How to Calculate Hours Worked (Timesheets & Payroll)
Working out hours from a timesheet trips people up because time is base-60, not base-10. Forty-five minutes is 0.75 of an hour, not 0.45. This guide shows the steps for a clean total, including breaks and overnight shifts.
The basic method
Subtract the start time from the end time, then convert the leftover minutes to a decimal by dividing by 60. Example: 9:00 to 17:30 is 8 hours 30 minutes. 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5, so the total is 8.5 hours.
Subtracting an unpaid break
If a 30-minute lunch is unpaid, take it off the total. An 8.5-hour span minus a 0.5-hour break is 8.0 paid hours. Decide up front whether breaks are paid, because it changes the payable total.
Overnight shifts
When a shift crosses midnight — say 22:00 to 06:00 — you cannot just subtract, because the end time looks smaller. Add 24 hours to the end first: 06:00 becomes 30:00, and 30:00 − 22:00 = 8 hours.
Turning hours into pay
Multiply the decimal hours by the hourly rate: 8.5 hours × 20 per hour = 170. The Hours Calculator adds up your start and end times (and breaks) and shows the decimal total, ready to multiply by your rate.
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Last updated: July 6, 2026