Using an Excel timesheet template makes it easy to record the hours worked by employees and to calculate payments. Excel timesheets have an extra advantage because they can be formatted with formulas to calculate the pay automatically as information is keyed in. There are many available downloadable timesheets online if the task of creating one seems tedious. However, if you are up to it, you can easily create an employee timesheet template that serves your needs. Excel timesheets can be customized for different time periods such as weekly, bimonthly or monthly.
To create an excel timesheet, open MS Excel and create a new document, create columns and enter the relevant headings. Format the cells depending on their information. You can apply various Excel tools such as automating the dates, creating formulas and formatting the columns. The spreadsheet can then be used by employees to key in hours worked, whether regular or overtime, sick hours, vacation and holiday hours.
The employees can access the employee timesheets from their computers or via the web such as using Google sheets. The Google sheets seem like a better option because the employer needs to create the sheets, share it with employees. The employees can then fill in information, print or email the timesheet to the employer. Alternatively, the employer can check the information in the spreadsheets online.
Content on timesheet template
- Employee information. It should include necessary information such as employee's name, department, identification number, manager or supervisor.
- Date. This is the day when the worksheet starts recording the hours. It could be the start of a week, biweekly or a monthly timesheet.
- Dates and days worked. The timesheet should have a column for the dates and days worked. While names of days may not be necessary, they prevent errors that may arise if an employee records the hours worked on the wrong date.
- Time. These are columns with time in and time out as well as breaks. An employee records the time they have reported to work or has started on a task and the time they leave or job stops. From this, total hours worked is determined which can be categorized into regular and overtime.
- Hours breakdown. These are columns where hours are categorized into regular, overtime, vacation, sick hours.
- Totals and subtotals. These are columns or cells with total hours worked in a day; totals hours worked in a week or month. The information is used to calculate the pay.
- These are signatures of employee and the supervisor or manager. These are in affixed agreement with the hours recorded.