# Work Hours Calculator Calculate your daily and weekly work hours instantly. Handles breaks, overnight shifts, and converts to decimal hours for timesheets and payroll. Canonical page: https://invoicemama.com/calculators/work-hours-calculator This is a free browser calculator. Treat results as planning aids and confirm figures against your own measurements, codes, and professional judgment. ## How to use this work hours calculator Enter clock-in and clock-out times plus unpaid breaks to convert elapsed time into decimal hours and totals for payroll or billing. ### 1. Enter start and end times Use the same date context when your shift crosses midnight. Pick 12-hour or 24-hour format consistently with how your team records time. ### 2. Subtract unpaid breaks Add lunch or rest breaks that are not paid so net hours match labor law and your payroll policy. ### 3. Read hours and decimal totals Review total hours, optional overtime splits, and decimal-hour equivalents for systems that import numeric timesheets. ### 4. Copy totals to payroll or invoices Use the calculated duration as the billable or payable quantity for the day, then repeat for each worker or shift you need to document. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I calculate my work hours with breaks? To calculate work hours with breaks, subtract your total break time from the time between your start and end. For example: if you start at 9:00 AM and finish at 5:30 PM, that's 8 hours and 30 minutes. Subtract a 30-minute lunch break and you get 8 hours of net work time. This calculator does the math automatically, just enter your times and break duration. ### What are decimal hours and how do they work? Decimal hours express time as a decimal number instead of hours and minutes. One hour equals 1.0, and minutes are converted as a fraction of 60. So 7 hours 30 minutes becomes 7.5 decimal hours (30 / 60 = 0.5). Decimal hours are used in payroll systems, invoicing software, and timesheets because they make calculations easier. Instead of adding 2:30 + 3:45, you just add 2.5 + 3.75 = 6.25. ### How do I calculate hours for an overnight shift? Overnight shifts cross midnight, so the end time is technically on the next day. For example: if you start at 10:00 PM (22:00) and end at 6:30 AM, you've worked 8 hours and 30 minutes. Our calculator automatically detects overnight shifts when the end time is earlier than the start time. Another example: a shift from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM is 8 hours total. Subtract a 30-minute break and you get 7.5 hours (7 hours 30 minutes) of net working time. ### How do I convert hours and minutes to decimal hours? Divide the minutes by 60 and add to the hours. For 4 hours 45 minutes: 45 / 60 = 0.75, so the result is 4.75 decimal hours. Common conversions: 15 min = 0.25, 30 min = 0.5, 45 min = 0.75. Our calculator shows both formats automatically so you can use whichever your timesheet or invoice needs. ### Should unpaid breaks be included in my work hours? No, unpaid breaks should be subtracted from your total time at work. If you're on-site from 9 AM to 6 PM but take an hour for lunch, your work hours are 8 hours, not 9. Paid breaks (like short 10-minute rest periods) typically count as work time and shouldn't be subtracted. Check your employment contract if you're unsure which breaks are paid. ### What if I take multiple breaks during my shift? Add all your unpaid break time together and enter the total. If you take a 15-minute morning break, 45-minute lunch, and 15-minute afternoon break, that's 75 minutes total. Enter 75 in the break field. The calculator will subtract this from your shift duration to give you net work hours. ### How do I total my weekly hours quickly? Use the Weekly Total tab in our calculator. Enter your start time, end time, and break for each day. Click 'Copy Mon to All' if you work the same hours every day to save time. The calculator adds everything up and shows your weekly total in both hours:minutes and decimal format. Perfect for filling out timesheets or tracking hours for invoicing. ### How do I calculate overtime hours? First, calculate your total weekly hours using this calculator. Then compare against your standard hours (typically 40 hours in the US, 37.5-40 in the UK). Anything over is overtime. For example, if your weekly total is 47.5 hours and standard is 40, you have 7.5 overtime hours. Overtime rules vary by country and employment type, so check local regulations. ### How accurate are online work hours calculators? Very accurate for basic calculations - the math is straightforward. Where errors happen is in the inputs: forgetting to account for unpaid breaks, entering times incorrectly, or not enabling overnight mode for night shifts. Always double-check your entries. Our calculator shows the formula used so you can verify the result yourself. ### What is the best way to track time for invoices and payroll? For freelancers and small businesses, track time daily and convert to decimal hours for cleaner invoices. Tools like Invoice Mama let you create invoices directly from your hours worked - just enter your time and rate, and the total is calculated automatically. For employees, use your company's timesheet system and verify totals weekly before submitting. ### How do I handle different break lengths on different days? In the Weekly Total view, each day has its own break field. Enter the actual break duration for each specific day. Monday might be 30 minutes, but Friday could be 60 if you have a longer lunch. The calculator tracks each day separately and gives you accurate daily and weekly totals. ### Why does my timesheet need decimal hours instead of regular time? Payroll and invoicing systems prefer decimal hours because they multiply easily. Calculating pay for 7.75 hours at $25/hour is simple: 7.75 x 25 = $193.75. Try that with 7 hours 45 minutes and you need extra conversion steps. Decimal hours also make weekly totals straightforward to add up without carrying over minutes. ### Can I use this calculator for shift work