Timesheet template — 40 copy-paste timesheets, calculations and messages
A timesheet is the record behind every paycheck and every hourly invoice. This page covers what a timesheet must show, the federal pay rules that affect it (weekly overtime, breaks, travel, rounding and record keeping), the mistakes that underpay workers or undercharge clients, then gives you 40 copy-paste blocks: weekly, biweekly, daily and crew timesheets, contractor hours logs, time-and-materials tickets, layouts by type of business, minutes-to-decimal and overtime math, spreadsheet formulas, handbook policies, and messages for staff and clients.
General information, not legal or payroll advice. Wage and hour rules vary by state.
A timesheet (or time card) is the record of when someone worked. For employees it is the basis of payroll and of the records employers must keep; for contractors and hourly jobs it is the basis of the invoice. A good one is boring: start and stop times for each day, unpaid meal breaks, daily and weekly totals, and signatures.
Under federal law, employers must keep records of the hours each non-exempt employee works each day and each workweek, along with pay rate and wages. Timesheets are the simplest way to do it. Field businesses usually add a job or client column, so the same sheet shows which jobs made or lost money.
This page is general information, not legal or payroll advice. Wage and hour rules vary by state; check your state labor department or a payroll provider.
Pay rules that affect timesheets
Overtime is by workweek. Federally, non-exempt employees get 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a fixed 7-day workweek. You can’t average two weeks. Some states, including California, also have daily overtime.
Breaks. Short rest breaks (typically 5 to 20 minutes) are paid work time. A bona fide meal break, usually 30 minutes or more with the worker fully relieved of duty, can be unpaid. Many states require meal or rest breaks.
Travel. The normal commute from home to the first job isn’t work time, but travel between job sites during the day is, and so is driving to the shop or supplier for work.
Rounding. Federal rules allow rounding to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes only if it averages out and doesn’t consistently shortchange workers. Recording to the minute is safest.
Off-the-clock work counts. Answering client texts at night or loading the truck before clocking in is work time if the employer knows or should know about it.
Keep records. Payroll records for at least 3 years; timesheets and time cards for at least 2 years under federal rules (often longer under state law).
Common timesheet mistakes
Writing 7 hours 45 minutes as “7.45” instead of 7.75, which underpays 18 minutes.
Averaging overtime across a two-week pay period.
Auto-deducting a 30-minute lunch that a crew actually worked through.
Paying a “day rate” or salary to a non-exempt worker without tracking hours for overtime.
No client sign-off on time-and-materials jobs, so the bill turns into a dispute.
Erasing or overwriting mistakes instead of writing a dated correction with initials.
A worked example
A three-person painting company paid its crew from memory on Fridays and billed hourly jobs from the owner’s notes. Hours were often “about 8.” They switched to the daily timesheet with job codes above, plus a time-and-materials ticket the client initials before the crew leaves.
In the first month they found 6 hours a week of unbilled supply runs and travel on hourly jobs, a crew lead who was owed overtime from working through lunch, and one client job that took 30% longer than quoted. They fixed the pay, added a supply-run charge to their price list, and priced the next similar job higher. Billing disputes on hourly jobs stopped, because every hour on the invoice had a client’s initials next to it.
Timesheet templates to copy
Paste into a doc, spreadsheet or your payroll app’s notes. Brackets are examples; the numbers in each one add up.
Weekly employee timesheet
The standard one-week sheet with in/out times, unpaid meal break and totals.
WEEKLY TIMESHEET
Employee: [Maria Lopez] Position: [Cleaning tech] Week: [Mon Nov 16 – Sun Nov 22, 2026]
Day Date In Meal out Meal in Out Hours
Mon 11/16 8:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 4:30pm 8.00
Tue 11/17 8:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 5:00pm 8.50
Wed 11/18 8:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 4:30pm 8.00
Thu 11/19 8:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 4:30pm 8.00
Fri 11/20 8:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 6:00pm 9.50
Sat 11/21 —
Sun 11/22 —
Total hours: 42.00 Regular: 40.00 Overtime: 2.00
I certify these hours are true and complete. Employee: __________ Date: ______
Approved: __________ (supervisor) Date: ______
Biweekly timesheet
Two weeks on one sheet; overtime is still figured week by week.
