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Create a basic Excel timesheet with one row per shift, columns for the date, start time, end time, break, and net hours, then add a formula to calculate the time worked. Below is a free layout you can copy into a blank workbook, plus formulas for weekly totals and overnight shifts.
Set up a simple Excel timesheet
Use one row for each workday or shift. Put these headings in row 1:
| Column | Heading | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| A | Date | The calendar date of the shift |
| B | Start | Clock-in time |
| C | End | Clock-out time |
| D | Break | Unpaid break duration, if applicable |
| E | Net hours | Calculated shift duration after any break deduction |
Enter Excel-recognized time values in the Start, End, and Break columns. For example, enter a break as a duration such as 0:30 for 30 minutes, rather than entering 30 as a plain number. To calculate a same-day shift in E2, enter:
=C2-B2-D2
Copy the formula down column E for the other shifts. If there is no break deduction, leave D blank; Excel treats a blank as zero in this subtraction. Format the daily net-hours cells to display hours and minutes: select the cells, open the number-format options, and choose a time format such as h:mm. Microsoft’s guidance explains that subtracting one time from another returns elapsed time and that the result should be displayed using a time format: calculate the difference between two times.
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If you enter break minutes as a number
If you prefer a minutes-only entry, label the column clearly—for example, “Break minutes”—and use a formula that converts minutes to Excel’s fraction-of-a-day time value. With break minutes in D2, enter =C2-B2-D2/1440 in E2. There are 1,440 minutes in a day, which is the unit Excel uses internally for time arithmetic.
Total a week or pay period
Below the daily entries, sum the net-hours cells. For a week recorded in rows 2 through 8, use:
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=SUM(E2:E8)
Apply the custom number format [h]:mm to the total cell so it shows cumulative elapsed hours even when the total exceeds 24. The square brackets keep the hour count from wrapping back to zero like a clock display. Microsoft documents that Excel time values can be added and that custom formatting can show accumulated hours; see add or subtract time.
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=SUM(E2:E8)*24
For example, 7 hours and 30 minutes is 7.5 decimal hours. Avoid using HOUR() by itself for a weekly total: it returns only the hour component, not the full accumulated duration. Excel for the web can add durations above 24 hours but cannot apply a custom number format, so decimal hours are a practical display option there.
Calculate overnight shifts
With time-only entries, a shift that starts before midnight and ends after midnight can produce a negative result because the end time is numerically earlier than the start time. If the shift lasts less than 24 hours, use =MOD(C2-B2,1) for gross elapsed time, or deduct a break with =MOD(C2-B2,1)-D2.
This wraparound formula assumes the intended shift duration is under one day. For longer shifts or when you need the dates to be explicit, enter the full start and end date-times and subtract them; that avoids ambiguity about which day each clock time belongs to.
Use or adapt a free template
You can build the layout above in a blank workbook, or adapt a template by replacing its labels and sample values with your own. Microsoft Create describes the general process of browsing templates, opening one, editing it, and saving, printing, or sharing it as a PDF: browse Microsoft templates. That catalog information does not establish that a particular timesheet template is currently available, so check its current listings rather than assuming a named timesheet is included.
What this sheet does—and does not—decide
The formulas calculate elapsed time; they do not determine whether a break is paid, whether overtime applies, or what rounding and recordkeeping rules you must follow. Deduct a break only when your employer’s policy calls for it, and follow applicable workplace instructions and local requirements for payroll records.
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