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Short answer: A timesheet is a record of the hours an employee worked in a pay period, usually one line per day with start time, end time, breaks and total hours. Employers use timesheets to pay hourly staff, figure overtime and keep the hours records federal law requires for non-exempt employees.
What a timesheet is
A timesheet shows when someone worked and for how long. Most timesheets cover one week or one pay period. Each day has a row for the time the employee started, the time they left, any unpaid break and the hours for that day. At the bottom, the hours are added up for the week.
Employers use the totals to run payroll. For hourly employees, hours times the pay rate gives gross pay. The weekly total also shows whether anyone worked more than 40 hours, which means overtime is owed to non-exempt staff under federal law.
Some timesheets also track the job, department or client each hour went to. That's common for crews that move between job sites and for businesses that bill clients by the hour.
Timesheet vs time card
People often use the two words for the same thing, and that's fine for most small businesses. When there's a difference, it looks like this:
| Time card | Timesheet | |
|---|---|---|
| What it records | Clock-in and clock-out times, as they happen | Hours worked per day, often filled in by the employee |
| Who fills it in | A time clock, or the employee at the clock | The employee, then a manager approves it |
| Typical period | One week | One week or one pay period |
| Common format | Punch card, or punches in time clock software | Paper form, spreadsheet or software |
A time card is closer to a raw log of punches. A timesheet is the summary of hours that goes to payroll. In time clock software, the punches and the totals are one record, so the difference mostly disappears.
What a timesheet must show under federal law
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) doesn't require a timesheet in any set format. The Department of Labor says employers "may use any timekeeping method they choose," as long as it's complete and accurate. What the law does require is that you keep certain records for each non-exempt employee. The ones a timesheet usually covers:
- The time and day of the week when the employee's workweek begins
- Hours worked each day
- Total hours worked each workweek
- Total daily or weekly straight-time earnings
- Total overtime earnings for the workweek
The rest of the required list (name, address, pay rate, deductions, pay date and so on) usually lives in your payroll records.
How long to keep them: payroll records for at least 3 years, and the records wages are figured from, such as time cards and timesheets, for 2 years.
Some states require more than this, so check with your state labor department. Federal rules don't require daily hours records for exempt employees, though many employers track their time anyway. See should you track salaried employees' hours.
Source: DOL Fact Sheet #21, recordkeeping under the FLSA, checked Nov 10, 2026.
Types of timesheets
Paper timesheets. A printed form for each employee, filled in by hand and signed at the end of the week. They cost almost nothing and need no setup. They depend on employees writing times down as they go, and someone still has to add up every sheet.
Spreadsheet timesheets. An Excel or Google Sheets file with formulas that total the hours. The math is faster, but the times are still typed in by hand, and anyone with the file can change them without a record of who did it.
Time clock software. Employees clock in and out on a computer or phone, and the software builds the timesheet from those punches. Hours, overtime and lunch deductions are totaled for you, and the report goes to payroll.
Timesheet example
Here's a filled weekly timesheet for one hourly employee. The workweek starts on Monday, lunch is a 30-minute unpaid break, and the pay rate is $18 an hour.
| Day | Time in | Unpaid lunch | Time out | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 AM | 30 min | 4:30 PM | 8.0 |
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM | 30 min | 5:00 PM | 8.5 |
| Wednesday | 7:45 AM | 30 min | 4:15 PM | 8.0 |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM | 30 min | 6:00 PM | 9.5 |
| Friday | 8:00 AM | 30 min | 4:00 PM | 7.5 |
| Saturday | 0 | |||
| Sunday | 0 | |||
| Total | 41.5 |
- Regular pay: 40 hours x $18 = $720.00
- Overtime pay: 1.5 hours x $27 (1.5 times $18) = $40.50
- Gross pay for the week: $760.50
The employee signs the sheet, and a manager checks and signs it before payroll.
How to total the hours on a timesheet
- For each day, subtract the start time from the end time. Monday: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes.
- Subtract unpaid breaks. 8 hours 30 minutes minus a 30-minute lunch is 8 hours.
- Convert minutes to decimal hours for payroll. Divide the minutes by 60: 15 minutes is 0.25, 30 minutes is 0.5 and 45 minutes is 0.75.
- Add the days to get the week's total.
- Hours over 40 in the workweek are overtime for non-exempt employees. Count each workweek on its own, even when you pay every two weeks.
The free time card calculator does these steps for you. For more on the math, see totaling hours and minutes on employee timesheets.
When paper timesheets stop working
Paper and spreadsheets work for a small team with fixed hours. They get harder to manage when:
- You spend more than an hour each pay period adding up sheets and fixing mistakes.
- Employees fill in the week from memory on Friday.
- Employees round their own times instead of following a set rule.
- Staff work at more than one site, or out in the field.
- Overtime comes up often and has to be right every week.
- You can't tell who changed a time, or when.
Our comparison of time clock software vs timesheets goes through the trade-offs in more detail.
How TimeClick builds timesheets from clock-ins
TimeClick is time clock software you install on your own Windows PC. Employees clock in at a shared PC with their own ID or on the TimeClick app for iPhone and Android. The phone app needs a 2-device license or larger.
From those punches, the Hours Report totals hours for each employee, applies automatic lunch deductions and flags overtime before you export. You can save it as a PDF or CSV, or export a payroll file for QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, Gusto, ADP or Passport. Licenses start at $299 one time, with unlimited employees. See TimeClick timesheet and payroll reports or start the 14-day free trial. No credit card is required.
Timesheet FAQ
What is a timesheet?
A timesheet is a record of the hours an employee worked, usually one line per day with start time, end time, breaks and daily hours, plus a total for the week or pay period. Employers use it for payroll and overtime.
What is the difference between a timesheet and a time card?
A time card usually holds the clock-in and clock-out times as they happen. A timesheet is the summary of hours per day that goes to payroll. Many people use the two words for the same thing.
What must a timesheet include?
Federal law doesn't set a format. For non-exempt employees, your records must show when the workweek begins, hours worked each day, total hours each workweek, straight-time earnings and overtime earnings. Some states require more.
How long do I have to keep timesheets?
Under the FLSA, keep time cards and other records that wages are figured from for at least 2 years, and payroll records for at least 3 years. State rules can be longer.
Do salaried employees need to fill out timesheets?
Federal recordkeeping rules don't require daily hours records for exempt employees. Salaried non-exempt employees are owed overtime, so you need their hours. Many employers track everyone's time for PTO and attendance.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours on a timesheet?
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.5, and 45 minutes is 0.75. So 8 hours 45 minutes is 8.75 hours.
Can employees fill out their own timesheets?
Yes. Federal law allows any timekeeping method that is complete and accurate. You're still responsible for the records, so a manager should review and approve each one.
