Home/Date & Time/Time Card Calculator

Time Card Calculator

Weekly time sheet calculator. Enter start/end times for each day, deduct breaks, and calculate total hours and gross pay for Australian payroll.

Quick Answer

Enter your start time, end time and unpaid break for each day of the week below — the calculator totals your hours automatically and works out gross pay, estimated tax withheld, net pay and superannuation based on your hourly rate.

Weekly Time Card
DayStartEndBreak (min)Hours
TOTAL HOURS:0.00
Hourly rate
$
Tax withholding
%

What Is a Timesheet (Time Card)?

A timesheet — also called a time card — is a record of the hours an employee works over a pay period, used to calculate wages, track attendance, and provide evidence for compliance with workplace laws. Traditionally a paper card punched at the start and end of each shift (the origin of the term "time card"), timesheets today are usually digital, whether a simple spreadsheet, a dedicated app like Deputy or Xero, or a calculator like this one.

Did you know? Under the Fair Work Act 2009, Australian employers are legally required to keep accurate time and wage records for every employee — not just for payroll purposes, but as evidence of compliance if a dispute or Fair Work Ombudsman audit arises.

How Time Card Hours Are Calculated

Hours worked (per day) = End time − Start time − Unpaid break
Weekly total = Sum of all daily hours
Gross pay = Weekly total × hourly rate

Worked Example

Monday: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, 30-minute unpaid break.
Raw span: 4:30 PM − 8:00 AM = 8.5 hours. Minus 0.5-hour break = 8 hours.
Result: 8.0 hours worked. At $24.10/hour: 8 × $24.10 = $192.80 gross for the day.

Weekly, Fortnightly and Biweekly Time Cards

This calculator totals one week at a time. For a fortnightly (biweekly) pay period — common in Australian casual and shift-based payroll — simply use the calculator twice (once per week) and add the two weekly totals together for the combined fortnightly hours and pay figure.

Pay periodOccurrences per yearCommon in
Weekly52Casual and hospitality roles
Fortnightly (biweekly)26Most common Australian pay cycle
Monthly12Salaried professional roles

Common Mistakes on Time Cards

MistakeWhy it matters
Forgetting to deduct unpaid breaksOverstates hours worked and gross pay
Not accounting for overnight shiftsAn end time earlier than the start time (e.g. 11 PM–7 AM) needs to add 24 hours before subtracting, or the calculation goes negative
Using a flat tax percentage as a real tax calculationThis calculator's tax withholding is a simplified estimate; actual PAYG withholding depends on the ATO's official tax tables and your tax-free threshold status
Missing the superannuation guaranteeEmployers must pay 12% SG (from 1 July 2025) on top of gross wages, not deducted from them
Common mistake: Treating the "Net pay" figure shown here as exact take-home pay. It's a simplified estimate using a flat withholding percentage — your actual PAYG tax depends on the ATO's tax tables, HECS/HELP debt, Medicare levy, and your tax-free threshold claim. Use the ATO's official tax withheld calculator for exact figures.

Australian Payroll Reference

Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers must keep accurate time and wages records. Employees must be paid at least the applicable minimum wage under their Modern Award or enterprise agreement.

Pay Periods

Australian employees are most commonly paid weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. The Fair Work Act requires wages to be paid at least monthly. The SG (Superannuation Guarantee) rate is 12% from 1 July 2025 and must be paid quarterly into the employee's nominated super fund.

🔑 Key Takeaways

  • A timesheet (time card) records hours worked per pay period to calculate wages and meet Fair Work record-keeping requirements
  • Hours = End time − Start time − Unpaid break, summed across the week
  • For fortnightly pay, run this calculator twice and add the weekly totals
  • The tax withheld figure shown is a simplified estimate, not exact PAYG withholding
  • Superannuation (12% SG) is paid on top of gross wages by the employer, not deducted from pay
⏱️ Last Updated: June 2026 | Reviewed by Mohsin Iqbal

🔑 Key Takeaways

How to Calculate a Pay Period

DayStartEndBreakHours
Monday8:00 AM4:30 PM30 min8.0
Tuesday8:00 AM5:00 PM30 min8.5
Wednesday8:00 AM4:30 PM30 min8.0
Thursday8:00 AM6:00 PM30 min9.5
Friday8:00 AM4:00 PM30 min7.5
Total41.5 hrs (3.5 OT)

Time Card Cheat Sheet

Daily hours = End time − Start time − Unpaid break
Weekly total = Sum of all daily hours
Gross pay = Weekly total × hourly rate
Super (12% SG) = Gross pay × 0.12, paid on top by the employer

Practice Questions

Beginner:

  1. You work 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with a 30-minute break. How many hours is that?
    Show answer

    7.5 hours (8 hours span minus 0.5 hour break).

  2. At $24.10/hour, what is the gross pay for a 7.5-hour day?
    Show answer

    $180.75 (7.5 × $24.10).

Advanced:

  1. Across a 5-day week working 8 hours each day, what is the weekly gross pay at $24.10/hour, and the super owed on top?
    Show answer

    40 hours × $24.10 = $964.00 gross. Super = $964.00 × 0.12 = $115.68, paid on top by the employer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a timesheet?

A timesheet (or time card) is a record of the hours an employee works during a pay period, used to calculate wages and meet legal record-keeping requirements. It typically logs the start time, end time and any unpaid breaks for each shift.

How do I calculate hours worked from a time card?

For each day: End time − Start time − Unpaid break time = Hours worked. Sum all days for the period total. For 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM with a 30-minute unpaid break: 4:30 PM = 16:30; 16:30 − 8:00 = 8:30 = 8.5 hours minus 0.5 hour break = 8 hours worked.

Can I use this for a biweekly (fortnightly) time card?

Run the calculator once for each week and add the two weekly hour totals together for your fortnightly figure — fortnightly pay is Australia's most common pay cycle.

What records must Australian employers keep?

Under the Fair Work Act, employers must keep: employee name, employment type (full-time/part-time/casual), pay rate, pay period, hours worked, gross and net pay, and leave balances. Records must be kept for 7 years and made available to employees and the Fair Work Ombudsman on request.

⏱️ Last updated: August 2026 · Reviewed by Mohsin Iqbal