{"id":3590,"date":"2019-07-26T16:47:46","date_gmt":"2019-07-26T14:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/?p=3590"},"modified":"2026-05-15T02:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T00:00:00","slug":"track-employee-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/business\/track-employee-hours\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Track Employee Hours: 4 Methods for Any Team Size"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"intro-text wp-block-paragraph\">Tracking employee time means instructing workers to record their work hours \u2014 start and end times, breaks, and overtime.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a manager, recording employees\u2019 hours will help you improve project visibility and ensure payroll accuracy and overtime compliance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read on to learn more about easy-to-use employee timekeeping methods for your business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1110\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/How_to_Track_Employee_Hours-cover-1110x555.webp\" alt=\"How_to_Track_Employee_Hours - cover\" class=\"wp-image-37894\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/How_to_Track_Employee_Hours-cover-1110x555.webp 1110w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/How_to_Track_Employee_Hours-cover-600x300.webp 600w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/How_to_Track_Employee_Hours-cover-768x384.webp 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/How_to_Track_Employee_Hours-cover-1536x768.webp 1536w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/How_to_Track_Employee_Hours-cover-18x9.webp 18w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/How_to_Track_Employee_Hours-cover.webp 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-accurate-time-tracking-matters\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why accurate time tracking matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accurate time tracking matters for the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Payroll precision<\/strong> \u2014 when teams keep accurate timesheets, managers and small business owners can calculate payroll and ensure fair compensation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Project visibility<\/strong> \u2014 tracking the time your employees spend working on tasks and projects is the safest way to stay within project budget and finish your projects before deadlines.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FLSA compliance<\/strong> \u2014 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/agencies\/whd\/flsa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fair Labor Standards Act<\/a> is a federal law that covers regulations like recordkeeping, overtime, and minimum wage. Under this law, employers must record employees\u2019 hours worked, breaks, overtime, and wages.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Time tracking can also improve both employee and team productivity. If team members track time on each task and project, they\u2019ll know whether they dedicate enough time to vital tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1 <strong>CLOCKIFY PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"intro-text wp-block-paragraph\">Does tracking multiple projects at once sound overwhelming? It doesn\u2019t have to be, and here are some ways to do it properly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/tracking-time\/managing-and-tracking-multiple-projects\/\">How To Track Multiple Projects at Once (Strategies + Tools)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"method-1-paper-manual-timesheets\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method 1: Paper\/manual timesheets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A timesheet template is a sheet of paper with predefined data where employees enter their time and then hand it in, usually on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-to-use-paper-manual-timesheets\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use paper\/manual timesheets?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employees need to enter the time tracking data \u2014 such as start and end time, lunch breaks, and <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/managing-teams\/overtime-without-pay\/\">overtime hours<\/a> \u2014 to calculate their regular hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of the week, they need to add up their daily totals to get a weekly total \u2014 multiplying that by the hourly rate gives the weekly earnings needed for payroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more data, employees on sick leave or vacation will need to enter \u201c8 hours\u201d in the \u201cVacation\/Sick Leave\u201d column for that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>\u2705 <strong>Pros of paper\/manual timesheets<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u274c Cons of paper\/manual timesheets<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Requires no training<\/td><td>Audit trails are sometimes inaccurate&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Some employee timesheet templates allow you to add their vacation time, sick leave, and other similar data<\/td><td>The employees can easily make mistakes in their calculations \u2014 mistakes that will influence payroll and even bring the company into serious problems<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Good for very small teams or field\/low-tech environments<\/td><td>No way to distinguish billable client time \u2014 as opposed to time spent on company meetings, inbox management, and administrative work<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"method-2-spreadsheet-timesheets-excel-google-sheets\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method 2: Spreadsheet timesheets (Excel \/ Google Sheets)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re wondering how to track employee hours in a spreadsheet, this method is quite easy. You can use either Excel or Google Sheets as your staff timesheets. Google Sheets works better when you want to share your <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/timesheet-templates\">free employee timesheet templates<\/a> with your workers, HR, or accounting team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The gist of this method is simple \u2014 your employees just need to add the projects and tasks they\u2019re working on, along with the time they\u2019ve spent on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later, as an operations manager or small business owner, you can approve or reject timesheets for <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/payroll-management\">payroll processing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-to-use-spreadsheet-timesheets-in-excel-google-sheets\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use spreadsheet timesheets in Excel\/Google Sheets?