Methodology: Free Timesheet Templates

What this tool gives you

This tool creates a blank timesheet template you can print, save as PDF, or download as CSV. You choose a preset, pay period, columns, and header fields; the preview updates before you download.

The goal is a usable form, not a full payroll system. The template helps you capture the time records a small employer needs before payroll is calculated.

How the presets work

Preset	Best for	What it includes
Simple	A quick weekly or bi-weekly sheet.	Basic date, clock-in, clock-out, break, and regular-hours fields.
FLSA recordkeeping	Employers who want fields aligned with federal recordkeeping rules.	Basic time fields plus the practical §516.2 fields that fit on a timesheet.
California recordkeeping	California employers who want a double-time column.	FLSA-style fields plus double-time hours.
Custom	Teams that need their own layout.	You choose the visible columns and header fields.

The live preview is the print output. If a column is visible in the preview, it appears in the PDF or CSV.

Pay-period options

• Weekly: 7 rows.
• Bi-weekly: 14 rows, with a divider after the first week.
• Monthly: 31 rows, so every month fits. Shorter months leave unused rows blank.

Column and header choices

The always-on columns are date, day, clock in, clock out, break minutes, and regular hours. Optional columns include overtime hours, double-time hours, sick time, vacation/PTO, job or project, and notes.

The always-on header fields are employee name, company/employer, and pay period ending. Optional header fields include employee ID, workweek start day, employee address, occupation, employee signature, and supervisor signature.

How this maps to FLSA recordkeeping

Federal recordkeeping rules in 29 CFR §516.2 require employers to keep specific records for non-exempt employees. A printable timesheet cannot hold every payroll record, but it can capture the practical timekeeping subset.

§516.2 item	Template field
Employee name and identifying number	Employee name and employee ID.
Address	Optional employee address.
Occupation	Optional occupation field.
Workweek start	Optional workweek-start field.
Hours worked each day and each workweek	Date, day, clock in, clock out, break, and hours columns.
Overtime premium hours	Optional overtime-hours column.
Pay period covered	Pay-period-ending field.

Items such as regular-rate basis, deductions, total wages paid, and payment date are usually payroll-close records, not blank-timesheet fields. The template leaves room for totals but does not replace payroll records.

California additions

California Labor Code §1174 adds state recordkeeping duties. The California preset adds a double-time column because California Labor Code §510 can require 2x pay after 12 hours in a day or after 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day.

If you need to calculate California daily overtime, weekly overtime, double-time, or 7th-day premiums, use the State Overtime Calculator. This template gives you a place to record the split; it does not calculate the split for you.

How long to keep completed timesheets

Federal rules use two main retention periods:

Record type	Retention
Payroll records under §516.2	3 years
Basic time and earning cards	2 years

Some states require longer retention. New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii commonly use 6-year payroll-record windows, and California payroll records are at least 3 years. Many employers keep time and payroll records longer to cover state and tax windows.

For a full map, see Recordkeeping Requirements by State.

Output formats

Print / Save as PDF uses your browser's print dialog. Choose "Save as PDF" if you want a PDF file. The print stylesheet uses letter-size portrait layout, repeats header rows, and avoids page breaks inside rows where possible.

Download CSV creates a spreadsheet-friendly file with headers and blank rows. Use CSV when you want to add formulas, prefill employee data, or import the sheet into another workflow.

What is not modeled

• Logo upload or branded headers. The template stays simple and typographic.
• True XLSX output. CSV covers the practical spreadsheet use case; add formulas after opening it in Excel or Google Sheets.
• Pre-filled dates. Monthly mode gives 31 blank rows rather than generating a calendar.
• Multi-employee batches. One template is for one employee.
• Industry-specific presets. Restaurants, construction crews, healthcare shifts, and tip workflows may need extra columns. Use Custom for now.
• Payroll math. The template records time; it does not calculate overtime, double-time, wages, deductions, or payroll taxes.

Data sources

• 29 CFR §516.2 — federal records to keep.
• 29 CFR §516.5 — 3-year federal payroll-record retention.
• 29 CFR §516.6 — 2-year federal time-card retention.
• 29 CFR §785.7 — workweek definition.
• California Labor Code §1174 — California payroll recordkeeping.
• California Labor Code §510 — California double-time rules.
• DOL Fact Sheet #22 — hours-worked context.

Companion calculators: Time Card Calculator and State Overtime Calculator.

How accurate is this?

The FLSA mapping is accurate for the practical fields a blank timesheet can capture. It does not cover every payroll record an employer must keep.

Use the template to collect clean time records. Use payroll software or a payroll process to compute pay, deductions, taxes, final totals, and state-specific record retention.