Free daily time clock sheet (Excel)
Record clock-in time, clock-out time and breaks for each day worked, and let the template calculate total hours automatically. Perfect for businesses that need to track exact clock-in and clock-out times for payroll and records.
Daily time clock sheet
Excel format (.xlsx) • Ready to download
No signup required. Works with Excel and Google Sheets.
This daily time clock sheet is a record-keeping and planning tool only. It does not calculate wages, penalties, overtime or award entitlements. Verify pay with payroll software and check your obligations with Fair Work. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
What's in this template
A detailed daily clock-in and clock-out layout
Employee name
Full name of each staff member so every clock-in is tied to the right person.
Date
The date being recorded — add one row per day worked to build a full week or month.
Clock-in time
The start time when the employee began their shift, entered in 24-hour or AM/PM format.
Clock-out time
The finish time when the shift ended, used to work out the elapsed hours.
Break (minutes)
Unpaid break duration that is deducted from the elapsed time automatically.
Total hours
A formula column that calculates net hours worked in decimal form (e.g. 7.5).
How time is recorded
Enter the clock-in and clock-out times for each day, then add any break minutes to deduct from the elapsed time. The template calculates net hours worked automatically so you have a clean total for every shift.
| Employee | Date | Clock in | Clock out | Break | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Jones | 20/01/2025 | 09:00 | 17:30 | 30 min | 8.0 |
| James Smith | 20/01/2025 | 14:00 | 22:00 | 30 min | 7.5 |
How to track clock-in and clock-out times in Excel
Four steps to build a time clock from scratch
1. Set up the columns
Create headers across row 1 — A: Date, B: Clock In, C: Clock Out, D: Break (mins), E: Total Hours — and add a row for each day worked.
2. Format the time cells
Select the Clock In and Clock Out columns, then Format Cells → Time so Excel reads the entries as times rather than plain text.
3. Add the hours formula
In Total Hours use =(C2-B2)*24 to convert the difference to decimal hours, then subtract breaks with =((C2-B2)*24)-(D2/60).
4. Sum the period
Add =SUM(E2:E8) at the foot of the Total Hours column to tally the week or pay period before it goes to payroll.
Prefer to skip the setup? The free template above already has the columns and formulas built in. To take clock-ins off paper entirely, read our guide to implementing digital clock-in.
How to use this template
Download and go in four quick steps
Download
Grab the Excel file — no signup, opens in Excel or Google Sheets.
Add staff & dates
Enter each employee name and the date for every shift on its own row.
Record times
Type the clock-in time, clock-out time and any break minutes.
Export for payroll
Send the totalled hours to payroll or keep the sheet as a time record.
Who uses this template
Ideal for businesses tracking exact clock times
Cafes
Track exact clock-in and clock-out times daily
Retail stores
Record when staff start and finish each shift
Hospitality
Log shift times with break deductions
Worried about accuracy or buddy-punching? See our post on identifying time theft and how GPS geofencing confirms staff are on site when they clock in.
When spreadsheets stop keeping up
A daily time clock sheet works for a small team. But as you grow, chasing paper, fixing typos and adding up hours becomes painful — and manually typed times are easy to dispute. RosterElf captures clock-ins via mobile or tablet with GPS verification, calculates the hours for you, and sends timesheets straight to payroll.
Time & attendance guides
Capture and use clock-in data with these how-to guides
Implement digital clock-in
Move off paper time sheets and capture accurate clock-in and clock-out times for every shift.
Read the guideTrack employee hours
A step-by-step approach to recording hours worked accurately and keeping defensible records.
Read the guideCalculate payroll from timesheets
Turn recorded clock times into the hours and pay your payroll system needs.
Read the guideRelated templates
Explore more free time & attendance templates
Daily time clock sheet FAQ
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Set up columns for Date, Clock In, Clock Out, Break (minutes) and Total Hours, then add a row for each day worked. Format the Clock In and Clock Out cells as Time (Format Cells → Time) and use a formula like =((Clock Out - Clock In)*24)-(Break/60) in Total Hours. Our free template above comes pre-built with this layout, or follow the step-by-step section to build one from scratch. For a fuller walkthrough see our guide on how to track employee hours.
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A time clock in Excel is simply two time cells — a clock-in and a clock-out — with a formula that subtracts one from the other. Multiply the result by 24 to get decimal hours and deduct any break minutes. If you want staff to clock in themselves rather than type times manually, a kiosk time clock captures the times automatically.
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Subtract the clock-in time from the clock-out time and multiply by 24 to convert Excel’s time fraction into decimal hours — for example =(C2-B2)*24. Then subtract the break, e.g. =((C2-B2)*24)-(D2/60). The template does this for you in the Total Hours column.
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Enter times in 24-hour format (e.g. 09:00 for 9am, 17:30 for 5:30pm) or 12-hour format with AM/PM. As long as the cells are formatted as Time, the template will calculate the hours correctly.
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A spreadsheet is the simplest free option for a small team, and this template downloads with no signup. Once you are chasing paper, fixing typos or tracking many staff, a dedicated time & attendance system records clock-ins automatically and removes the manual maths. Compare the approaches in our post on GPS vs tablet time clocks.
Before you download
General information only — not legal advice
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.