How to track employee hours without payroll software
You can track hourly employees' time on a paper timesheet or a spreadsheet, because the FLSA requires no particular form or method, only records of hours worked each day and each workweek that are complete and accurate (DOL Fact Sheet #21). Keep time cards for at least 2 years and payroll records for at least 3 years.
Copyable weekly timesheet
One sheet per employee per workweek. Fill in times as they happen, not at the end of the week.
| Date | Location | In | Meal out | Meal in | Out | Hours | Employee initials | Manager initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 11/16 | Store A | 9:00 | 1:00 | 1:30 | 5:30 | 8.00 | ||
| Tue 11/17 | Store B | 12:00 | — | — | 4:15 | 4.25 | ||
| Wed 11/18 | ||||||||
| Thu 11/19 | ||||||||
| Fri 11/20 | ||||||||
| Sat 11/21 | ||||||||
| Sun 11/22 | ||||||||
| Total hours this workweek | ||||||||
Example, Monday: 9:00 to 5:30 is 8.5 hours, minus a 30-minute meal = 8.00 hours. The meal can be unpaid only if the employee is completely relieved from duty (29 CFR 785.19). Short rest breaks of 5 to about 20 minutes stay in the paid hours (29 CFR 785.18).
Spreadsheet version
Put In in column C, Meal out in D, Meal in in E and Out in F, formatted as times. Hours in G: =((F2-C2)-(E2-D2))*24. Weekly total: =SUM(G2:G8). Overtime hours: =MAX(0, G9-40).
Fields the FLSA requires for each non-exempt employee
From DOL Fact Sheet #21 and 29 CFR 516.2:
- Full name and Social Security number
- Address, including ZIP code
- Birth date, if under 19
- Sex and occupation
- Time and day the workweek begins
- Hours worked each day
- Total hours worked each workweek
- Basis of pay (hourly, weekly, piece rate)
- Regular hourly pay rate
- Total daily or weekly straight-time earnings
- Total overtime earnings for the workweek
- All additions to or deductions from wages
- Total wages paid each pay period
- Date of payment and the pay period covered
Items 1–5 go on an employee card once. Items 6–7 come from the timesheet above. Items 8–14 go on your pay register.
How long to keep what
| Record | Keep at least | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll records | 3 years | Fact Sheet #21 |
| Time cards and daily start/stop times | 2 years from the last entry | 29 CFR 516.6 |
| Wage rate tables and work schedules | 2 years | Fact Sheet #21 |
| Records of additions to or deductions from wages | 2 years | Fact Sheet #21 |
The fixed-schedule shortcut
For an employee on a fixed schedule, you may keep the schedule and mark each week that it was followed. In any week the employee works more or less than scheduled, you must record the exact hours worked each day and each week (29 CFR 516.2(c)).
Weekly close-out, 15 minutes per location
- Total each sheet; check the math on two random days.
- Flag anyone over 40 hours across all your locations, since hours for the same employer add up (calculating overtime).
- Employee and manager initial the total.
- Copy totals into the pay register; file the sheets by week.
Where paper breaks down
Paper and shared spreadsheets make it easy for one person to fill in another's line; see buddy punching. If you round punch times, follow the rounding rules. If you outgrow paper, Assistlify records clock in/out with breaks from a phone browser and exports attendance as CSV for whoever runs payroll.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department for current rules.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department for current rules.
Questions
Is a paper timesheet legal?
Yes. DOL Fact Sheet #21 says employers may use any timekeeping method as long as it is complete and accurate.
How long do I need to keep timesheets?
At least 2 years for time cards (29 CFR 516.6) and 3 years for payroll records (Fact Sheet #21).
Do I need to record exact clock times for salaried staff?
The hour-by-hour requirements in Fact Sheet #21 apply to non-exempt workers; see exempt vs non-exempt for who qualifies.
Can I just write down the schedule instead of actual hours?
Only for employees on a fixed schedule, and you must record exact hours in any week they work more or less than scheduled (29 CFR 516.2(c)).
Sources
- US DOL WHD Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements under the FLSA (revised July 2008) (checked 2026-11-12)
- eCFR 29 CFR 516.2 Records for employees subject to minimum wage and overtime (checked 2026-11-12)
- eCFR 29 CFR 516.6 Records to be preserved 2 years (checked 2026-11-12)
- eCFR 29 CFR 785.18 Rest (checked 2026-11-12)
- eCFR 29 CFR 785.19 Meal (checked 2026-11-12)