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want to use Excel for tracking employee hours, instruct your employees to create the following table with formulas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Add the basic information labels<\/strong> \u2014 such as \u201cName,\u201d \u201cTime period,\u201d \u201cCompany department,\u201d and \u201cManager.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add the basic timesheet labels<\/strong> \u2014 such as \u201cDate,\u201d \u201cDay of the week,\u201d \u201cMorning hours,\u201d \u201cLunch time,\u201d \u201cAfternoon hours,\u201d \u201cDaily total,\u201d and \u201cWeekly total.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add your work hours <\/strong>\u2014 type the time worked during \u201cMorning hours\u201d and \u201cAfternoon hours\u201d for each day of the week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add the formula for the \u201cDaily total\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 write <strong>=sum(D8+F8)<\/strong> in the first \u201cDaily total\u201d cell (marked here as G8).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"122\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Calculating-daily-total-work-hours.webp\" alt=\"Calculating daily total work hours\" class=\"wp-image-37888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Calculating-daily-total-work-hours.webp 700w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Calculating-daily-total-work-hours-18x3.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Calculating daily total work hours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Expand the formula to the remaining cells<\/strong> \u2014 select the <strong>G8 cell<\/strong> (\u201cDaily total\u201d for Monday) and expand the selection by dragging the outer left plus sign down to the <strong>G12 cell<\/strong> (\u201cDaily total\u201d for Friday).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add the formula for the \u201cWeekly total\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 write <strong>=sum(G8:G12)<\/strong> in the \u201cWeekly total\u201d cell (marked here as G14).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Calculating-weekly-total-work-hours.png\" alt=\"Calculating weekly total work hours\" class=\"wp-image-37889\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Calculating-weekly-total-work-hours.png 700w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Calculating-weekly-total-work-hours-530x300.png 530w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Calculating-weekly-total-work-hours-18x10.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Calculating weekly total work hours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you add work hours for an entire week, your \u201cDaily total\u201d and \u201cWeekly total\u201d will be automatically calculated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>\u2705 <strong>Pros of spreadsheet timesheets<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u274c Cons of spreadsheet timesheets<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>These formulas are easy enough for anyone to replicate<\/td><td>Spreadsheets work well for up to about 10\u201315 employees, then become difficult to&nbsp; manage<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>You can add additional formulas for other data you want to track<\/td><td>Each employee sends out a separate Excel timesheet for approval, so it\u2019s easy to misplace someone\u2019s timesheet<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>If you\u2019re using Google Sheets, you can share your timesheets with team members<\/td><td>It may be time-consuming to create, fill out, and approve such tables every week<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1 <strong>CLOCKIFY PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can instruct your employees to create staff timesheets \u2014 or you can do it yourself and simply share the document. Check out our guide on how to create simple daily, weekly, and monthly timesheet templates with formulas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/how-to-create-simple-excel-timesheet\">Free Excel Timesheet Template (+ Guide &amp; Top Alternative)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"method-3-time-clock-app\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method 3: Time clock app<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since manual time tracking can be error-prone and time-consuming, you can opt for a more reliable employee timekeeping method, such as time clock apps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike paper and spreadsheet timesheets, time clock apps are a digital solution that help you and your employees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Record<\/strong> work hours with a timer or automatically,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Track<\/strong> overtime,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create<\/strong> reports, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use<\/strong> GPS tracking for remote teams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\">Track overtime in Clockify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-to-use-time-clock-apps\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use time clock apps?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With time clock apps, you don\u2019t have to worry about misplacing your timesheets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To monitor your time, just start your <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/features\/timer\">online timer<\/a> when you start working and stop it at the end of the day. If you have field workers, have them record their work hours with a mobile app.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reliable time trackers such as Clockify by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a> also work offline \u2014 your time entries will be synced when you regain internet connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Getting Started with Clockify (2025) | Guide\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CRGyQIj0spI?start=2&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aside from a timer, you can use Clockify\u2019s Kiosk. With this time clock kiosk, your remote workers can clock in and clock out from a shared device using a Kiosk link.