Start with how lunch appears on the card
A time card may show one long shift with lunch deducted later, or two working periods separated by lunch punches. Those records describe the break differently and need different entries. For one long shift, enter the whole start-to-end period and specify the unpaid lunch inside it. For two separate periods, enter both pairs and leave that same lunch out of the break fields. This page keeps the break controls visible so you can check the representation before accepting the daily result.
Compare the two lunch recording methods
Consider 09:00 to 17:00 with a 30-minute unpaid lunch inside the shift: eight elapsed hours minus half an hour gives 7.5 working hours. Now consider 09:00 to 12:00 and 12:30 to 17:00: the two periods already total 7.5 hours. Subtracting another 30 minutes would produce seven hours and understate the record. The first period defaults to a 30-minute unpaid break; remove it when the separate punches already exclude lunch. A gap reminder appears when multiple completed periods are present.
Record paid lunch and separate short rests
Tick Paid for a break that should remain inside recorded time. A paid 30-minute lunch in a continuous 09:00 to 17:00 period leaves eight hours in the arithmetic result. Add another break when the period also contains a separate rest, rather than combining every rest into one unpaid amount. Each break has its own minutes and Paid setting. Paid minutes describe time already inside the period; they are not added on top. Confirm the correct classification for your circumstances instead of treating the checkbox as a legal decision.
Keep the two workweeks independent
The default view supplies 14 daily rows grouped into two workweeks. Each week gets its own overtime calculation, so a long first week is not averaged away by a short second week. With the weekly rule, 42.5 hours in the first week and 32 in the second produce 74.5 total hours and 2.5 overtime hours. The chosen start day must match the fixed workweek you intend to review. Daily or combined modes are estimates and do not implement every state requirement, exemption or double-time provision.
Check deductions before reading payroll decimals
Review every populated first period for its default lunch. An empty day contributes no deduction, and an unfinished period stays excluded. Keep rounding off while checking minute-for-minute records; if you enable it, rounding follows net daily totals by default. Half an hour is 0.5 hours, while 20 minutes displays as 0.33 hours. Use the decimal result for a rate calculation, but retain the hours-and-minutes value to reconcile the original punches. The table makes common lunch and rest durations easier to compare.
| Minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|
| 15 | 0.25 |
| 20 | 0.33 |
| 30 | 0.50 |
| 45 | 0.75 |
Export a card that explains the break treatment
The CSV separates unpaid break minutes from paid break minutes for each period, alongside numeric decimal hours. This makes it easier to see whether lunch was deducted, retained or already excluded by separate punches. Copy the summary into a spreadsheet or print the record after checking warnings. Your entries stay in local browser storage without registration. A full-card link intentionally contains the records for sharing; anyone with that link can read them, so share it only with the people you choose.
Frequently asked questions
My card has a lunch clock-out and return. Should I deduct lunch again?
No. If you entered the working periods before and after lunch separately, the gap between them is already excluded. Remove any default deduction for that same lunch. Use a break field only for additional unpaid time inside one of the recorded periods, rather than subtracting the gap a second time.
Can I mark my 30-minute lunch as paid?
Yes. Tick Paid next to that break to retain its time within the recorded period. For a continuous 09:00 to 17:00 shift, a paid lunch leaves eight hours in the result. The checkbox controls arithmetic only; confirm whether the break should be paid under your actual arrangements and applicable rules.
Can I include lunch and two paid short breaks?
Yes. Use Add break to create separate entries inside the same period. Set the lunch minutes as unpaid if appropriate, then mark each short rest Paid. Only unpaid minutes are deducted when deduction is enabled. Paid breaks remain within the original period and are not added again to its duration.
What happens if I have not clocked out yet?
An unfinished period is marked incomplete and excluded from the total until both times are valid. Leave the clock-out blank while you confirm the actual ending time. The calculator does not run an attendance timer or guess when you stopped working. Other completed periods continue to count normally.
Can I download the result for a spreadsheet?
Yes. Download CSV gives you individual periods, decimal hours, hours and minutes, and totals. The decimal-hours column contains numbers suitable for spreadsheet calculations. Copy summary produces tab-separated rows for pasting, while Print gives a readable report. Check your times and breaks before using any exported figures for payroll.
Do I need an account, and where are my entries saved?
You do not need an account. Calculations run in your browser, and entries are saved locally on this device rather than uploaded. A full-card sharing link contains the records in its fragment; anyone holding it can read them. Export your own backup before clearing browser storage or switching devices.