Simplify your time tracking with our collection of downloadable employee timesheet templates. Whether your pay period is weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly, our comprehensive and easy-to-use templates will help you with your payroll needs.
Free downloadable employee timesheet templates
We make tracking your time in a spreadsheet as easy as it can be. Download any of our four free timesheet templates and start calculating your team’s time.
Weekly employee timesheet template
Designed for businesses with a weekly pay period, this template allows you to track employee hours for each day of the week, providing a clear breakdown of regular and overtime hours. A weekly pay period results in 52 paychecks per year, per employee.
Biweekly employee timesheet template
Ideal for biweekly pay periods, this template simplifies the process of tracking employee hours over a two-week period, including sections for regular hours, overtime, and breaks to ensure accurate timesheet data.
Semimonthly employee timesheet template
If your company follows a semimonthly pay schedule, this template is designed for you. It allows you to record employee hours for specific dates - usually from the 1st to the 15th and the 16th to the last day of the month.
Monthly employee timesheet template
Designed for businesses with a monthly payroll cycle, this template allows you to accurately track employee hours and calculate monthly wages. It provides a comprehensive overview of hours worked and breaks taken throughout the month.
Payroll technology is changing everything
Outdated processes for collecting employee timesheets are overwhelmingly being replaced, and payroll professionals are increasingly adopting technology to streamline their payroll processes.
The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals released their Future of Payroll Report 2022 clearly outlines the importance of technology in payroll workflows. According to their research, payroll professionals largely agree their payroll processes can be completed without paper, the use of technology provides more accuracy and requires less time to complete using technology.
Technology allows us to enter numbers into a database to be automatically calculated, which is one of the many benefits of automating time tracking. But with the huge number of laws and regulations around payroll, even that is a challenge.
For construction and field service companies, keeping track of your workers’ hours is challenging because you can’t be everywhere all of the time. It’s also not likely that you enjoy paperwork. Who does, really? And, if you’re a growing business, it’s complicated to know how to track time in construction.
Why employee time tracking matter?
Tracking employees’ hours is more than just a mundane task; It’s a crucial aspect of effective workforce management. Here are key reasons why accurate time tracking matters:
1. Payroll accuracy and efficiency
By diligently tracking employee hours, you ensure accurate and timely payments, avoiding under- or overpayment. Timesheets are essential documentation for payroll processing and records.
2. Compliance with labor laws
Maintaining accurate timesheets is important to ensuring your business is compliant with labor laws and regulations. It protects both employees and employers from potential legal issues and provides information necessary for certified payroll projects, ensuring your government payments are not held up.
3. Client billing and invoicing
For businesses that bill clients based on employee hours, precise time tracking is crucial. Accurate timesheets provide transparency in the billing and invoicing processes, building trust with clients and preventing disputes.
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What should a timesheet include?
When choosing an employee timesheet template, there are a few essential things it should include at a minimum:
Compliance requirements
Labor laws, regulations, and requirements can fluctuate, depending on the type of company, employees, and projects you have. For example, if you provide construction or trade services to government entities, you’ll need to ensure your certified payroll is accurate and concise.
Payroll schedule
Your timesheet should identify your company’s pay period (weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly). Be sure your template is aligned with your payroll cycle(s).
Hours worked
Naturally, your timesheet template should include a table to record hours worked each day of the pay period and, ideally, calculate employees’ hours in a way that automatically separates regular from overtime and holiday pay.
Ease of use
A user-friendly template should save you time and make time tracking easier in a way that’s intuitive and as easy to use as possible.
What to avoid when tracking employee’s hours?
To ensure effective time tracking, avoid the following common pitfalls of manually recording timesheet information:.
Inconsistent recording
Inaccurate or inconsistent timesheet recording can lead to payroll discrepancies and potential legal issues. Make sure employees record their hours accurately, and be sure you’re consistent and vigilant when entering data.
Lack of review
As with any official documentation, having a supervisor or manager review and approve timesheets for accuracy helps avoid unnoticed errors or unintentional payroll mistakes.
Insufficient training
If you’re doing payroll in-house or having an administrator perform payroll as part of their bookkeeping and administrative duties, be sure you have adequate training to avoid common mistakes like:
- Misclassifying employees
- Miscalculating overtime
- Paying the wrong tax rates
- Entering the wrong information
- Missing payroll deadlines
- Failing to keep accurate records
- Failing to send out tax forms
Ignoring technology
Manual, paper-based timesheets are prone to human error and inefficiency. Consider technology as an alternative solution to make payroll easier, less time-consuming, and more accurate.
Calculating and collecting timesheet data
To streamline the calculation and collection of timesheet data, here are some best practices for your company and employees.
Implement an automated system
Utilize timesheet software or digital tools that automate calculations, reducing manual errors and saving time on payroll processing.
Set clear guidelines and deadlines
Establish clear instructions for employees on filling out timesheets accurately and submitting them within defined deadlines. This ensures timely processing.
Regular review and approval
Designate a responsible person to review and approve timesheets for accuracy. Regularly communicate the importance of precise time reporting to employees.
Maintain open communication
Encourage open communication between employees and supervisors to address any concerns or questions related to timesheet recording and calculation.
Finding a timesheet alternative
No matter how clean or easy a spreadsheet is to use, it’s still a spreadsheet. And paper timesheets? Those are still paper timesheets. They can easily get lost, destroyed, or even delivered too late.
Keeping accurate timesheets or labor costs is a delicate process. When you track time incorrectly, it ends up costing way more than it is worth. You know how difficult organizing and staying on top of paper timesheets is, and it’s time for a solution.
ClockShark allows your team to easily clock in and out using their own mobile devices. With automated time tracking, your team will get paid accurately for every hour they work. With ClockShark, you can replace messy paper timesheets with accurate data and say goodbye to tracking down forgetful technicians at the end of the day.
If you’re not ready to make the switch yet, download the appropriate timesheet template or use our free timesheet calculator to begin making time tracking and payroll easier.
