Hours Calculator — Work Hours and Timesheet Calculator
Calculate total work hours, overtime, and break time for your timesheet. Track daily and weekly hours with automatic overtime detection. See also Time Calculator and Work Days Calculator.
Weekly Timesheet
How the Hours Calculator Works
This hours calculator computes total work hours from clock-in and clock-out times, subtracting break periods. It supports multiple daily entries for weekly timesheet tracking and automatically detects overtime based on configurable daily (default 8 hours) and weekly (default 40 hours) thresholds. All calculations are performed in minutes for precision, then converted to decimal hours for display.
Work Hours Calculation Formula
Hours Worked = (End Time - Start Time) - Break Duration
Daily Overtime = max(0, Hours Worked - Daily Threshold)
Weekly Overtime = max(0, Total Weekly Hours - Weekly Threshold)
Decimal Hours: 7h 30m = 7 + (30/60) = 7.50 hours
Standard Work Hours Reference
| Schedule | Daily Hours | Weekly Hours | Annual Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Full-Time | 8 | 40 | 2,080 |
| With 30min Lunch | 7.5 | 37.5 | 1,950 |
| With 1hr Lunch | 7 | 35 | 1,820 |
| Part-Time (6hr) | 6 | 30 | 1,560 |
| Extended (10hr/4day) | 10 | 40 | 2,080 |
| Compressed (12hr) | 12 | 36-48 | 2,080-2,496 |
Solved Examples
Example 1: I worked 7:45, 8:30, 6:15, and 9:00 this week. What are my total hours?
Convert to decimal: 7.75 + 8.5 + 6.25 + 9.0 = 31.5 hours
Or in HH:MM: 7:45 + 8:30 + 6:15 + 9:00 = 31:30
Answer: 31 hours and 30 minutes (31.50 decimal hours).
Example 2: locked in 8:15 AM, took 45-min lunch, left at 5:30 PM. Hours worked?
Gross time: 17:30 - 8:15 = 9 hours 15 minutes
Subtract break: 9:15 - 0:45 = 8 hours 30 minutes
Answer: 8.50 hours worked (8 hours 30 minutes net).
Example 3: Weekly hours are 42.75. Daily overtime threshold is 8 hours. Monday was 9.5h, Tuesday 8.25h. Calculate daily overtime.
Monday overtime: 9.5 - 8 = 1.5 hours OT
Tuesday overtime: 8.25 - 8 = 0.25 hours OT
Answer: Monday has 1.5 hours overtime; Tuesday has 0.25 hours (15 minutes) overtime.
Practice Questions
1. You work 7:30, 8:00, 7:45, 8:15, and 6:30 across five days with 30-min breaks each day. Total net hours?
Answer: Gross = 38:00. Breaks = 5 x 0:30 = 2:30. Net = 35 hours 30 minutes (35.50 decimal).
2. Your weekly overtime threshold is 40 hours. You worked 43.25 hours this week. How much overtime?
Answer: 3.25 hours overtime (3 hours 15 minutes). 43.25 - 40 = 3.25.
3. Convert 7 hours and 52 minutes to decimal hours for payroll.
Answer: 7.87 hours. 52 / 60 = 0.8667, rounded to 7.87 for payroll.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not subtracting breaks. Gross hours (clock-in to clock-out) must have unpaid breaks deducted to get actual billable hours.
Confusing 7:30 (seven hours thirty minutes) with 7.30 (seven point three hours). 7:30 = 7.50 decimal, not 7.30.
Rounding too early. Calculate total minutes first, then convert to decimal hours at the end to avoid cumulative rounding errors.
Applying weekly overtime but ignoring daily overtime. Some jurisdictions (like California) have both daily (over 8 hours) and weekly (over 40 hours) overtime rules.
Key Takeaways
- Always subtract break time from gross hours to get net hours worked.
- To convert HH:MM to decimal: divide minutes by 60 and add to hours.
- Daily overtime and weekly overtime are calculated independently in many jurisdictions.
- Standard full-time is 2,080 hours per year (40 hours x 52 weeks).
- Track time to the minute for accuracy; round only when reporting final totals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate hours worked from a timesheet?
Enter your start time, end time, and break duration for each day. The calculator subtracts breaks and shows total hours worked per day and for the entire week.
What counts as overtime?
In the US, overtime is typically any hours worked beyond 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Some states like California have daily overtime rules. Adjust the thresholds to match your local regulations.
How do I convert time to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add to the hours. For example: 7 hours 45 minutes = 7 + (45/60) = 7.75 decimal hours. This is the format most payroll systems use.
Should I include lunch breaks?
Enter your break duration in the "Break" column. The calculator automatically subtracts break time from your total hours. Unpaid lunch breaks should be included; paid breaks should not.
Can I track more than 5 days?
Yes. Click "+ Add Entry" to add additional days. You can track 6-day or 7-day work weeks, or even multiple shifts per day by adding separate entries.
How are overnight shifts handled?
For overnight shifts (e.g., 22:00 to 06:00), enter the shift as two separate entries or use 24-hour time where the end time is less than the start time. The calculator currently assumes same-day entries.