BIWEEKLY TIMESHEET
Employee: [name] Pay period: [Sun Nov 29 – Sat Dec 12, 2026] Pay date: [Fri Dec 18]
WEEK 1 (Nov 29 – Dec 5)
Sun __ Mon __ Tue __ Wed __ Thu __ Fri __ Sat __ Week 1 total: ____ (OT over 40: ____)
WEEK 2 (Dec 6 – Dec 12)
Sun __ Mon __ Tue __ Wed __ Thu __ Fri __ Sat __ Week 2 total: ____ (OT over 40: ____)
Period regular hours: ____ Period overtime hours: ____ PTO/holiday hours: ____
Note: overtime is counted per workweek, not averaged over the two weeks.
Employee signature: ________ Supervisor: ________
Daily timesheet with job codes
For field crews who move between jobs so you can cost each job.
DAILY TIMESHEET — [Thu Nov 19, 2026]
Employee: [Devon Hart] Truck: [#2]
Start End Hours Job / client Code Notes
7:30 8:00 0.50 Shop – load truck SHOP
8:00 11:15 3.25 Patel, 9 Cedar Ct J-1042 Prime + first coat, hall
11:15 11:45 0.50 Travel to next job TRAV
11:45 12:15 — Lunch (unpaid)
12:15 3:30 3.25 Lee, 22 Birch Ln J-1047 Trim, front porch
3:30 4:00 0.50 Supply run + shop SUP
Total paid hours: 8.00 Billable to jobs: 6.50
Signed: ________
For a 1099 contractor tracking hours to invoice a client, not a payroll timesheet.
HOURS LOG — [Fresh Coat Painting LLC] for [Northline Builders]
Project: [Patel remodel] Rate: $[65.00]/hour Period: [Nov 16 – Nov 30, 2026]
Date Hours Work performed
11/16 6.0 Prep and prime, hall and bath
11/18 7.5 First coat walls + ceilings
11/23 5.0 Second coat; touch-ups
11/30 3.5 Trim, doors, final walkthrough
Total hours: 22.0 × $65.00 = $1,430.00
Materials (receipts attached): $212.40
Invoice total: $1,642.40 → invoice #[1219]
Time and materials sheet with client sign-off
For hourly jobs, have the client initial the hours each day so the bill is never a surprise.
TIME & MATERIALS TICKET #[0331]
Client: [Jordan Lee] Address: [22 Birch Ln] Date: [Tue Nov 17, 2026]
Labor: Tech [Alex] arrived 9:10am left 12:40pm = 3.50 hrs × $[95] = $332.50
Materials: [1 × 50-amp breaker $38.00; wire nuts, tape $6.50] = $44.50
Trip charge: $[0]
Total today: $377.00
Work done: [Replaced breaker for dryer circuit, tested; checked GFCI in garage]
Client initials: ____ (confirms the hours and materials above; payment terms per invoice)
House cleaning team timesheet by house
Tracks time at each house, drive time and who was on the team.
CLEANING TEAM TIMESHEET — [Mon Nov 16, 2026]
Team: [Maria L. + Ana P.] Van: [1]
House / client Arrive Leave Team hrs Drive after
[Kim], 14 Elm St 8:30 10:45 4.50 0:20
[Novak], 7 Ridge Rd 11:05 1:05 4.00 0:25
(Lunch 1:30–2:00, unpaid)
[Shah], 220 Oak Ave 2:00 4:30 5.00 —
Team hours at houses: 13.50 Drive time (paid): 0:45 each
Each person, paid hours today: [7.50 Maria] [7.50 Ana]
Pet sitter or dog walker visit log
Per-visit times for hourly sitters, or for billing clients by visit length.
VISIT LOG — [Week of Nov 16, 2026] Sitter: [Jess]
Date Client / pet Start End Mins Visit type
11/16 [Rivera] – Max 12:00 12:30 30 Midday walk
11/16 [Okafor] – 2 cats 5:15 5:45 30 Feed + litter
11/17 [Rivera] – Max 12:00 12:30 30 Midday walk
11/18 [Chen] – Biscuit 7:00 7:45 45 Walk + meds
Total visits: 4 Total minutes: 135 (2.25 hours)
Notes: [Max pulled at the leash near the school; Biscuit’s meds given 7:20am]
Timesheets by type of business
Ready-made layouts for four more kinds of service business.