schedules? Absolutely. Enter your shift start and end times, toggle overnight mode if needed, and add your break. Works for day shifts, night shifts, rotating schedules, and split shifts. For split shifts, calculate each part separately and add the results. The weekly view is great for tracking irregular schedules across the week. ### How do rounding rules affect my timesheet calculations? Many employers round time to the nearest 15 minutes or 6 minutes (0.1 hours). If your shift is 8 hours 7 minutes, it might be recorded as 8 hours or 8.25 hours depending on policy. Our calculator shows exact time - check your employer's rounding rules before submitting timesheets. Over a week, rounding can add up to significant differences. ### What is a Working Hours Calculator and why do I need one? A Working Hours Calculator is a tool that computes how many hours you've worked based on start time, end time, and breaks. You need a Working Hours Calculator because manual calculations are error-prone, especially with overnight shifts or decimal hour conversions. This Working Hours Calculator handles all the math instantly and shows results in both standard time and decimal format for timesheets. ### Is this Working Hours Calculator accurate for payroll? Yes, this Working Hours Calculator provides accurate calculations suitable for payroll and invoicing. It correctly handles overnight shifts, deducts break time, and converts to decimal hours that payroll systems require. However, always verify that your employer's rounding rules match - some companies round to the nearest 15 minutes. The Working Hours Calculator shows exact time, so apply any rounding before submitting. ### What is a Time Card Calculator and how is it different from a work hours calculator? A Time Card Calculator and a Work Hours Calculator are essentially the same tool - both calculate the hours you've worked based on clock-in and clock-out times. 'Time Card' is traditional terminology from physical punch cards, while 'Work Hours Calculator' is more modern. This free time card calculator handles everything: start time, end time, break deductions, overnight shifts, and weekly totals. Whether you call it a timecard calculator or work hours calculator, the function is identical - tracking your time for payroll or invoicing. ### Can I use this as a free timecard calculator for employees? Absolutely. This free timecard calculator works perfectly for employees tracking hours for payroll submission. Enter your daily start and end times, add your break duration, and the timecard calculator shows your net working hours in both standard and decimal format. The weekly view acts as a complete digital timesheet, calculating your total hours across all days worked. It's free, requires no signup, and handles everything from standard 9-5 shifts to overnight and irregular schedules. ### How do I print my timecard or save it as PDF? To print your calculated hours or save them as a PDF: First, enter all your work times and let the calculator show your results. Then use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P on Windows, Cmd+P on Mac, or click the menu and select Print). In the print dialog, you can choose 'Save as PDF' as your printer destination instead of printing to paper. This creates a permanent record of your timesheet calculations. For best results, print in portrait orientation and ensure 'Background graphics' is enabled to capture the full layout. ### Does this calculator support military time (24-hour format)? Yes, this calculator fully supports military time and 24-hour format. You can switch between 12-hour format (9:00 AM, 5:00 PM) and 24-hour military time (09:00, 17:00) in the settings. Military time eliminates AM/PM confusion and is standard in many industries including healthcare, transportation, and international business. For example: 14:00 is 2:00 PM, 18:30 is 6:30 PM, and 22:00 is 10:00 PM. The calculator handles both formats seamlessly and converts your hours to decimal format regardless of which you choose. ### What is the best time card calculator for weekly hours? The best time card calculator for weekly hours should calculate daily totals, sum them into weekly totals, handle breaks, support overnight shifts, and show both standard and decimal hours. This free time card calculator does all of that. Enter your times for each day of the week, and it automatically calculates your total weekly hours, daily averages, and break time. You can copy the same schedule to all days if you work consistent hours, or enter different times for each day if your schedule varies. Perfect for employees submitting weekly timesheets or freelancers tracking billable hours. ### How many work hours in a year? The standard calculation for how many work hours in a year is 2,080 hours, which equals 40 hours per week x 52 weeks. This is the baseline for full-time work, but it doesn't account for paid time off like holidays, vacation, or sick days. When you subtract these days off, the actual number of working hours in a year is typically less - usually around 1,800 to 1,950 hours annually for most full-time employees. To find your specific answer for how many work hours in a year, track your weekly hours using this calculator, then multiply by the number of weeks you actually work after accounting for your paid time off. ## Freelancers: Turn Your Hours Into Professional Invoices You tracked the hours, now get paid for them. Invoice Mama creates professional invoices in seconds with AI. Just enter your time and rate, and send polished invoices that get you paid faster. - [Create your first invoice free](https://app.invoicemama.com/sign-up) --- Invoice Mama is invoicing software for contractors, freelancers, and small businesses. It is not a tax, legal, or accounting firm. For current pricing, use the live pricing page. **More:** [Home](https://invoicemama.com/) - [Pricing](https://invoicemama.com/pricing) - [Guides](https://invoicemama.com/guides) - [Tools](https://invoicemama.com/tools) - [Calculators hub](https://invoicemama.com/calculators)