How to Convert a Timesheet to Decimal Hours

How to Convert Timesheet Hours to Decimal Hours

To convert a timesheet entry into decimal hours:

1. Keep the whole hours unchanged.
2. Divide the minutes by 60.
3. Add the result to the whole hours.

For example, if your timesheet shows 8 hours 20 minutes:

20 ÷ 60 = 0.3333

Then add that to the 8 whole hours:

8 + 0.3333 = 8.3333

Rounded to two decimal places: 8 hours 20 minutes = 8.33 decimal hours

The important point is that decimal hours are based on fractions of 60 minutes, not fractions of 100.

Example: Converting a Weekly Timesheet

Suppose your timesheet looks like this:

Once each day’s hours have been converted, the decimal values can be added together.

In this example:

7.50 + 7.75 + 8.00 + 8.33 + 7.25 = 38.83 decimal hours

The exact result can vary slightly depending on when rounding is applied, so if you are calculating payroll, follow the rounding method used by your employer or payroll system.

Why 7:45 Is Not 7.45 Decimal Hours

This is one of the most common mistakes when completing a decimal-hours timesheet.

7:45 means 7 hours and 45 minutes.

To convert the 45 minutes:

45 ÷ 60 = 0.75

So: 7 hours 45 minutes = 7.75 decimal hours

By comparison, 7.45 decimal hours means 7 whole hours plus 0.45 of an hour.

To convert 0.45 of an hour back into minutes:

0.45 × 60 = 27 minutes

So: 7.45 decimal hours = 7 hours 27 minutes

This is why you should never simply replace the colon in a time with a decimal point.

Common Timesheet Minute Conversions

These are some of the most common minute values used when converting timesheets:

For a complete reference, see our Minutes to Decimal Hours Conversion Chart.

How to Convert a Whole Week’s Timesheet

There are two common ways to convert a weekly timesheet.

Convert each day separately

You can convert each day’s hours and minutes into decimal hours, then add the decimal values together.

For example:

• Monday: 7h 30m = 7.50
• Tuesday: 7h 45m = 7.75
• Wednesday: 8h = 8.00

You can then total the decimal-hour figures.

This is often the simplest method when a timesheet already contains a separate total for each day.

Add the hours and minutes first

Alternatively, you can add all the worked hours and minutes together first and then convert the final weekly total.

For example, if your total working time is 37 hours 30 minutes, convert the 30 minutes:

30 ÷ 60 = 0.50

So: 37 hours 30 minutes = 37.50 decimal hours

This method can help avoid small differences caused by rounding individual daily entries.

What If Your Timesheet Shows Start and Finish Times?

Some timesheets do not show the total hours worked. Instead, they record:

• start time
• finish time
• break duration

In that case, you first need to calculate the actual hours worked:

Finish time − start time − unpaid breaks = working time

You can then convert the resulting hours and minutes into decimal hours.

For a full walkthrough, see How to Convert Start and Finish Times to Decimal Hours.

What About Unpaid Breaks?

If your timesheet includes an unpaid lunch or other break, deduct the break before converting the final worked time into decimal hours.

For example:

08:00 to 16:30 = 8 hours 30 minutes

If you take a 30-minute unpaid break:

8 hours 30 minutes − 30 minutes = 8 hours worked

The decimal total is therefore 8.00 hours.

For more detailed examples, see How to Deduct Breaks From Timesheet Hours.

Using Decimal Hours for Payroll

Decimal hours are useful in payroll because they can be multiplied directly by an hourly pay rate.

For example:

7.75 hours × £15 per hour = £116.25

This is why payroll systems often prefer decimal hours rather than hours and minutes.

If you want to understand how decimal time is used in payroll calculations, see Decimal Hours for Payroll Explained.