How to Fill Out a Timesheet Correctly
Filling out a timesheet correctly helps employees, freelancers, managers, and payroll teams track work hours accurately. A complete timesheet records when work starts, when work ends, unpaid breaks, total hours worked, overtime hours, and sometimes project or job details.
Whether you use a paper timesheet, spreadsheet, payroll system, or online timesheet calculator, the goal is the same: create a clear record of your work hours so payroll, billing, scheduling, and overtime calculations are easier to review.
This guide explains how to fill out a timesheet step by step, including start times, end times, lunch breaks, weekly totals, overtime, common mistakes, and examples.
Calculate Your Timesheet Automatically
Use our free calculator to total weekly work hours, unpaid breaks, overtime, and estimated pay.
Use the Timesheet CalculatorQuick Summary
- Write down your start time and end time for each workday.
- Subtract unpaid breaks such as lunch breaks.
- Add each day’s worked hours to get your weekly total.
- Separate regular hours from overtime hours when needed.
- Review your timesheet before submitting it for payroll or billing.
What Is a Timesheet?
A timesheet is a record of the hours a person works during a day, week, or pay period. It helps track employee hours, project time, billable work, overtime, unpaid breaks, and payroll totals.
Timesheets are commonly used by:
- Hourly employees
- Freelancers and contractors
- Remote workers
- Managers and supervisors
- Payroll departments
- Agencies and service businesses
What Should Be Included on a Timesheet?
A clear timesheet should include the basic information needed to calculate hours worked and verify the work period.
| Timesheet Field | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Employee name | The person whose hours are being recorded. |
| Date | The workday or pay period being tracked. |
| Start time | The time work began or the person clocked in. |
| End time | The time work ended or the person clocked out. |
| Break time | Unpaid lunch or break time that should be deducted. |
| Total hours | The final number of hours worked after breaks. |
| Overtime | Extra hours above the regular limit, if applicable. |
| Notes or project codes | Optional details for billing, clients, tasks, or departments. |
How to Fill Out a Timesheet Step by Step
1. Enter the Correct Date
Start by entering the date for each workday. If you are filling out a weekly timesheet, make sure each day is listed in the correct order.
2. Record Your Start Time
Enter the exact time you started working. For example, if you began work at 8:30 AM, record 8:30 AM as your start time.
3. Record Your End Time
Enter the time you stopped working or clocked out. For example, if your shift ended at 5:00 PM, record 5:00 PM as your end time.
4. Add Unpaid Breaks
If you took an unpaid lunch break or unpaid rest break, record the break time separately. This break should be subtracted from your total time.
5. Calculate Daily Hours Worked
Subtract your start time from your end time, then subtract unpaid breaks.
6. Add Weekly Totals
At the end of the week, add each day’s total hours to calculate your weekly work hours.
7. Review and Submit
Before submitting, check for missing times, incorrect AM/PM entries, forgotten breaks, and overtime errors.
Basic Timesheet Formula
This formula works for most daily timesheet calculations. For weekly timesheets, calculate each day separately and then add the daily totals together.
Example of a Completed Daily Timesheet
Here is a simple daily timesheet example:
| Date | Start | End | Break | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 30 minutes | 8.0 hours |
Calculation:
9:00 AM to 5:30 PM = 8 hours 30 minutes
Minus 30-minute unpaid break = 8 hours worked
Example of a Weekly Timesheet
| Day | Start | End | Break | Hours Worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 30 mins | 8.0 |
| Tuesday | 8:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 30 mins | 8.0 |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM | 6:00 PM | 60 mins | 8.0 |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM | 30 mins | 8.5 |
| Friday | 9:00 AM | 4:30 PM | 30 mins | 7.0 |
| Total | 39.5 hours |
If you want the weekly total calculated automatically, use our Timesheet Calculator.
How to Add Breaks to a Timesheet
Breaks should be handled carefully because paid and unpaid breaks affect timesheet totals differently.
- Unpaid breaks should usually be subtracted from total hours.
- Paid breaks may remain included in total paid time.
- Lunch breaks are often unpaid, but policies can vary.
For example, if a shift is 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and the employee takes a 30-minute unpaid lunch break, the total paid hours are 7.5 hours.
You can also use a Break Time Calculator to calculate unpaid break deductions more clearly.
How to Handle Overtime on a Timesheet
Overtime is usually calculated after total regular hours are known. In many workplaces, overtime begins after a weekly limit, such as 40 hours, but overtime rules may vary depending on employer policy and local laws.
Example:
Total weekly hours: 46
Regular hours: 40
Overtime hours: 6
Once overtime hours are known, you can estimate extra earnings with our Overtime Pay Calculator.
How to Fill Out a Timesheet for Freelance or Project Work
Freelancers and contractors often use timesheets to track billable hours by client, project, or task. This helps with invoicing and project profitability.
A freelance timesheet may include:
- Client name
- Project name
- Task description
- Start and end time
- Total billable hours
- Hourly rate
- Invoice notes
If you bill by the hour, accurate timesheets help prevent underbilling and make invoices easier to explain.
Common Timesheet Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to enter a start time or end time
- Mixing up AM and PM
- Not subtracting unpaid lunch breaks
- Rounding hours inconsistently
- Forgetting to add overtime hours
- Submitting a timesheet without reviewing totals
- Using decimal hours incorrectly
- Leaving out project or client details for billable work
Should Timesheets Use Hours and Minutes or Decimal Hours?
Some timesheets use standard time, such as 7 hours 30 minutes. Others use decimal hours, such as 7.5 hours. Decimal hours are common in payroll because they make multiplication easier.
| Time Format | Decimal Format |
|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 0.25 hours |
| 30 minutes | 0.50 hours |
| 45 minutes | 0.75 hours |
| 1 hour 30 minutes | 1.50 hours |
For more examples, read our guide on how to convert minutes to decimal hours.
Why Accurate Timesheets Matter
Accurate timesheets help prevent payroll mistakes, improve billing accuracy, support overtime calculations, and make scheduling easier.
For employees, accurate timesheets help ensure work hours are recorded correctly. For employers, they help reduce disputes and improve payroll records. For freelancers, they provide proof of billable time.
Need Help Calculating Weekly Hours?
Enter your start times, end times, breaks, hourly rate, and overtime settings to calculate your weekly timesheet automatically.
Open Timesheet CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
What is the correct way to fill out a timesheet?
Enter the date, start time, end time, unpaid breaks, and total hours worked for each day. Review the totals before submitting.
Do I include lunch breaks on a timesheet?
Yes, but unpaid lunch breaks should usually be recorded separately and subtracted from total paid hours.
How do I calculate total hours on a timesheet?
Subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract unpaid break time. Add each day together for weekly totals.
How do I record overtime on a timesheet?
First calculate total weekly hours. Then separate regular hours from overtime hours based on your workplace overtime threshold.
Can freelancers use timesheets?
Yes. Freelancers can use timesheets to track billable hours by client, project, task, or invoice period.
Should I use decimal hours on a timesheet?
Many payroll systems use decimal hours because they are easier for calculating pay. For example, 30 minutes equals 0.50 hours.