Adding up a timesheet by hand means juggling minutes, lunch breaks and the occasional shift that runs past midnight. This time card calculator does it for a whole week: enter each day's clock-in and clock-out times and unpaid break, and it returns total hours in both decimal and hours-and-minutes format, splits out overtime, and calculates gross pay if you enter a rate.
How to use the time card calculator
- Enter in and out times for each day you worked. Leave days off blank.
- Enter unpaid breaks in minutes, such as a 30-minute lunch.
- Optional: enter your hourly rate to see gross pay.
- Check the overtime threshold — 40 hours a week is the US federal standard.
Times use the 24-hour clock in most browsers' time pickers — 5:30 PM is 17:30.
Time card formula
Weekly total = sum of daily hours
Overtime = max(0, weekly total − 40)
Pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × 1.5
If the out time is earlier than the in time, the shift crossed midnight and 24 hours are added before subtracting.
Worked example
Monday to Friday 9:00 AM–5:30 PM with a 30-minute unpaid lunch, plus Saturday 9:00 AM–1:15 PM with no break, at $20 an hour.
- Weekdays: 8.5 h − 0.5 h = 8 h × 5 = 40 h
- Saturday: 4.25 h (4 hours 15 minutes)
- Total: 44.25 h (44:15)
- Pay: 40 × $20 + 4.25 × $30 = $800 + $127.50 = $927.50
Minutes to decimal hours
| Minutes | Decimal | Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0.08 | 35 | 0.58 |
| 10 | 0.17 | 40 | 0.67 |
| 15 | 0.25 | 45 | 0.75 |
| 20 | 0.33 | 50 | 0.83 |
| 25 | 0.42 | 55 | 0.92 |
| 30 | 0.50 | 60 | 1.00 |
Timesheet tips
- Record times as you go, not at the end of the week — memory rounds in your employer's favor.
- Know your rounding rules. Some employers round punches to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes; US rules require that rounding be neutral over time.
- Daily overtime rules in some states are not included here; check your state's labor department.
Common timesheet mistakes
The most frequent error is writing hours and minutes as if they were decimals. A shift of 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours, not 7.45 — entering 7.45 underpays you by 18 minutes. The second is forgetting to subtract an unpaid lunch on some days but not others; set the break for each day individually. The third is splitting a night shift across two dates: a shift from 10 PM Monday to 6 AM Tuesday belongs on one line, with the out time simply earlier than the in time. Finally, keep a copy of what you submit. If a paycheck looks short, your own record of in and out times is the fastest way to sort it out with payroll.
Just one shift? The Hours Calculator is quicker. Converting your pay to a yearly figure? Use the Hourly to Salary Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked with a lunch break?
Subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract the unpaid break. 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM is 8.5 hours; minus a 30-minute lunch is 8 hours.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes = 0.25 hours, 30 = 0.5, 45 = 0.75. So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours — the format payroll systems use.
How is weekly overtime calculated?
Under the US Fair Labor Standards Act, covered non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Some states, such as California, also have daily overtime rules that this weekly calculator does not apply.
What if a shift goes past midnight?
Enter the times as they are, for example in at 22:00 and out at 06:00. The calculator treats an out time earlier than the in time as the next morning.
Are short breaks paid?
Under federal rules, short breaks of about 5–20 minutes are generally counted as work time, while meal periods of 30 minutes or more where you are fully relieved of duty are not. Enter only unpaid breaks in the break boxes.