How to use the payroll hours import csv builder
- Paste one line per day: employee, date, hours. The date is written YYYY-MM-DD and hours are a decimal such as 8.5.
- Lines for the same employee on the same day are added together.
- Set where overtime starts in hours per week (40 is an example) and which day the week starts on.
- Read the regular and overtime hours for each employee and week, check that they add up to the total, and copy or download the CSV.
Formula
Add the hours for each employee in each week, with weeks starting on the day you choose
Regular hours = the smaller of the weekly total and the overtime threshold
Overtime hours = anything above the threshold in that week
Regular plus overtime always equals the total
The page applies one weekly threshold. Daily overtime, double time, holidays and unpaid breaks are not applied.
Two employees in one week
Avery Cole worked 9.5, 9, 10, 9.5 and 8 hours, which is 46 hours. With a threshold of 40, that is 40.00 regular and 6.00 overtime. Blake Ito worked 8, 8, 7.5, 8 and 6 hours, 37.5 in all, so 37.50 regular and 0.00 overtime. The totals are 77.50 regular and 6.00 overtime, with 83.50 hours altogether.
Five days of 10, 9, 9, 9 and 9 hours for Dana make 46 hours, also 40.00 regular and 6.00 overtime. With a week that starts on Sunday, an employee with 49 hours in the week of 2026-03-01 and 14 hours in the week of 2026-03-08 gets 40.00 and 9.00 for the first week and 14.00 and 0.00 for the second.
Getting data ready for payroll
Time clocks and spreadsheets often give one row per shift, while a payroll system may want one row per person per week with separate columns for regular and overtime hours. This page makes that change. The names in the first column are used exactly as typed, so use the same spelling or the same employee ID each time, since two spellings count as two people.
For the pay itself, use the overtime calculator, and to apply both daily and weekly rules, see the daily and weekly overtime calculator.
Check before you import
Every payroll provider has its own column names, order and date format, so rename the columns to match what yours asks for before you upload. Overtime rules differ by employer and by place, and some count hours per day, per pay period or after a rest period. Treat the output as a worksheet and check it against the rules that apply to you.
To total the hours on a single timesheet, use the timesheet calculator. For the average over several weeks, see the average weekly hours calculator.
Assumptions and limits
- One weekly overtime threshold applies to everyone. You choose it.
- Dates are valid calendar dates in the form YYYY-MM-DD, and each line has 0 to 24 hours.
- Weeks run from the start day you choose, and hours are not rounded except for display to two decimals.
- Daily overtime, double time, unpaid breaks and holidays are not applied.
Frequently asked questions
How is overtime worked out here?
Hours up to the weekly threshold are regular and hours beyond it are overtime, counted separately for each employee and week.
Can I change the week start?
Yes. Choose Sunday, Monday or Saturday. The weeks in the output start on that day.
What if an employee has two lines on one day?
Their hours are added together for the week.
Is the CSV ready for any payroll system?
It is a plain CSV with employee, week start, regular, overtime and total columns. Rename or reorder the columns to match your provider's format.