Work-hour calculations become error-prone when shifts cross midnight, breaks are unpaid, or minutes must be converted to decimal hours. A consistent sequence keeps timesheets accurate.
Basic method
Paid time = shift end − shift start − unpaid breaks
For an overnight shift, treat the end time as occurring on the following date.
Day-shift example
A shift runs from 9:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Elapsed time is 8 hours 45 minutes. Subtract a 45-minute unpaid break to get 8 paid hours.
Overnight example
A shift begins at 10:00 p.m. and ends at 6:30 a.m. the next day. Elapsed time is 8 hours 30 minutes. After a 30-minute unpaid break, paid time is 8 hours. Recording both dates avoids interpreting the result as a negative duration.
Convert minutes to decimal hours
Divide minutes by 60. For example, 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 hours, while 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours—not 7.45. Add each day after converting consistently, or add hours and minutes separately before conversion.
The Date Difference Calculator helps with date-spanning intervals, and the Business Days Calculator can estimate available workdays in a period.
Timesheet checklist
- Record start and end dates as well as times.
- Separate paid and unpaid breaks.
- Confirm the employer’s rounding policy.
- Keep regular, overtime, and leave hours separate.
- Check weekly totals against scheduled capacity.
Frequently asked questions
Are all breaks unpaid?
No. Break rules depend on contract, policy, and local law. Subtract only the breaks that are genuinely unpaid.
How do I total multiple shifts in one day?
Calculate each paid interval separately, then add the results to avoid counting the gap between shifts.
Should I round each shift or the weekly total?
Follow the stated policy. Rounding at different stages can produce different totals, so document the method.
Weekly-total example
Suppose paid time is 8:00, 7:45, 8:15, 8:00 and 6:30 from Monday to Friday. Add hours and minutes separately: 37 hours plus 90 minutes equals 38 hours 30 minutes, or 38.5 decimal hours. Converting each day consistently produces the same result.
Preserve original start, end and break entries even when payroll receives a decimal total. Raw records make it possible to correct an overnight-date error or disputed break without reconstructing the week. Treat this as a calculation workflow; pay and break entitlement depend on the applicable contract and law.