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"764\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Using-Clockifys-Kiosk-to-clock-in-and-out-764x630.webp\" alt=\"Using Clockify\u2019s Kiosk to clock in and out\" class=\"wp-image-37890\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Using-Clockifys-Kiosk-to-clock-in-and-out-764x630.webp 764w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Using-Clockifys-Kiosk-to-clock-in-and-out-364x300.webp 364w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Using-Clockifys-Kiosk-to-clock-in-and-out-768x633.webp 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Using-Clockifys-Kiosk-to-clock-in-and-out-15x12.webp 15w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Using-Clockifys-Kiosk-to-clock-in-and-out.webp 844w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Using Clockify\u2019s Kiosk to clock in and out<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you create your Clockify kiosk and invite team members to join, your employees can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clock in and out using their personal PINs,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start and finish their breaks with 1 click, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Switch projects they\u2019re working on during the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your business operates across different locations, you can create a kiosk for each location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Time tracking method\/options<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Paper\/manual time tracking<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Time clock app<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Setup time<\/td><td>\ud83d\udd0d It can be fairly easy or time-consuming to set up, depending on the number of fields you add<\/td><td>\u2705 It\u2019s usually easy and quick to set up<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Accuracy<\/td><td>\ud83d\udd0d Depends, it can be accurate if you double-check time entries and calculations for you and your employees<\/td><td>\u2705 It\u2019s highly accurate, since time clock apps have automatic calculations<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Payroll-ready<\/td><td>\ud83d\udd0d It can be, but it takes time to calculate daily and weekly payroll<\/td><td>\u2705 It\u2019s payroll-ready, because the tool calculates everything automatically<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Available on mobile&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u274c It\u2019s not, since it includes tracking time with a paper\/manually<\/td><td>\u2705 Yes, time clock apps have mobile versions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Audit trail<\/td><td>\ud83d\udd0d There can be audit trails, but employers\/managers need to spend a lot of time to ensure audit trails are accurate<\/td><td>\u2705 Audit trails are highly accurate<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"intro-text wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"intro-text wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"banner banner-dark clockify-gradient-landing-1\">\n    <div class=\"banner-text lg:pr-[6rem]\">\n        <span class=\"h4 text-lg translation-block mb-0\">Free Time Tracker<\/span>\n        <p class=\"translation-block mt-1 mb-3\">Time tracking software used by millions. Clockify by CAKE.com is a time tracker and timesheet app that lets you track work hours across projects.<\/p>\n\n        <div class=\"banner-buttons d-flex gap-4 align-items-center translation-block justify-content-center justify-content-sm-start\">\n            <a class=\"bg-white rounded px-3 py-1 text-gray-dark\" href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up<\/a>\n\n                            <a class=\"button-2\" href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/apps\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more<\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"banner-image banner-image-middle \">\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/landing-1@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Illustration\"  media=\"(min-width: 1022px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/landing-1.png\"  alt=\"Illustration\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n    &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"method-4-dedicated-time-tracking-software\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method 4: Dedicated time tracking software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re looking for an easy-to-use, but powerful <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/timekeeper-software\">timekeeping app<\/a>, Clockify by CAKE.com can digitize the entire process \u2014 from entering time to approving it for payroll. All data is securely stored within the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employees enter their time manually or track it as they work, and the system automatically calculates their daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly totals, as well as totals for custom time periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-to-use-a-dedicated-time-tracking-software\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use a dedicated time tracking software?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Invite your employees to the employee time tracking software, such as Clockify. Instruct them to track their time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>With the Timer \u2014 as they work,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manually,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With Timesheets,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With the <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/help\/track-time-and-expenses\/auto-tracker\">Auto tracker<\/a>, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With the <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/help\/track-time-and-expenses\/calendar-view\">Calendar view<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As their manager, you can analyze employee-tracked time using Clockify\u2019s Reports. For example, in <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/help\/reports\/summary-report\">Clockify\u2019s Summary report<\/a>, you can see how your team members spend their time and break down the data by project or billability. You can also filter your data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>By client<\/strong> <strong>-&gt;<\/strong> <strong>user<\/strong> to see which team members have worked on which clients.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>By group -&gt; user <\/strong>to see tracked time by teams and particular teammates.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you click on the team name, you\u2019ll have a list of team members and their total tracked time. If you track billable time, reports will show you a breakdown of billable hours \u2014 so you\u2019ll know how profitable projects and clients are. Finally, export your reports for payroll (as CSV, Excel, or PDF files).