Landscaping crew weekly timesheet
Hours by route day with equipment and dump runs.
LANDSCAPE CREW WEEKLY TIMESHEET Week of [Mon Nov 16, 2026] Crew lead: [name]
Day Route In Out Meal Hours Stops Dump run
Mon North 7:00 4:00 0.5 8.50 11 Yes
Tue East 7:00 3:30 0.5 8.00 10 —
Wed South 7:00 4:00 0.5 8.50 12 Yes
Thu West 7:00 3:30 0.5 8.00 9 —
Fri Leaf calls 7:00 3:00 0.5 7.50 6 Yes
Total: 40.50 (Regular 40.00, OT 0.50) Equipment issues: [blower #3 starter]
Caregiver or home helper visit timesheet
For hourly in-home help, with tasks and client signature.
IN-HOME CARE TIMESHEET Caregiver: [name] Client: [name] Week: [Nov 16–22, 2026]
Date In Out Hours Tasks (initials)
11/16 9:00 1:00 4.00 Meals ✔ Light housekeeping ✔ Errands ✔
11/18 9:00 1:00 4.00 Meals ✔ Laundry ✔ Walk ✔
11/20 9:00 12:00 3.00 Meals ✔ Appointment ride ✔ (mileage 14 mi)
Total: 11.00 hours Mileage: 14 miles
Client or family signature: __________ Caregiver signature: __________
Tutoring or lesson session log
For billing by session and keeping parents in the loop.
SESSION LOG — [Student name] — November 2026 Rate: $[60]/hour
Date Start End Hours Covered
Tue 11/3 4:00 5:00 1.00 Fractions review, quiz 6
Tue 11/10 4:00 5:30 1.50 Test prep, word problems
Tue 11/17 4:00 5:00 1.00 Test corrections
Tue 11/24 4:00 5:00 1.00 Decimals intro
Total: 4.50 hours × $60 = $270.00 (invoice sent Nov 30)
Handyman job sheet
Hourly labor, materials and a running total for small jobs.
JOB SHEET — [Okafor], 18 Pine St
Date Hours Task Materials
11/16 2.50 Rehang closet doors Hinges $18.40
11/16 1.00 Patch drywall, hall Mud, tape $11.20
11/17 1.50 Paint patch; caulk tub Caulk $8.90
Labor: 5.00 hrs × $[85] = $425.00 Materials: $38.50 Total: $463.50
Minimum charge: [2 hours per visit]
Timesheet lines you can add
Single lines for the top or bottom of any timesheet.
Employee certification line
Signed by the worker each period.
I certify that the hours shown are a complete and accurate record of all time I worked this period, including any work before or after my scheduled shift, and that I took the meal breaks shown.
Supervisor approval line
Signed by whoever approves payroll.
Reviewed and approved for payroll. Changes, if any, are initialed and explained below.
Approved by: __________ Date: ______
Meal and rest break line
Matches common federal practice; check your state’s break rules.
Meal break: 30 minutes, unpaid, fully off duty. If you are interrupted or work through your meal, write “worked meal” and that time is paid. Short rest breaks (under 20 minutes) are paid and don’t need to be recorded.
Overtime line
The federal rule; some states add daily overtime.
Overtime: hours over 40 in a workweek (Sun–Sat) are paid at 1.5 times the regular rate. [CA: also over 8 in a day; double time over 12 in a day.] Overtime must be approved in advance, but all overtime worked is paid.
Job and cost code legend
So everyone codes time the same way.
CODES: J-#### = client job number · TRAV = travel between jobs (paid) · SHOP = loading, cleaning, maintenance · SUP = supply runs · TRN = training · ADM = office/admin · Commute from home to first job is not recorded.
Correction line
For fixing an error without erasing it.
Correction: [Tue 11/17 Out 4:30pm → 5:00pm]. Reason: [stayed to finish walkthrough with client]. Employee initials: __ Supervisor initials: __ Date: ______
PTO and holiday line
For the week of a paid holiday.
Paid holiday: [Thu Nov 26, 2026 — Thanksgiving] 8.00 hours (holiday hours do not count toward weekly overtime unless policy says so). PTO used: [Fri Nov 27] 8.00 hours.
