What is a timesheet template?
A timesheet template is a simple grid for recording hours worked across a day, week or pay period. Employees, hourly staff and contractors use it to log time, and businesses use it to run payroll and to bill clients accurately.
The Excel version totals hours for you: enter start and end times or hours per day, and the sheet sums the day, the week and the period. It is a practical companion to an invoice when you bill by the hour.
What to include in a timesheet
A useful timesheet captures who worked, when, and on what:
- Worker and period details: The employee or contractor name, the manager or client, and the week or pay-period dates
- Daily hours: Hours worked each day, or start time, end time and breaks, so the daily total is clear
- Project or task: What the time was spent on, so hours can be billed to the right client or job
- Regular vs overtime: A split between regular and overtime hours where it affects pay or billing
- Weekly and period totals: Automatic totals for the week and the full period, ready for payroll or invoicing
- Approval: A line for the worker and approver to sign off, so the hours are agreed before they are paid or billed
How to use this free timesheet template
This template downloads free as a Microsoft Word document, an auto-calculating Excel spreadsheet, and a print-ready PDF. Every version is fully editable, so you can add your own logo, colors and payment details once and reuse the file for every client.
- Download the format you work in. Word or Google Docs for a document you type into, Excel or Google Sheets if you want line totals and tax added up automatically, or the PDF if you just need to print or hand-fill it.
- Add your business details once. Drop in your company name, logo, address, email and payment terms, then save it as your master copy.
- Fill in the client and the work. Enter the client details, a unique invoice number, the dates, and an itemized list of what you are billing for.
- Check the totals and send. Confirm the subtotal, any tax, and the total due, then export to PDF and send it, or share a link.
When a timesheet template is not enough
A timesheet template is a fine way to send a clean, professional bill. What it cannot do is keep track of what you have invoiced, chase the payments that are late, and tie every paid invoice back to your books. That work grows quietly as your business does.
FinStackk is an accounting and tax compliance platform for U.S. businesses, and its bookkeeping module, Fin-Books, takes that work off your plate. The Fin-Books team manages customer invoicing, invoice follow-ups, accounts receivable and reconciliation as part of your monthly books, so revenue is recorded correctly and nothing falls through the cracks.
That matters most when invoices turn into tax and compliance obligations: recognizing revenue in the right period, reconciling deposits, tracking sales tax you collect, and keeping GAAP-ready financials for a lender or investor. If you have outgrown filling in a template by hand, that is the point to move from a blank file to managed books.
Common mistakes to avoid on a timesheet
- Rounding hours inconsistently: Pick one rounding rule (for example to the nearest quarter hour) and apply it every time
- No project detail: Without a task or project column, you cannot bill hours accurately to the right client
- Skipping approval: Have hours approved before payroll or billing to avoid disputes and corrections later
- Not keeping records: Retain timesheets; they support your payroll filings and your labor records if questions arise
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Does this timesheet template calculate hours automatically?
Yes, in the Excel version. Enter the hours or the start and end times and the sheet totals each day, the week and the pay period for you.
Can I use a timesheet to bill clients?
Yes. Track hours by project on the timesheet, then transfer the billable totals to an hourly invoice. It is a common pairing for contractors and consultants.
What is the difference between regular and overtime hours?
Regular hours are worked within the standard schedule; overtime is hours beyond the threshold set by law or contract, often paid at a higher rate. Track them separately so pay is correct.
Is this timesheet template free?
Yes. Download it in Excel, PDF or Word and use it for unlimited workers and periods at no cost.
Can I use AI or ChatGPT to create an invoice?
You can ask an AI tool to draft invoice wording, but it will not reliably calculate your totals or tax, and it keeps no record of what you have billed. A ready-made template, or the generator above, is faster and more accurate for the invoice itself. For the accounting behind your invoices, recording the revenue, reconciling the payment and tracking what clients owe, FinStackk's Fin-Books handles that as part of your US bookkeeping.
Which format should I use: Word, Excel, PDF, or Google Docs and Sheets?
Use Word or Google Docs when you want to type into a document and control the layout. Use Excel or Google Sheets when you want the line totals, subtotal and tax calculated for you. Use the PDF when you just need a fixed file to print or send. Many businesses keep an editable master in one format and send a PDF to the client.
How do I get paid faster, and what should I do about late payments?
Send the invoice the day the work is done, set short and clear terms such as Net 15, make payment easy, and follow up politely the day after the due date. As your invoice volume grows, chasing payments by hand gets expensive. FinStackk's Fin-Books manages customer invoicing, invoice follow-ups and accounts receivable, so late invoices get chased and your books stay current.
Do I need to charge sales tax on an invoice?
It depends on what you sell and where the customer is. Many professional services are not taxed, but most states tax physical goods and some tax specific services. If you have sales tax nexus in a state and sell something taxable there, you generally collect and remit the tax. FinStackk's Fin-Tax helps US businesses identify and manage their sales tax obligations as they grow.
Can I use a timesheet to bill clients and run payroll?
Yes. Track hours by project on the timesheet, then move the billable totals onto an hourly invoice, and use the same hours for payroll. Keeping accurate time records also supports your payroll filings and labor records.