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1110\" height=\"552\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Filtering-data-by-group-and-user-in-Clockifys-Summary-report-1110x552.webp\" alt=\"Filtering data by group and user in Clockify\u2019s Summary report\" class=\"wp-image-37891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Filtering-data-by-group-and-user-in-Clockifys-Summary-report-1110x552.webp 1110w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Filtering-data-by-group-and-user-in-Clockifys-Summary-report-603x300.webp 603w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Filtering-data-by-group-and-user-in-Clockifys-Summary-report-768x382.webp 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Filtering-data-by-group-and-user-in-Clockifys-Summary-report-1536x764.webp 1536w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Filtering-data-by-group-and-user-in-Clockifys-Summary-report-18x9.webp 18w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Filtering-data-by-group-and-user-in-Clockifys-Summary-report.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Filtering data by group and user in Clockify\u2019s Summary report<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another valuable option that Clockify offers is <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/help\/track-time-and-expenses\/required-fields\">Required fields<\/a>. If you think all time entries should include project information, you can make this field mandatory for all your employees. Other fields you can set as mandatory are tasks, tag, and description.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"378\" height=\"123\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Required-fields-in-Clockify.webp\" alt=\"Required fields in Clockify\" class=\"wp-image-37892\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Required-fields-in-Clockify.webp 378w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Required-fields-in-Clockify-18x6.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 378px) 100vw, 378px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Required fields in Clockify<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Clockify, you can also approve employee timesheets. All pending approvals will be in one place, reducing the risk of forgetting to approve\/reject someone\u2019s timesheets.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1110\" height=\"452\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Review-all-pending-approvals-in-one-place-1110x452.webp\" alt=\"Review all pending approvals in one place\" class=\"wp-image-37893\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Review-all-pending-approvals-in-one-place-1110x452.webp 1110w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Review-all-pending-approvals-in-one-place-730x297.webp 730w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Review-all-pending-approvals-in-one-place-768x313.webp 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Review-all-pending-approvals-in-one-place-18x7.webp 18w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Review-all-pending-approvals-in-one-place.webp 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Review all pending approvals in one place<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to these practical features, Clockify provides users with 24\/7 human customer support, even on the Free plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\">Try Clockify by CAKE.com FREE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-to-look-for-in-an-employee-hours-tracker\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to look for in an employee hours tracker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When choosing the best timesheet app for employees, here are some questions you should ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Do I want to approve timesheets and expenses? <\/strong>Some time trackers allow admins and managers to approve or decline team members\u2019 timesheets and expenses, such as travel or software costs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do I need to track both billable and non-billable hours? <\/strong>Time tracking tools that let you differentiate between billable and non-billable hours improve your payroll process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Does a time tracker need to have a payroll export option? <\/strong>For instance, Clockify lets you track work hours, add billable rates, analyze tracked time with reports, and export payroll reports in PDF, CSV, or Excel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Is this time tracking app easy to use? <\/strong>Opt for a tool that all employees can use without any major learning curve. A few minutes should be enough to learn the basics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Does a time tracker have a GPS tracking option?<\/strong> This is a practical feature if you have field workers and your company operates on several worksites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Does time tracking software have a mobile app? <\/strong>Bonus points go to time trackers that have mobile, web, and desktop apps, and their data is synced across platforms, like with Clockify.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Is there a free plan? <\/strong>If you have a small team, a free time tracking plan might be enough at the beginning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\">Get a FREE employee hours tracker<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"legal-requirements-what-you-must-track-and-for-how-long\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legal requirements: What you must track and for how long<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be compliant with the FLSA recordkeeping, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/general\/topic\/workhours\/hoursrecordkeeping\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">employers with non-exempt employees<\/a> must track the following data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Employee\u2019s basic information<\/strong> \u2014 name, social security number, address and zip code, birth date (if an employee is younger than 19), sex, and occupation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Time tracking data <\/strong>\u2014 when the workday begins, and total hours worked per day and per week.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Payroll data<\/strong> \u2014 how an employee\u2019s wage is calculated (by the hour, per piece of work, per week), hourly rate, and total regular earnings per day and week, as well as total overtime earnings per day and week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Additions and deductions from a wage<\/strong> \u2014 if an employee has any.