Travel time line
Explains what travel is paid.
Paid: travel between job sites during the day and trips to the shop or supplier for work. Not paid: your normal commute from home to the first job and from the last job home.
Calculations and conversions
The math that goes wrong most often on timesheets.
Minutes to decimal hours chart
Payroll uses decimal hours. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75, not 7.45.
MINUTES → DECIMAL
5 min = 0.08 10 min = 0.17 15 min = 0.25 20 min = 0.33
25 min = 0.42 30 min = 0.50 35 min = 0.58 40 min = 0.67
45 min = 0.75 50 min = 0.83 55 min = 0.92 60 min = 1.00
Formula: decimal hours = hours + (minutes ÷ 60). Example: 6 h 40 m = 6 + 40/60 = 6.67
Weekly overtime worked example
Federal rule: overtime is over 40 hours in the workweek.
Regular rate: $20.00/hour. Week total: 46.5 hours.
Regular pay: 40 × $20.00 = $800.00
Overtime pay: 6.5 × $30.00 (1.5 × $20) = $195.00
Gross pay for the week: $995.00
(If the employee also earned a non-discretionary bonus that week, the overtime rate must include it.)
California daily overtime example
Some states count overtime by the day as well as the week.
Shifts this week: Mon 10 h, Tue 8 h, Wed 8 h, Thu 8 h, Fri 6 h = 40 h total.
Federal only: 0 overtime (not over 40).
California: Monday’s 2 hours over 8 are daily overtime at 1.5×. Pay: 38 regular + 2 overtime.
If any day goes over 12 hours, hours over 12 are double time.
Spreadsheet formulas for a timesheet
For Google Sheets or Excel with times in cells.
Hours worked (same day): =(D2-A2)*24-(C2-B2)*24 where A=In, B=Meal out, C=Meal in, D=Out
Shift past midnight: =MOD(D2-A2,1)*24
Weekly total: =SUM(H2:H8)
Regular hours: =MIN(40,H9) Overtime hours: =MAX(0,H9-40)
Format time cells as Time and total cells as Number with 2 decimals.
Rounding policy statement
Rounding is allowed federally only if it is neutral over time.
Time is recorded to the minute. For payroll, punches are rounded to the nearest quarter hour (7 minutes and under rounds down, 8 minutes and over rounds up), so rounding works both ways and averages out. Early clock-ins are not rounded away if work was actually done. [Check your state: some, like California, restrict rounding, especially of meal periods.]
From timesheet to invoice line
How billable hours become a clear invoice.
Labor — [Alex, licensed electrician]: 3.50 hrs on 11/17 + 2.25 hrs on 11/19 = 5.75 hrs × $95.00 = $546.25
Helper — [Sam]: 2.25 hrs on 11/19 × $55.00 = $123.75
Time and materials tickets #0331 and #0336 (signed by client) attached.
Timesheet policies for your handbook
Short, plain-English policy text for employees. Not legal advice.
Timesheet policy
The core policy in one paragraph.
TIMEKEEPING POLICY
All hourly employees must record all time worked, to the minute, using [the app / paper timesheet]. Record when you start and stop work, and your meal break. Do not work “off the clock” for any reason, including answering client texts or loading the truck before you clock in. Submit your timesheet by [Monday at 10am] for the prior week. Falsifying time records, or recording time for someone else, is grounds for discipline up to termination.
Missed punch form
For when someone forgets to clock in or out.
MISSED PUNCH / TIME CORRECTION
Employee: ______ Date of missed punch: ______
Missed: ☐ In ☐ Meal out ☐ Meal in ☐ Out Actual time: ______
Reason: ________________
Employee signature: ______ Supervisor approval: ______ Entered in payroll: ______
No off-the-clock work rule
Protects both the worker and the business.
You must be paid for all work, including work done at home, by phone or before or after your shift. If you answer a client message, fix a schedule, or wait at a site because the client is late, record it. Supervisors may not ask anyone to work off the clock. If someone does, tell [owner name] directly.
Mobile clock-in rule for field staff
For crews using a phone app with GPS.
Field staff clock in on [app name] when you arrive at the first job or the shop and clock out at the last stop. The app records location only at clock-in and clock-out. If the app fails, text your times to [number] the same day and we’ll enter them.
