Free biweekly time card calculator

Running payroll is overwhelming enough. You can simplify your payroll process with a biweekly time card calculator. Biweekly time card calculators help employees and employers track and calculate work hours over a two-week pay period. 

Such a tool considers regular hours, overtime hours, hourly rates, lunch breaks, and more to accurately calculate the total hours worked and the corresponding wages. Automating payroll and calculations can simplify reporting, offering a reliable and efficient system for tracking work hours and paying employees.

How to use the biweekly time card calculator

The free biweekly time card calculator allows you to track two weeks of work at a time. Tracking time on a biweekly (or semimonthly) basis means your payroll department saves time on processing. Submitting timesheets and reviewing documents less frequently gives your team more time to perfect the processes that grow the business.

Here’s how to use the biweekly time card calculator: 

1. Add the hourly rate: To calculate the total employee earnings, enter your employee’s hourly rate and the number of hours they worked on the timesheets. You should also include lunch breaks and other unpaid breaks for a more accurate amount.
2. Export and print the data: You can download your free data and import and print using your favorite spreadsheet application. Just click Download CSV File and then import the file into Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or another application. To save the data as a PDF file, Mac users select File > Print, then click the PDF option in the lower-left corner. Windows users select File > Print and click the Microsoft Print to PDF option.
3. Include overtime: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines overtime pay as a rule that nonexempt employees receive pay for the time they work more than 40 hours per week. It also mandates that the pay rate be no less than half their regular pay rate. Overtime conditions apply, so select your overtime conditions and enter an employee’s overtime rate to calculate the gross overtime pay for that employee.  

Utilizing a biweekly time card calculator offers numerous benefits for both employees and the payroll department.

Benefits of a biweekly time card calculator

A biweekly calculator offers numerous benefits for both employees and the payroll department. Here's why you should consider using this tool to track work hours:

• Time savings: By utilizing a biweekly time card calculator, the payroll department can save significant time processing timesheets and reviewing documents. Instead of reviewing timesheets daily or weekly, the department can focus on the entire two-week period, reducing the frequency of administrative tasks.
• Accurate calculations: This calculator considers hourly rates, overtime hours, lunch breaks, and other factors that impact employee compensation. This accuracy can minimize the risk of errors in calculation and ensures fair compensation for employees.
• Streamlined reporting: With a biweekly timesheet calculator, employees can conveniently record their work hours and breaks, with the information instantly compiled into a comprehensive timesheet. This streamlined reporting simplifies the payroll process and ensures all pertinent information is accurate.
• Enhanced efficiency: A biweekly hours calculator simplifies the overall time tracking process. It eliminates the need for manual methods, such as paper biweekly timesheets or spreadsheets, which are prone to human error. Instead, the biweekly hours calculator automates the calculation process, enabling a more efficient and error-free system.

By integrating this tool into your workforce management system, you can reduce administrative burdens and ensure proper employee compensation.

3 things to watch out for

While employees need to add up their time to estimate their pay, managers can use this biweekly time card calculator to ensure they’re compliant with payroll tax laws. Here are three areas to focus on: 

1. Breaks: It’s not uncommon for employees to work through their lunch breaks. The Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require employees to take lunch or rest breaks, but almost half of US states require them to clock out for that time. And mismanaging employee breaks could be costly. If you have employees who work through a break-off the clock, you could face a lawsuit.
2. Classification: How you classify employees is a key concern of regulators. Misclassifying your employees as exempt or non-exempt can result in you owing overtime pay for which you weren’t aware employees were eligible. You could have to pay back wages, taxes, or labor disputes if you mistakenly misclassify an employee.
3. Overtime: You may face penalties if you fail to adhere to overtime laws. Your company may have policies to discourage overtime, but any non-exempt employee who works over 40 hours in one week must receive overtime pay, regardless of company policy. 

Once you have these gotchas down, you’ll reduce your administrative tasks and increase efficiency with a biweekly time card calculator. Instead of reviewing timesheets daily or weekly, payroll departments can focus on the entire two-week period with a biweekly time card calculator. 

Simplify your time tracking

Using a biweekly time card calculator can help solve many timesheet calculation headaches. You can streamline payroll with time tracking tools like QuickBooks Time that ensure accurate calculations and save valuable time.

Biweekly time card calculator FAQ

Here are the top questions business owners have about biweekly time card calculators: