Free Timesheet Templates

What columns does 29 CFR §516.2 actually require?

The federal recordkeeping regulation lists 12 items each employer must maintain for each non-exempt employee, including: name, home address, sex and occupation, the day of week the workweek begins, hours worked each workday and each workweek, regular hourly rate, straight-time earnings, overtime premium pay, total wages per pay period, and the date of payment. The "FLSA recordkeeping" preset in this tool surfaces every §516.2 field that fits on a printable timesheet; the simpler presets cover the subset most weekly timesheets actually use.

Source: 29 CFR §516.2(a) — eCFR (Cornell LII)

How long do I need to keep filled-out timesheets?

Federal law splits retention into two windows. Under 29 CFR §516.5, payroll records (the §516.2(a) items) must be retained for at least 3 years. Under 29 CFR §516.6, basic time-and-earning cards — the raw clock-in / clock-out sheets — must be retained at least 2 years. The 3-year requirement also applies to California payroll records under Labor Code §1174. Most employers keep everything for 4 years to cover the IRS's 4-year window on employment-tax records, which sets a higher floor than either FLSA section.

Source: 29 CFR §516.5 · 29 CFR §516.6

Does California require anything beyond §516.2?

Yes. California Labor Code §1174 requires daily hours to be recorded (federal §516.2(a)(7) allows daily OR weekly), with the records kept at a California location or at the worksite, and retained at least 3 years. Records must include piece-rate units earned and piece-rate paid if applicable. The "California recordkeeping" preset in this tool adds the double-time column (Labor Code §510 — 2× pay after 12 hours/day or 7th-consecutive-day after 8h) on top of the FLSA fields. For state-specific stacked overtime rules in California and four other states, use the State Overtime Calculator at /tools/state-overtime-calculator.

Source: California Labor Code §1174

Why is "day of week the workweek begins" a separate header field?

Because §516.2(a)(5) requires it — the employer must declare a fixed start day for the 168-hour workweek. Once chosen, the workweek must remain consistent (the employer can't shift it pay period to pay period). The toggle exists so timesheets that need this on the record (FLSA-recordkeeping preset, California preset) have a space for it; simpler timesheets can leave it off.

Source: 29 CFR §785.7 — Workweek definition

What's the right output format — PDF or CSV?

For a printable timesheet that gets handed to an employee or kept on file: PDF (use the "Print / Save as PDF" button, then pick "Save as PDF" as the print destination). The result is a single-page or multi-page form with the columns you selected, ready to print on US Letter paper. For importing the structure into Excel, Google Sheets, or Apple Numbers — to populate it with actual time data programmatically, or to add formulas — the CSV download is the better choice. The CSV captures the column headers and the blank row count; everything else is what you do with it.

Can I add a logo to the template?

Not in this version. The template is intentionally typographic — no logo upload, no color customization, no branded headers. Two reasons: (1) the page-printable format works without it; (2) adding logo upload would force file storage or a heavier output pipeline. If you need a branded version, save the printed PDF and add a header in your PDF editor of choice.

Does the calculator save my entries?

No. Nothing typed here is sent or saved anywhere. Closing the tab clears the data. The customization is purely client-side; the downloads (PDF and CSV) are generated on your device. If you need timesheets that persist across sessions, that's what Clockspot does — see the link below.

Can I use this for billable / freelance hours, not just employee timesheets?

Yes. The "Custom" preset lets you toggle the job/project column (alphanumeric, for client / matter / job code) and notes column (free text). The §516.2 framing is about W-2 non-exempt employees, but the columns work fine for contractor invoicing or self-tracked billable hours.