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wages paid<\/strong> for each pay period and dates of payment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employers are obligated to keep such payroll records for at least 3 years. However, they should retain time cards, work schedules, and other documents used to calculate wages for 2 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1<strong> CLOCKIFY PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not sure which employees are classified as exempt and which are non-exempt? Find out from our blog:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/learn\/business-management\/exempt-vs-non-exempt-employees\/\">Key Differences Between Exempt and Nonexempt Employees<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"faqs-about-tracking-employee-hours\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs about tracking employee hours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about employee work hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-is-the-best-way-to-keep-track-of-hours-worked\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the best way to keep track of hours worked?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s no single best way to track hours worked, because it depends on your needs and preferences. If you want an online method to track employee regular and overtime hours, use a kiosk and GPS tracking. In that case, time clock apps like Clockify by CAKE.com are the most reliable and powerful solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-can-i-track-my-employees-hours-for-free\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I track my employees\u2019 hours for free?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To track your employees\u2019 hours for free, you can opt for time tracking software that has a free plan, like Clockify. With Clockify\u2019s Free plan, you can track time for up to 5 users, add projects and tasks, and record time with the <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/pomodoro-timer\">Pomodoro timer<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\">Try Clockify for FREE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"who-is-responsible-for-tracking-employee-hours\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is responsible for tracking employee hours?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both employees and employers are responsible for tracking employee hours. Employees are responsible for recording their work hours, while employers are responsible for keeping employee time tracking data \u2014 so that they\u2019re compliant with the FLSA and <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/dcaa-compliance\">DCAA laws<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-is-the-7-minute-rule-for-employees\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the 7-minute rule for employees?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 7-minute rule is a <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/business\/time-rounding\/\">time-rounding<\/a> rule that many companies use. This is how you round time according to the 7-minute rule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If an employee clocks in during the first 7 minutes of a 15-minute interval, you need to round the time down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If an employee clocks in during the second 7 minutes of a 15-minute interval, you need to round the time up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if an employee clocks in between 07:53 and 08:07, the rounded time will be 08:00. But if they clock in between 08:08 and 08:22, the rounded time will be 08:15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"is-it-legal-to-track-salaried-employees-hours\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it legal to track salaried employees\u2019 hours?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, it\u2019s legal to track salaried employees\u2019 hours. As an employer, you can and should track employee hours, no matter whether they\u2019re salaried or hourly workers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1<strong> CLOCKIFY PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information about salaried and hourly employment, differences, their pros and cons, read the following blog post:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/business\/salary-vs-hourly-employment\/\">Salary vs Hourly Pay \u2013 Pros and Cons<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-do-employees-log-work-hours\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do employees log work hours?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To log work hours, employees can use a time tracker like Clockify by CAKE.com. This time tracking app allows workers to record their work by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Using a timer,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adding the time manually,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/features\/timesheet\">Timesheets<\/a>, or&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using an <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/features\/auto-tracker\">Automatic time tracker<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"banner banner-dark clockify-gradient-bundle\">\n    <div class=\"banner-text lg:pr-[6rem]\">\n        <span class=\"h4 text-lg translation-block mb-0\">Productivity Suite<\/span>\n        <p class=\"translation-block mt-1 mb-3\">Track time, manage projects, and communicate internally \u2014 all in one place. Save 53% on subscriptions with the CAKE.com Bundle.<\/p>\n\n        <div class=\"banner-buttons d-flex gap-4 align-items-center translation-block justify-content-center justify-content-sm-start\">\n            <a class=\"bg-white rounded px-3 py-1 text-gray-dark\" href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/bundle\" target=\"_blank\">Get Bundle<\/a>\n\n                            <a class=\"button-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/suite\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more<\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"banner-image banner-image-bottom \">\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/bundle@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Illustration\"  media=\"(min-width: 1022px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/bundle.png\"  alt=\"Illustration\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tracking employee hours is crucial but can also be problematic for a business &#8211; here are 4 great ways to keep track of employee hours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":37895,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3590"}],"version-history":[{"count":67,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37943,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3590\/revisions\/37943"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}