Timesheet template

About the timesheet

A timesheet records the hours an employee or contractor works over a set period. It usually lists the dates, start and end times, and total hours.

This fillable template gives you a tidy layout to complete on screen and download as a PDF for payroll or your own records.

When you need it

• You pay staff or contractors by the hour.
• You need a record of hours for a pay period.
• A client asks for a breakdown of time spent.

How to fill this out

1. 1Enter the employee or contractor's name and who they report to or bill, like a manager or client.
2. 2Set the pay period start and end dates that this sheet covers.
3. 3Fill in the daily hours breakdown, listing each day worked and the hours for that day.
4. 4Add up the total hours for the period, and note anything relevant, like overtime or a day off, in the notes field.
5. 5Have the worker sign, then get sign-off from a manager or client before it goes to payroll.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rounding hours inconsistently from day to day, which can make the total hard to verify later.
• Leaving out unpaid breaks, when policy requires them to be excluded from paid or billable hours.
• Forgetting to get an approval signature before submitting the sheet for payroll.
• Mixing regular and overtime hours together instead of noting them separately in the notes field.
• Submitting the timesheet after the payroll cutoff, which can delay payment to the next cycle.