A timesheet that does the maths
Whether you are checking a casual roster, filling in a timesheet for an agency or making sure your payslip matches the hours you actually worked, adding up start and finish times by hand is slow and easy to get wrong. This calculator does it for a whole week, subtracting unpaid breaks and dealing with night shifts that finish the next morning.
How to use it
- For each day you worked, enter your start and finish time.
- Enter your unpaid break in minutes. Paid breaks, such as a typical 10-minute rest break, shouldn't be subtracted.
- Leave days you didn't work blank.
- Add your hourly rate if you want an estimate of gross pay for the week.
Decimal hours explained
Payroll systems record time in decimal hours, so 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 hours, and 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75. To convert minutes to decimal, divide by 60: 15 minutes is 0.25, 20 minutes is 0.33, 40 minutes is 0.67. The result shows both formats so you can compare your timesheet with your payslip.
| Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 6 | 0.10 |
| 15 | 0.25 |
| 20 | 0.33 |
| 30 | 0.50 |
| 45 | 0.75 |
Worked example
The calculator opens with five days of 9:00 am to 5:30 pm and a 30-minute unpaid lunch. Each day is 8 hours, giving 40 hours for the week. That is 2 hours more than the 38 ordinary hours in a standard full-time week.
Overnight shifts
If your finish time is earlier than your start time, the calculator assumes the shift ended the next day. A shift from 10:00 pm to 6:30 am with a 30-minute break is 8 hours. Record the shift against the day it started.
Overtime and penalty rates
The "hours over 38" line is a guide only. Whether hours count as overtime — and the rate paid — depends on your award, enterprise agreement or contract. Many awards set daily limits, roster rules and different rates for evenings, weekends and public holidays, and some part-time employees are paid overtime for hours outside their agreed pattern. Check the Fair Work Ombudsman's pay tools for your award before relying on a figure.
Breaks and your rights
Breaks are set by awards and agreements, not the National Employment Standards. Most awards require an unpaid meal break of 30 to 60 minutes after about five hours of work, and paid rest breaks. If your employer deducts a break you didn't take, keep a record — employers must keep accurate time records for seven years.
Turning hours into pay
For a quick weekly figure, add your hourly rate. To see the annual equivalent of regular hours, use the hourly to salary calculator, and to record the pay formally, use the payslip generator.
For roster planning, managers can enter a proposed week before publishing it to check each employee stays within their contracted hours and that breaks are scheduled after the right number of hours.
Keeping your own records
Employers must keep time records, but keeping your own is the best protection if there's ever a dispute about hours or pay. Note your start and finish times and breaks each day, and compare the weekly total here with the hours on your payslip. If they don't match, raise it with your employer promptly — underpayments are easier to fix when the records are fresh.
Rounding on timesheets
Some workplaces round clock-in and clock-out times to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes. Rounding has to be fair and can't consistently favour the employer; if your payslip always shows fewer minutes than you worked, ask how time is being recorded. Enter your actual times here to see the difference over a week.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked with a lunch break?
Subtract the start time from the finish time, then subtract the unpaid break. 9:00 am to 5:30 pm with a 30-minute break is 8 hours.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 45 minutes is 0.75 hours.
Does the calculator handle night shifts?
Yes. If the finish time is before the start time, it treats the shift as finishing the next day.
How many hours is a full-time week?
Up to 38 ordinary hours under the National Employment Standards, plus reasonable additional hours.
Are breaks paid?
Rest breaks are usually paid and meal breaks usually unpaid, but it depends on your award or agreement.
