How the time card calculator works
In → out: hours worked = clock-out time − clock-in time − unpaid break. If the out time is earlier than the in time, the shift ended the next day, so 24 hours are added to it. Type times like 7:30, 730, 7:30a or 4p; without am or pm the in time is read as morning and the out time as the first one after it, so 7 to 3 is 7 AM to 3 PM. The line under each time shows how it was read. The break is in minutes.
Example: in at 7:30 AM, out at 4:00 PM, 30-minute lunch. 4:00 PM is 16:00, and 16:00 − 7:30 = 8 hours 30 minutes. Minus the 30-minute lunch that is 8:00, or 8.00 hours.
Overnight example: in at 10:00 PM, out at 6:30 AM, 1-hour break. 6:30 AM comes before 10:00 PM, so it is the next morning: 22:00 to 30:30 is 8 hours 30 minutes. Minus the 60-minute break that is 7:30, or 7.50 hours.
Add up: type each day’s total as 8:30, 8.5 or 8h 30m; empty days count as zero. Example: 8:00 + 8:30 + 7:45 + 8 + 9.25, where 8 and 9.25 are decimal hours (8:00 and 9:15). The hours add up to 8 + 8 + 7 + 8 + 9 = 40 and the minutes to 30 + 45 + 15 = 90, which is 1:30, so the week is 41:30, or 41.50 hours.
h:mm ↔ decimal: decimal hours = hours + minutes ÷ 60, so 7:20 = 7 + 20 ÷ 60 = 7.33 hours. The other way, minutes = the decimal part × 60: 7.33 hours is 7 hours and 0.33 × 60 = 19.8, about 20 minutes, so 7:20.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked with a lunch break?
Subtract the clock-in time from the clock-out time, then subtract the unpaid lunch. 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM is 9 hours; with a 1-hour lunch that is 8 hours worked. Under federal rules, short rest breaks (about 5 to 20 minutes) are normally paid time and stay in, while a meal break of 30 minutes or more when you are fully relieved of duty normally is not (29 C.F.R. § 785.18–785.19).
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60: 15 minutes = 0.25, 20 minutes = 0.33, 30 minutes = 0.50, 45 minutes = 0.75. So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. To go back, multiply the decimal part by 60: 8.6 hours is 8 hours and 0.6 × 60 = 36 minutes, 8:36.
How is overtime calculated?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees get at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek (29 U.S.C. § 207); federal law has no daily overtime. Example: 41:30 in one week is 40 regular hours and 1:30 of overtime. At $20 an hour that is 40 × $20 = $800 plus 1.5 overtime hours × $30 (1.5 × $20) = $45, so $845 before taxes. Some states go further: California also pays 1.5× over 8 hours in a day, 2× over 12, and overtime on the seventh day in a row. This calculator only adds up hours; the Punchwise app splits a week into regular and overtime under the rule you pick. Treat it as an estimate, not payroll or legal advice, and ask your employer or your state labor department about your case.
How do I calculate hours for an overnight shift?
When the clock-out time is earlier than the clock-in time, the shift crossed midnight: add 24 hours to the out time before subtracting. 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM is 22:00 to 30:30, 8 hours 30 minutes; minus a 1-hour break, 7:30 worked. This calculator uses the clock times as written; on the night the clocks change for daylight saving time the real shift is an hour longer or shorter, and the Punchwise app counts that from the real time.
How do I add up hours and minutes?
Add the hours and the minutes separately, then turn every 60 minutes into an hour. 8:30 + 7:45 = 15 hours 75 minutes = 16:15. Or convert each to decimal hours first: 8.50 + 7.75 = 16.25 hours.