What Is a Timesheet?

A timesheet records when a person worked and, when needed, what work they performed, giving employers and workers a shared record for pay, project tracking, or client billing. Employees usually submit time for a defined work period, and a manager or other designated reviewer checks it before it is used for payroll or another business purpose. Timesheets may be paper forms, spreadsheets, or entries in a digital system; the useful format is the one people can complete accurately and consistently. For employers covered by federal wage rules, time records also support required recordkeeping, but a timesheet does not decide by itself which periods legally count as hours worked. Its value depends on recording time promptly, handling corrections transparently, and making clear how the information will be used.

Why Do Businesses Use Timesheets?

A single time record can serve different purposes across an organization. For hourly employees, it helps document time used to calculate pay. Project managers may use it to understand effort and workload, while finance teams may rely on it for client billing or cost tracking. These purposes can overlap, but employees should know which details their organization expects them to record.

Payroll and Pay Accuracy

Timesheets provide information used to calculate pay based on hours worked. Consistent entries and timely review reduce the need to reconstruct a workweek from calendars, emails, or memory. They also help employees identify missing or incorrect entries before payroll is finalized so that the record can be corrected through the established process.

Project and Client Billing

Organizations that bill customers by the hour may use timesheets to connect work with a client or project. A person who works on several assignments can record time against each one so the organization can see what work was performed and how much time it took. Even when a company does not bill by the hour, task-level records can help show whether a project is requiring more effort than expected.

Staffing and Workload Visibility

Time records can reveal recurring demands that are difficult to see otherwise. For example, repeated time spent on support requests or rework may prompt leaders to examine staffing levels or work processes. The records are most useful as context for those decisions, rather than as a measure of productivity for every minute. Employees should understand how the information will be used.

What Information Goes on a Timesheet?

The format depends on the work, the employer's process, and the reason for tracking time. A useful record identifies when work took place and, when necessary, what work it supported. It may include:

• The employee's name or identifier
• Dates worked
• Start and end times
• Meal periods or breaks, where applicable
• Total hours worked
• Project, task, cost center, or client codes
• Leave or holiday time
• Employee confirmation or manager approval

Employees should follow their employer's instructions for recording start and end times, breaks, leave, and project assignments. Entering actual time promptly is generally more reliable than estimating it at the end of the week. When time must be assigned to a project, using the correct client or task code helps ensure the record is attributed to the right work. Employers may also have distinct ways to record holiday time or breaks, so those entries should follow the applicable process for the workplace.

A simple daily record might look like this:

The example shows the kinds of details a record can capture; it does not establish how a particular break must be treated for pay. If an employee finds an error, the correction should follow the established process rather than silently overwriting the entry. Managers should review unusual hours or missing information with the employee instead of assuming the record is wrong.

What Do U.S. Recordkeeping Rules Require?

For employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), timekeeping is part of broader wage and hour recordkeeping. The U.S. Department of Labor allows employers to choose a timekeeping method. A time clock, a designated timekeeper, or employee-reported time can be used if the resulting records are complete and accurate. The Department's Fact Sheet #21 on FLSA recordkeeping explains the recordkeeping requirements and the information employers must maintain.

Whether a period belongs in a record as hours worked depends on the circumstances, not simply on whether an employee was performing a visible task. The Department's Fact Sheet #22 on hours worked explains that short rest periods, usually 20 minutes or less, generally count as hours worked. It also discusses waiting time when an employee must remain on duty or at the employer's premises and is not free to use the time for personal purposes. Certain required job-related training may count, as can travel that is part of an employee's principal activity during the normal workday. An ordinary commute from home to work is different. The Department's FLSA Hours Worked Advisor provides additional guidance about hours-worked duties.

These distinctions are why timekeeping instructions should explain what employees need to record rather than rely on assumptions. Federal requirements are not the only consideration: state or local rules and employment agreements may also affect timekeeping. For example, employers and employees may need to understand how applicable Washington break laws relate to their records. The details depend on the applicable requirements and the work arrangement.

Which Timesheet Format Should You Use?

No single format suits every workplace. Choose a method employees can use correctly and that produces complete records for review and retention.

Paper Timesheets

Paper forms can work for small teams or jobs without reliable access to devices. They are straightforward to use, but can take more effort to review, calculate, store, and correct over time.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets offer flexibility and may suit basic project tracking. However, manual entry can lead to errors, while formula mistakes or multiple file versions can make records harder to trust. A clear process for managing and reviewing files helps reduce these problems.

Digital Time-Tracking Systems

Digital systems can make daily entry and approval easier. They may also connect hours to projects and preserve a history of changes. This can be useful for remote or distributed teams, provided employees receive clear instructions and access to the records is protected.

Technology can supplement employee-reported time, but organizations should explain how time data is collected and used. In 2026, The Guardian reported that JPMorgan Chase began a pilot comparing computer-generated estimates of junior bankers' work hours with self-reported timesheets. The stated focus was transparency and wellbeing rather than enforcement. This example illustrates why organizations should communicate the purpose and use of time data. The Guardian's report describes the pilot.

How Can Employees and Managers Improve Accuracy?

Accuracy comes from a process that makes expectations clear and gives both employees and reviewers a way to resolve discrepancies. Useful practices include:

• Record time promptly. Daily entries are generally more reliable than reconstructing a full week later.
• Use clear categories. Explain project and task codes, as well as how to record leave or breaks.
• Explain what counts as work time. Give practical instructions for meetings, training, travel, short breaks, and work outside normal hours.
• Set an approval routine. Employees should know when to submit time, and managers should know when to review it.
• Make corrections traceable. A clear correction process helps protect both the worker and the organization.
• Review patterns as well as totals. Repeated missing entries or unexpected overtime may point to a process issue worth addressing.

Consistent timekeeping helps employees check their records and gives organizations more dependable information for payroll, billing, and planning. For organizations managing contingent workers, the same clarity can help coordinate time reporting across assignments and make sure workers understand how to submit and correct their records. The process should fit the work being tracked and the requirements that apply to the workforce.

For related workplace processes, see what onboarding involves.

*This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice.