How to calculate hours worked
- Enter the time you started and the time you finished, using the 24-hour clock (for example 08:30 and 17:15).
- Enter any unpaid break in minutes, such as a 30-minute lunch.
- Press Calculate hours. You get the time worked as hours and minutes (8:15), decimal hours (8.25) and total minutes.
Why decimal hours matter
Payroll and invoicing usually multiply hours by an hourly rate, which needs decimal hours. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours, not 7.45. Divide the minutes by 60 to convert: 15 minutes = 0.25, 20 minutes ≈ 0.33, 30 minutes = 0.5, 40 minutes ≈ 0.67 and 45 minutes = 0.75.
Overnight and night shifts
If the finish time is earlier than the start time, the Hours Calculator assumes the shift ended the next day. A shift from 22:00 to 06:00 with a 30-minute break is 7 hours 30 minutes (7.5 hours). For shifts longer than 24 hours, or to include the dates, use the Time and Date Calculator.
Weekly totals
To total a week, calculate each day and add the decimal hours together — for example 8.25 + 7.5 + 8 + 8 + 6.75 = 38.5 hours. Rounding rules for clocking in and out vary between employers; many round to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes, so check your workplace policy before comparing figures.
Other uses
The same calculation works for parking times, study sessions, sleep (bedtime to wake-up time), flight durations in one time zone and the length of events. For adding time to a clock time instead, use the Time Calculator.