Calculate your daily earnings
The time card calculator converts your clock-in and clock-out times into actual hours worked, subtracts any unpaid breaks, and multiplies by your hourly rate to show what you've earned that day. It handles the arithmetic that timesheets require—no manual subtraction or mental math needed.
The mechanics
Hours worked = (Clock out − Clock in − Unpaid break) × Hourly rate = Gross pay
Breakdown:
- Clock in & clock out are entered in 24-hour format (e.g. 09:00 for 9 AM, 17:30 for 5:30 PM)
- Unpaid break is subtracted in minutes (lunch, rest periods you don't get paid for)
- The remainder is multiplied by your hourly wage to get gross daily pay
Worked example
You arrive at 08:15, leave at 17:45, take a 30-minute unpaid lunch, and earn $18.50/hour.
Step 1: Calculate total elapsed time
08:15 to 17:45 = 9 hours 30 minutes = 9.5 hours
Step 2: Subtract unpaid break
30 minutes = 0.5 hours
9.5 − 0.5 = 9 hours
Step 3: Multiply by hourly rate
9 × $18.50 = $166.50 gross pay
If you'd worked the full 9.5 hours with pay, it would be $175.75, so the unpaid break cost you $9.25 that day.
Common mistakes to avoid
Using 12-hour format by accident. The calculator expects 24-hour time: 14:00 is 2 PM, 23:30 is 11:30 PM. If you clock out at 6 PM, enter 18:00, not 6:00.
Forgetting to subtract breaks. If you take a paid break (e.g. a 15-minute paid rest), don't include it in the unpaid break field—only deduct time you're not compensated for.
Overnight shifts. If you clock in at 22:00 and clock out at 06:00 the next day, the calculator will show a negative or incorrect result. For night shifts that cross midnight, calculate them as two separate entries or add 24 hours to the clock-out time (e.g. enter 30:00 instead of 06:00).
Rounding your rate. Use your actual hourly wage. If you earn $18.50/hour, don't round to $18 or $19—small rounding errors compound across many days.
Tips for accurate timesheets
- Record times immediately. Clock in and out as you arrive and leave; memory is unreliable over a week or month.
- Include all unpaid time. Lunch, personal breaks, and commute time (if unpaid) all belong in the break field. Some employers include short paid breaks (5–10 min) in the work day; check your contract.
- Use the calculator daily. Running it each day catches errors before they're baked into a weekly total. Many workers discover discrepancies between what they thought they worked and what the timesheet shows.
- Save or screenshot results. If your employer disputes your hours, you'll have a record of what you calculated.
This calculator gives you gross pay before tax and deductions. Your actual take-home will be lower after income tax, social security, or other withholdings—check your payslip or use a net pay calculator if you need the final figure. This is an estimate, not professional payroll advice; always verify against your employer's records.