TL;DR
Compute net worked time with a break: start/end minus break minutes. Useful for daily logs, shift checks, and accurate billing when breaks aren’t billable.
Who this is for
- Anyone logging work time with a fixed break.
- People checking daily hours from a shift schedule.
- Contractors who took a break during a long session and want net billable time.
How to use it
- Enter start and end.
- Enter break minutes (e.g., 30 or 60).
- Read net worked time (the “work time after subtracting break”).
When this matters most
Employment / shifts
If you need to report “worked time excluding breaks”, this avoids accidental over-reporting.
Contracting / billing
If your contract says breaks are not billable, this is the fastest way to compute net billable duration before you log it in Monthly time log.
Breaks: keep your process consistent
Different teams treat breaks differently (paid vs unpaid, fixed vs flexible). The important part is consistency:
- use the same convention across the month
- document the convention in your agreement/policy
- if a day is unusual (travel, incident response), note it so totals are explainable later
Worked examples
Example 1: standard lunch break
09:00 → 18:00 with 60 minutes break → 8h worked.
Example 2: short break day
09:00 → 18:00 with 30 minutes break → 8h 30m worked.
Example 3: client session with a break
10:00 → 16:00 with a 45-minute break → subtract the break before invoicing.
Best practices
Be consistent
If you use breaks in calculations:
- use the same rule every day (or document why the break changed)
- keep a short note if the break is unusual (training, travel, incident)
Track variable breaks in a timesheet
If breaks vary day-to-day, monthly tracking is easier in Monthly time log where each day can have its own break.
Rounding and billing
If you bill hourly and breaks are excluded:
- compute net time here
- apply your rounding rule (15 minutes / 0.1h, etc.)
- log the rounded value in your invoice support file
Consider rounding per day rather than per session to avoid over-rounding when you have many small entries.
Gotchas
- Crossing midnight: split the day manually (before/after midnight) and subtract breaks appropriately.
- If you have multiple breaks, sum them and enter the total minutes.
- Don’t “double subtract”: if your timesheet already excludes breaks, don’t subtract again here.
FAQ
Does this handle overtime rules?
No, it only does time arithmetic. If you’re analyzing overtime, use Overtime estimate after you’ve tracked accurate net hours.
What if my break is “paid”?
If your agreement treats breaks as paid working time, you should not subtract them. This tool is for cases where breaks are excluded from worked time.
What if I take multiple short breaks?
Add them up (e.g., 3 × 10 minutes = 30 minutes) and enter the total break minutes.
What next?
Use Monthly time log for full monthly tracking and CSV exports.
If you often track breaks, a monthly timesheet keeps everything consistent.
What you’ll get (outputs)
- Net worked time after subtracting breaks (the number you can justify).
- A quick way to keep “worked time” and “on-site time” separate, when your policy/contract requires it.
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Subtracting breaks twice: if your tracker already logs only net time, don’t subtract again.
- Changing break rules mid-month: keep one convention (or document the exception).
- Ignoring multiple breaks: sum them (e.g., 3 × 10 minutes) and enter a single total.
- Rounding too early: compute net time, then apply your rounding rule.
Workflows that stay audit-proof
Client billing
Record start/end + break minutes + a short note. It’s faster to resolve disputes when your log has:
- the interval (start/end)
- the break total
- the net billable time
- context (“incident response”, “feature delivery”, “meeting”)
Employment shifts
If your shift schedule includes a fixed break, keep a simple monthly log that matches your employer’s convention (paid vs unpaid break). This tool only helps with arithmetic — the convention must come from policy.
Next steps (IT Jobs List)
For timeMonthly time logs, consistency beats “granularity”: same rounding rule and the same style of context notes.
Quick recommendation
- Save your assumptions (rates, breaks, thresholds) so you can reproduce the result.
- If you use the output in an invoice/offer, include a short explanation (what’s included and what’s not).
Practical checklist (IT Jobs List)
- Decide: rounding per session or per day (and write the rule down).
- Track breaks separately if they’re not billable.
- At month end, export and keep an audit trail.
