Monthly Timesheet Template & Examples (Free)

A monthly timesheet template records a full month of work on one sheet — the right cadence for salaried staff, contractors on a monthly retainer, and anyone tracking time for records rather than hourly pay. It trades day-to-day detail for a clean, big-picture summary. This guide covers what to include, three examples, and the one habit that keeps a monthly sheet accurate.

What a monthly timesheet includes

For each working day of the month, capture:

• Employee or contractor name
• Date for every workday
• Time in and time out (or total hours, for salaried tracking)
• Break duration, marked paid or unpaid
• Daily total in decimal hours
• Weekly subtotals so overtime stays visible
• Monthly total at the bottom
• Notes for leave, holidays, or anything unusual

Keep weekly subtotals even on a monthly sheet — overtime is calculated by workweek, so a single monthly total can hide it.

Example 1: Salaried employee

A salaried worker often logs hours for records, not pay. Their sheet shows a steady ~40 hours a week, flagging any leave or unusually long weeks. It's mostly a compliance and workload record.

Example 2: Hourly employee

An hourly worker's monthly sheet needs full clock-in/clock-out detail and weekly subtotals, because pay and overtime depend on it. Monthly works here only if entries are filled in daily.

Example 3: Contractor on retainer

A contractor billing a flat monthly fee uses the sheet to show hours delivered against the retainer — proof of value and a check on whether the scope still fits the fee.

How to total a month correctly

Convert each day to decimal hours (minutes ÷ 60), subtract unpaid breaks, subtotal each week, then add the weeks for the month. Keeping everything in decimals avoids the classic error of treating 7:30 as 7.30 instead of 7.5.

The one habit that matters

Monthly timesheets fail when they're filled in from memory at month-end — nobody accurately recalls a Tuesday three weeks ago. Fill it in daily, even just a line a day, and the monthly total becomes trustworthy instead of a guess.

Skip the month-end scramble

Reconstructing a month by hand is exactly where errors and missed hours creep in. Timesheet Maker captures each day as it happens, totals weeks and the full month automatically, and gives you a clean monthly summary for payroll or invoicing — no daily lines to remember and no arithmetic at month-end.

Frequently asked questions

What is a monthly timesheet? A record of a full month of work — daily hours, breaks, and totals — summarized on one sheet, best for salaried staff and monthly-retainer contractors.

How do I calculate overtime on a monthly timesheet? Keep weekly subtotals and apply overtime to any week over the threshold (40 hours in a standard US workweek). Never base overtime on the monthly total alone.

Is a monthly timesheet good for hourly employees? Only if it's filled in daily with full clock-in/clock-out detail. Otherwise a weekly or biweekly sheet is more accurate for hourly pay.

Can I use a monthly timesheet for contractors? Yes. It's ideal for showing hours delivered against a monthly retainer and keeping billing transparent.

Track the whole month accurately

Include weekly subtotals, total in decimals, and log time daily. To skip the month-end reconstruction entirely, try Timesheet Maker free.