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How to Fill Out a Timesheet

Harvest is the ideal solution for accurate timesheet management, reducing errors and ensuring compliance with one-click timers and detailed reporting.

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How many hours did you work this week?

Enter your clock-in and clock-out times for each day. The calculator handles breaks, overtime, and weekly totals automatically.

Day Clock In Clock Out Break Hours
Total hours this week 0h
Regular hours (≤40) 0h
Overtime hours 0h
Average hours/day 0h
Total break time 0h

Track time automatically with Harvest

Walk through the entire flow below. Start a timer, check your reports, and create a real invoice — all in three clicks.

Go ahead — start tracking!

One click and you're timing. Try it right here: start a timer, add an entry, edit the details. This is exactly how it feels in Harvest.

  • One-click timer from browser, desktop & mobile
  • Works inside Jira, Asana, Trello, GitHub & 50+ tools
  • Duration or start/end — your call
  • Day, week & calendar views to stay on top of it all
  • Friendly reminders so no hour gets left behind
Acme Corp
Website Redesign
Homepage layout revisions
1:24:09
Content Strategy
Blog calendar planning
1:30:00
SEO Audit
Technical audit report
0:45:00
Brand Guidelines
Color system documentation
2:15:00
Logo Concepts
Initial sketches round 1
1:00:00
Today's total 6:54:09

Understanding the "Why": The Importance of Accurate Timesheets

Accurate timesheets are essential for maintaining legal compliance and ensuring fair compensation. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in the U.S., employers must keep detailed time records for non-exempt employees, which include start and end times, as well as total hours worked each week. This accuracy prevents costly errors, as fixing a single payroll mistake can cost an average of $291. Moreover, timesheets play a critical role in calculating overtime pay, which must be at least 1.5 times the regular wage for hours over 40 in a workweek.

Beyond compliance, timesheets offer operational insights that enhance project management and resource allocation. Businesses can track labor costs effectively and ensure projects stay within budget. This is particularly valuable in project-based industries such as construction and consulting, where precise billing is paramount. Additionally, transparent timesheet practices build trust between employers and employees, fostering a culture of accountability.

How to Fill Out a Timesheet: Step-by-Step Guide

Filling out a timesheet accurately is crucial for both payroll and operational efficiency. Start by entering your full name and the applicable date or date range for the timesheet. Include specific tasks or projects associated with your work, which helps in project-based billing or internal analysis.

Next, record your start and end times, along with any breaks. Remember, U.S. regulations require breaks shorter than 20 minutes to be paid. Ensure you tally the total hours worked each day and calculate any overtime. Finally, add notes for any discrepancies and submit the timesheet for managerial approval. This step-by-step process not only fulfills legal obligations but also aids in transparent and efficient time management.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out a Timesheet

Errors in timesheet completion can lead to significant financial and operational setbacks. Common mistakes include forgetting to clock in or out, which can contribute to time theft, costing U.S. businesses over $11 billion annually. Illegible handwriting and calculation errors are prevalent in manual timesheet processes, with error rates reaching up to 20%.

To avoid these pitfalls, always log hours in real-time, ensuring accuracy. Review entries before submission to catch and correct any errors early. Automated systems like Harvest can further reduce errors by providing digital solutions for time tracking and calculations, streamlining the approval process and enhancing accuracy.

Harvest: Streamlining Timesheet Management

Harvest offers a comprehensive solution for efficient timesheet management, catering to diverse business needs and remote work scenarios. With one-click start/stop timers and manual entry options, Harvest ensures precise time tracking, which is crucial for payroll compliance and project management. Detailed reports generated by Harvest provide insights into time utilization, helping businesses manage budgets and resource allocation effectively.

Moreover, Harvest supports various integrations including Asana, Trello, and QuickBooks, allowing seamless synchronization with existing workflows. Its multi-platform availability ensures that teams can submit timesheets from anywhere, making it ideal for remote work environments. Harvest empowers businesses to maintain compliance and operational efficiency with ease.

Best Practices for Submitting Timesheets in Remote Work Environments

In today's remote work settings, submitting timesheets accurately and on time is more vital than ever. Harvest facilitates this by offering multi-platform access, allowing employees to log hours from any device, be it web, macOS, Windows, iOS, or Android. This flexibility is essential for maintaining continuous and accurate records across distributed teams.

To ensure timely submissions, set clear deadlines and utilize automated reminders. This proactive approach helps avoid delays and errors, ensuring that all team members are on the same page. By integrating these practices with Harvest's capabilities, companies can effectively manage remote teams and maintain accurate time records.

How to Fill Out a Timesheet with Harvest

See how Harvest simplifies timesheet management with one-click timers and detailed reports, ideal for remote work.

Harvest timesheet management interface

How to Fill Out a Timesheet FAQs

  • A timesheet should include your full name, employee ID, pay period, specific work dates, clock-in and clock-out times, break durations, total hours worked, and project details. Manager approval is also necessary for completeness.

  • To calculate total hours worked, sum up all the hours recorded for each day. Make sure to subtract any unpaid breaks and include any overtime hours, which should be compensated at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a week.

  • Common mistakes include forgetting to clock in or out, miscalculating hours, and not recording breaks. To avoid errors, log hours in real-time and review entries before submission. Automated tools like Harvest can help reduce these errors.

  • Yes, timesheets can vary based on industry and company policy. Some may require detailed project or task entries, especially in project-based industries, while others may focus solely on hours worked. It's important to follow your organization's specific timesheet format.

  • Harvest integrates with various tools like Asana, Trello, and QuickBooks, allowing seamless synchronization with existing workflows. This integration helps streamline time tracking and project management processes.

  • Yes, Harvest allows you to track expenses alongside time. You can capture receipts and manage expenses efficiently, integrating them into your project budgets and reports.

  • Harvest supports remote work by providing multi-platform access, allowing team members to log hours and submit timesheets from any device, ensuring flexibility and accuracy in time tracking.

  • In the U.S., employers must retain payroll records, including timesheets, for at least two years. Federal tax documents should be kept for four years. These records are crucial for compliance and auditing purposes.