Overtime Timesheet Template & How to Use It

An overtime timesheet template does one job well: it separates regular hours from overtime so nobody is underpaid and no overtime slips through. The tricky part isn't the template — it's remembering that overtime is calculated by workweek, not by pay period. Get the structure right and overtime becomes automatic. This guide shows how.

What an overtime timesheet includes

• Employee name and rate
• Date for each workday
• Time in, time out, and break
• Daily total in decimal hours
• Weekly total — the number overtime depends on
• Regular hours (up to the threshold)
• Overtime hours (above the threshold)
• Overtime rate applied (typically 1.5×)

The two split columns — regular and overtime — per week are what make the sheet do its job.

How to fill it out

1. Log daily times and total each day in decimals.
2. Subtotal each workweek separately — this is the critical step.
3. Split at the threshold. Up to 40 hours (the standard US workweek) is regular; the rest is overtime.
4. Apply the overtime rate. Overtime hours are typically paid at 1.5× the regular rate.
5. Total the pay: (regular hours × rate) + (overtime hours × 1.5 × rate).

A quick example

Someone works 44 hours in a week at $22/hour:

• Regular: 40 × $22 = $880
• Overtime: 4 × $33 = $132
• Total: $1,012

The 4 overtime hours cost an extra $44 beyond straight time — the "half" you'd miss if you paid all 44 at the base rate.

The mistake to avoid

Never total a two-week pay period and split at 80. Overtime is earned per workweek: 46 hours one week and 34 the next is 6 overtime hours, even though the total is 80. A template with weekly subtotals makes this obvious; a period-only total hides it.

Let overtime calculate itself

Splitting every week by hand is exactly where overtime gets missed. Timesheet Maker totals each workweek automatically, separates regular from overtime at your threshold, and applies your overtime rate — so the split is correct before payroll runs, every time. Rules vary by state and country, so it's set to match what applies to you.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate overtime on a timesheet? Total each workweek, then pay hours above the threshold (40 in a standard US workweek) at the overtime rate, usually 1.5× regular pay. Regular hours are paid at the normal rate.

Is overtime based on the week or the pay period? The workweek. Each week stands alone, so a biweekly total can hide overtime owed in one of the two weeks.

What is the overtime rate? Typically time-and-a-half — 1.5× the regular rate — for hours over the threshold. Some situations require double time. Confirm the rules that apply to you.

Do salaried employees need an overtime timesheet? Only non-exempt employees earn overtime. Whether someone is exempt depends on duties and salary level, not just being salaried.

Never miss overtime again

Total each week, split at the threshold, apply the rate. To make the split automatic, try Timesheet Maker free.