Construction timesheet template
A construction timesheet records each worker's hours by day, job, and cost code, so payroll is right and labor lands on the right job. Download it as a CSV for Excel or Google Sheets, or print it.
A construction timesheet template is a daily record of when each worker started and stopped, which job and cost code the hours belong to, the unpaid break taken, and how the hours split between regular time and overtime. A general office timesheet only needs total hours. A construction one needs the job and the task, because that is how you find out whether framing on the Elm Street job is running over budget.
Timesheets are where job costing starts. If a foreman writes 8 hours, Elm St for the whole crew every day, payroll is fine but your labor costs are fiction. Coding hours by task takes a minute a day and makes the next estimate better.
What a construction timesheet is for
The timesheet feeds three things: payroll, job cost reports, and, on public work, certified payroll. It is also your record if a worker disputes pay. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, covered non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek at no less than one and a half times their regular rate. Some states add their own overtime rules, so check the state where the work is done.
How to fill in each column
- Employee: full name and employee number if you use one.
- Date: the work day. Group rows by your payroll workweek.
- Job and cost code: where the time was spent. If a worker moves jobs or tasks mid-day, use a second row.
- Time in and time out: actual clock times, not rounded guesses.
- Break (hours): unpaid meal break deducted. Paid rest breaks stay in the hours.
- Regular hours and overtime hours: split the total according to the overtime rules that apply. The sample uses the weekly 40-hour federal threshold.
- Notes: travel time, weather stop, shop time, or anything payroll needs to know.
- Approved by: the foreman or superintendent who checked the sheet.
Reading the sample
The sample follows one carpenter through a Monday to Friday week. He works 6:30 to 4:00 each day with a half-hour unpaid lunch, so 9.0 hours a day. Monday through Thursday adds up to 36 regular hours. On Friday the first 4 hours bring the week to 40, and the last 5 are overtime. The sample uses the weekly federal threshold only; a state with daily overtime rules would split the hours differently.
Common mistakes
- One job and one cost code for the whole day when the crew did three tasks.
- Calculating overtime by the day when your rules are weekly, or the other way around.
- Deducting breaks that were not actually taken.
- Leaving out drive time between jobs that may count as hours worked.
- Approving timesheets without checking them against the daily log.
Related forms and guides
For moving off paper, see how to digitize construction timesheets. For prevailing wage jobs, the hours from this sheet feed the certified payroll template, and how to calculate labor burden for construction workers shows how to turn hours into true labor cost. Labor hours roll up into the job cost report template. Smart Business Automator brings coded hours into job costing and supports certified payroll preparation through certified payroll automation.
Weekly construction timesheet
| Employee | Date | Job | Cost code | Time in | Time out | Break (hours) | Regular hours | Overtime hours | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D. Alvarez | 2026-06-15 | 2417 Elm St | 06-100 Rough framing | 06:30 | 16:00 | 0.5 | 9.0 | 0.0 | M. Ruiz |
| D. Alvarez | 2026-06-16 | 2417 Elm St | 06-100 Rough framing | 06:30 | 16:00 | 0.5 | 9.0 | 0.0 | M. Ruiz |
| D. Alvarez | 2026-06-17 | 2417 Elm St | 06-200 Sheathing | 06:30 | 16:00 | 0.5 | 9.0 | 0.0 | M. Ruiz |
| D. Alvarez | 2026-06-18 | 2430 Oak Plaza TI | 06-400 Blocking | 06:30 | 16:00 | 0.5 | 9.0 | 0.0 | J. Moore |
| D. Alvarez | 2026-06-19 | 2430 Oak Plaza TI | 06-400 Blocking | 06:30 | 16:00 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | J. Moore |
- Sample data only. Replace the example rows with your own crew and jobs.
- Daily hours equal time out minus time in minus unpaid break. Each sample day is 9.0 hours.
- The sample splits overtime at 40 hours in the workweek under the federal rule. Apply any state rule that is stricter.
- Use a separate row whenever a worker changes job or cost code during the day.
- Keep approved timesheets with payroll records.
Frequently asked questions
What should a construction timesheet include?
Employee, date, job, cost code, time in and out, unpaid breaks, regular and overtime hours, and an approval. Prevailing wage jobs also need the work classification.
How is overtime calculated for construction workers?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, covered non-exempt employees get at least one and a half times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Some states have additional rules, including daily overtime in a few states.
Why use cost codes on timesheets?
Cost codes show where labor hours went within a job, so you can compare actual hours to the estimate for each task and spot overruns early.
Can I use this timesheet template in Excel?
Yes. Download the CSV, open it in Excel or Google Sheets, and add formulas for daily hours and a weekly total that flags hours past your overtime threshold.
