How to Calculate a Time Card

Calculate each shift separately

For each work period, subtract the start time from the end time. If there is an unpaid break, subtract that duration from the elapsed shift.

Add the daily totals

After calculating each day's paid time, add the results to determine the total hours recorded on the time card.

Convert minutes correctly

Minutes are fractions of 60, not fractions of 100. Thirty minutes equals 0.5 hour, while 15 minutes equals 0.25 hour.

• 15 minutes = 0.25 hour
• 30 minutes = 0.50 hour
• 45 minutes = 0.75 hour

Example weekly total

If five daily paid-time totals are 8, 8, 7.5, 8 and 6.5 hours, the time card contains 38 total hours before applying any separate payroll rules.

Time cards and overtime

A time-card total alone does not determine how many hours qualify as overtime. Overtime thresholds and calculations depend on the applicable employment rules and work arrangement.

Rounding considerations

Some organizations use specific time-rounding rules. If rounding applies, it should be performed consistently according to the required payroll policy rather than chosen arbitrarily.