hours worked | Project or task | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weekly total: __________ hours
Optional name or initials: ____________________ Week beginning: ____________________
Fictional sample: Alex Example, 2026-04-06, 09:00 to 17:00, 0.5 break, 7.5 hours, Website updates. The arithmetic is eight elapsed hours minus a half-hour break.
How to Use the Sheet in Calc
Open a new spreadsheet in Calc, place the headings in the first row, and enter one day’s information on each subsequent row. You can type the headings and blank rows yourself, or paste a table copied from a document. Give the file a clear name that identifies the period, such as weekly-timesheet-April-6, so you can find it later.
For a simple weekly record, enter a date, start time, end time, break duration, and task or project. If someone else needs to review the sheet, add a name field and a space for a review date or signature only if that matches your process. Keep notes factual and brief—for instance, identify the project worked on rather than adding unrelated personal details.
Once the layout is ready, save a clean master copy before entering work data. Make a separate copy for each week or pay period, then fill in the copy. This reduces the chance of accidentally overwriting the blank version and makes it easier to keep records organized. If you use a spreadsheet template format such as an OpenDocument Spreadsheet Template file, the saved template can serve as a starting point for future sheets; a regular spreadsheet file is suitable for an individual timesheet.
Choosing a Layout That Fits
A weekly sheet is compact and convenient when hours are reviewed every week. A monthly sheet gives a broader view but can be harder to print legibly, especially if it includes project notes. A project-based sheet may be more useful when a person records several assignments in one day; in that case, use one row per work period rather than combining the day into a single total.
Before adding fields, decide what the sheet is meant to record and who will read it. A practical layout usually includes:
- Dates and times: enough detail to identify when each work period began and ended.
- Breaks: a clear field and a consistent way to enter the duration.
- Work description: a task, project, or other label that helps explain the recorded time.
- Totals: daily and period totals if you need to review hours quickly.
- Review details: optional initials, approval status, or comments where appropriate.
Avoid collecting information that has no clear purpose. Extra columns make a sheet slower to complete and may make printed pages crowded. If you need separate billable and non-billable time, add a clearly defined category rather than relying on notes that different people may interpret differently.
Calculating Hours and Handling Time Formats
Calc stores times as values that can be used in calculations. For a shift that starts and ends on the same day, subtracting the start time from the end time gives a duration. If the result is in a time-formatted cell, multiplying that difference by 24 converts it to decimal hours; then subtract the break entered as decimal hours. For example, 09:00 to 17:00 is eight hours, and subtracting 0.5 gives 7.5 hours.
If the start time is in B2, the end time in C2, and the break in D2, a simple same-day formula for hours in E2 is =(C2-B2)*24-D2. Copy the formula down the column for other rows. Check that the cell references match your actual layout. If your Calc locale uses different formula separators or function names, the syntax may need to follow that locale.
Overnight shifts need special handling because the end time on the clock can be earlier than the start time. A duration calculation using the MOD function can account for a shift crossing midnight, for example =MOD(C2-B2;1)*24-D2 in locales that use semicolons between function arguments. Use this only when an earlier end time means the shift continued into the next day; otherwise it can hide an incorrectly entered time. For shifts lasting more than a day, record the dates as well as the times and use a date-and-time calculation instead.
For a period total, sum the calculated-hours cells, such as =SUM(E2:E8). Use a numeric hours format for decimal totals, and a duration format when you want hours and minutes. A duration display that can exceed 24 hours is important for a cumulative weekly total; a clock-style format may wrap after a full day and appear to show a smaller value. Always compare a few calculated rows with hand-checked examples before relying on the total.
Saving, Printing, and Sharing
Calc’s native spreadsheet format is OpenDocument Spreadsheet, commonly saved with the .ods extension. Calc can also work with Excel spreadsheet files, but some formatting, formulas, or features may not transfer exactly between file formats. Keep a working copy in the format you use regularly. If another person requests a particular format, save or export a separate copy and check that the columns and totals still look right.
For a paper copy, use print preview before printing. Set the print area to the table, choose portrait or landscape based on the number of columns, and check that the text remains readable. If the sheet spills onto multiple pages, adjust margins or scaling carefully; shrinking everything to fit one page can make entries too small to read. A repeated heading row can help identify columns if a long sheet prints on more than one page.
When sharing a digital file, consider whether the recipient needs to edit it or only read it. A spreadsheet is useful for review and later correction, while a PDF is often easier to view consistently or print. Keep any original editable copy where you can retrieve it. For records containing personal or workplace information, share only with people who need access and use the storage and handling practices required by your organization.
Common Problems and Simple Checks
A total that looks wrong often comes from inconsistent entry rather than a complicated formula. Check that times are entered as times, breaks use the same unit throughout, and formula references point to the intended cells. A break entered as 30 when the formula expects decimal hours would subtract 30 hours; enter 0.5 for half an hour in the example layout.
Other frequent issues include:
- Text instead of a time value: a pasted value may be treated as text. Re-enter it using a recognizable time format and check whether Calc can calculate with it.
- Blank rows showing zero: formulas copied down can display zeros. You can leave unused rows out of the calculation or use a conditional formula to show a blank until the start and end times are entered.
- Negative or unexpectedly large hours: confirm whether the shift crossed midnight, and verify the date and time entries before changing the formula.
- Totals that wrap at 24 hours: change the total cell to a duration format that displays accumulated hours rather than a time of day.
- Lost formulas after editing: protect the formula column from accidental changes where useful, and retain an untouched master copy.
For a spreadsheet that will be used by several people, label units directly in the headings and provide a brief instruction near the top. A small note such as “Break: enter decimal hours” can prevent many avoidable differences in interpretation.
When Another Tool May Be Better
A Calc template is a good fit when you want a printable, editable sheet and a modest number of entries. A word-processing table can work for a form that will be completed by hand, but it will not automatically total hours. A dedicated time-tracking system may be more suitable when a team needs shared entry, approvals, reminders, or reporting across many projects. Those features depend on the particular service or workplace setup, so check them before moving records.
You can also adapt a spreadsheet for a different period or workflow without changing the basic idea: retain clear dates, record each work period consistently, and make totals easy to verify. A spreadsheet is not a substitute for an official timekeeping system where one is required. If your recordkeeping needs affect a legal, tax, or payroll matter, ask a qualified professional about the rules that apply to your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LibreOffice include a timesheet template?
Calc can be used to create a timesheet, and template availability can vary by version or installation. If you do not see a suitable one in the template options, make a sheet from the blank layout above and save a clean copy for reuse.
Can I open an Excel timesheet in LibreOffice?
Calc can open and save many Excel spreadsheet files. Review formulas, formatting, and print layout after opening or saving, because features may not behave identically across formats.
How do I calculate weekly hours in Calc?
Calculate each shift’s hours in a row, subtracting breaks consistently, then sum the hours column for the week. Confirm the time format and formula references, especially for overnight shifts.
How do I make a timesheet print on one page?
Use print preview, set the print area, and try landscape orientation or narrower margins. If fitting the sheet to one page makes text too small, use more than one page instead.
Should I use decimal hours or hours and minutes?
Either can work if the format is clearly labeled and used consistently. Decimal hours are convenient for arithmetic—for example, 30 minutes is 0.5 hours—while hours-and-minutes formatting can be easier to read as a duration.