Payroll cut-off and pay date notice
So everyone knows when hours are due.
Our workweek runs Sunday to Saturday. Timesheets are due Monday at 10am. Payroll for that week is paid by direct deposit on Friday. If a timesheet is late, the hours are still paid, but they may be paid on the next scheduled payday where state law allows.
Record keeping note for the owner
What to keep and for how long under federal rules.
Keep payroll records (name, address, hours each day and week, pay rate, wages, deductions) for at least 3 years, and the time cards or timesheets themselves for at least 2 years. Many states require longer. Store them where they can be produced for an inspection, and back up digital records.
Messages about timesheets
Short texts and emails for staff, contractors and clients.
Reminder to submit timesheets
Send Monday morning.
Morning team! Timesheets for last week (Nov 15–21) are due by 10am today so payroll goes out Friday. If you missed a punch, use the correction form or text me the times.
Missing hours on a timesheet
From the owner to an employee.
Hi Devon, your timesheet for Thursday shows the Patel job but no clock-out time. What time did you leave? I want to be sure you’re paid for all your hours.
Correcting an error the business made
Own it and fix it fast.
Hi Maria, I found a mistake on your last paycheck: 2 overtime hours from Friday (Nov 20) were paid at your regular rate. You’re owed an extra $20.00 and it will be on this Friday’s check as a correction. Sorry about that, and thanks for your patience.
Overtime approval request
From a crew lead to the owner.
Hi, the tile job at Patel’s will take about 2 more hours tonight to finish before grout cures. That puts Rico and Devon at about 42 hours this week. OK to go ahead?
Sending hours to a client on a time-and-materials job
Keeps the client in the loop before the invoice.
Hi Jordan, here’s the time from this week on the panel job: Tue 3.5 hours, Thu 2.25 hours (both tickets attached with your initials). With materials, the total so far is $[631.50]. Invoice will follow Friday.
Client questions the hours billed
Calm, with the records.
Thanks for asking, happy to walk through it. The 5.75 hours come from two days: Tuesday 9:10am–12:40pm and Thursday 1:15–3:30pm, both on the tickets you initialed. If something on the tickets doesn’t look right, let me know and we’ll look at it together.
Holiday week payroll change
For Thanksgiving week 2026.
Heads up: with Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov 26, timesheets for Nov 22–28 are due Monday Nov 30 by 10am as usual, and Thursday is a paid holiday for full-time staff (8 hours). Payday stays Friday, Dec 4. Happy Thanksgiving!
Asking a subcontractor for their hours log
Needed before paying an hourly sub.
Hi, can you send your hours log for Nov 16–30 with your invoice? Dates, hours and a line on what was done each day is perfect. I’ll pay within [10] days of receiving both.
Common questions
Do salaried employees need timesheets? Exempt salaried employees don’t need hours recorded for overtime under federal law, but many businesses still track their PTO. Salaried but non-exempt employees must have hours tracked. See the exempt section of our offer letter template.
Should a 1099 contractor fill out my timesheet? Not your employee timesheet. A contractor can send an hours log with their invoice if you pay hourly, but you shouldn’t control their schedule like an employee’s. See our independent contractor agreement.
Is a paper timesheet OK? Yes, as long as it’s accurate, signed and kept for the required time. Apps help with field crews because they time-stamp entries.
How do I handle a shift past midnight? Record the actual in and out times and assign the hours to the workweek in which they were worked. In a spreadsheet, use =MOD(Out−In,1)*24.
Can I pay a holiday or PTO without counting it toward overtime? Under federal rules, paid time off for hours not worked doesn’t count toward the 40 hours for overtime. Your policy and state law may differ.
What if an employee refuses to sign? Pay the hours you have records for, note the refusal and the date, and talk it through. Never withhold pay over a missing signature.
How to use this template
Pick the timesheet that matches how your people work: weekly for steady shifts, daily with job codes for field crews, or a time-and-materials ticket for hourly client jobs. Add the certification, approval and break lines, then set one submission deadline and stick to it.
Convert minutes to decimal before multiplying by the pay rate, figure overtime per workweek, and keep the signed sheets for at least two years. For hourly client jobs, copy the totals into your invoice and attach the signed tickets.
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