Free staff hours tracker (Excel)
A summary view of employee hours across pay periods. Perfect for payroll preparation — see total hours per employee, plus a cumulative running total, without the daily detail.
Staff hours tracker
Excel format (.xlsx) • Ready to download
No signup required. Works with Excel and Google Sheets.
This staff hours tracker is a general planning and record-keeping tool only. It does not calculate wages, penalties, overtime or award entitlements. Verify pay with your 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 summary hours-tracking layout
Employee name
A row for each staff member so you can see total hours by person at a glance.
Period
The week or fortnight being tracked — add as many periods as your pay cycle needs.
Period hours
Total hours worked in that period, ready to hand to payroll without daily detail.
Cumulative hours
A running total across the month or quarter so you can spot trends and over-hours early.
Notes
Flag part-time status, leave, or anything payroll needs to know about a period.
Auto totals
Simple SUM formulas tally each employee’s hours so you avoid manual addition errors.
How hours are summarised
Enter total hours per period for each employee. The cumulative column tracks the running total over time — perfect for handing to your payroll team or accountant when the pay run comes around.
| Employee | Period | Period hours | Cumulative | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Jones | Week 1 | 38 | 38 | - |
| Sarah Jones | Week 2 | 40 | 78 | - |
| James Smith | Week 1 | 32 | 32 | Part-time |
How to track employee hours in Excel
Four steps to build a tracker from scratch
1. Set up the headers
Across row 1 add Date, Time in, Time out, Lunch/break (hours) and Total hours worked, with employee names or periods down the left.
2. Format the cells
Format the Time in and Time out columns as Time (e.g. 1:30 PM) and the totals column as Number with 2 decimals so hours add up cleanly.
3. Add the formula
In the totals cell enter =(Time out − Time in) × 24 − break hours to auto-calculate hours worked for each row.
4. Sum the period
Use SUM at the foot of each employee’s rows to roll daily hours into a period total — then a cumulative running total.
Prefer to skip the setup? The free template above already has the columns and formulas built in. For the full record-keeping picture, read our guide on how to track employee hours.
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 your team
Replace the sample names with one row per employee you pay.
Enter period hours
Type each employee’s total hours per week or fortnight.
Send to payroll
Export or print the summary for your payroll team or accountant.
Who uses this template
Ideal for businesses preparing payroll summaries
Cafes & restaurants
Summarise hours for fast, accurate payroll prep.
Retail stores
Track cumulative hours per employee across the roster.
Small businesses
Monitor total hours across pay periods without daily detail.
Once you’re tracking hours, the next step is turning them into accurate pay — see how payroll integration exports approved hours straight to Xero, MYOB and other systems.
When spreadsheets stop keeping up
A hours tracker in Excel works for a small team. But as you grow, consolidating timesheets, fixing errors and prepping payroll every cycle gets painful. RosterElf captures real clock-in times, totals hours automatically, and exports approved figures straight to payroll — no manual summaries required.
Time & attendance guides
Track and pay hours accurately with these how-to guides
How to track employee hours
Set up a reliable system for recording, totalling and storing staff hours.
Read the guideCalculate payroll from timesheets
Turn recorded hours into accurate pay, step by step.
Read the guideApprove timesheets
A simple approval workflow so the hours you pay are always verified.
Read the guideRelated templates
Explore more free time & attendance templates
Staff hours tracker FAQ
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Add headers for Date, Time in, Time out, break hours and Total hours worked, then format the time columns as Time and the total as a 2-decimal number. Use a formula like =(Time out − Time in) × 24 − break hours to calculate each day, and SUM to roll it into a period total. This free tracker comes pre-built with employee rows, period and cumulative columns — or follow the step-by-step section above to build one from scratch. For more, see our guide on how to track employee hours.
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Yes — this template downloads instantly with no signup or email required, and works in both Excel (.xlsx) and Google Sheets. You can edit it freely to match your pay cycle. Browse the rest of our free time & attendance templates for daily timesheets, attendance registers and more.
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Ordinary hours are the standard hours set by an award or agreement before overtime applies; total hours worked is everything recorded, including overtime. This tracker records total hours worked per period — read more on ordinary hours to understand where overtime begins.
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No — it tracks hours only. It does not calculate wages, penalties, overtime or award entitlements. For automated, pay-aware calculations and direct payroll export, use time & attendance software with payroll integration.
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.