Minutes to decimal hours
Payroll wants decimal hours. Timesheets record minutes. Here is every conversion, and the mistake that costs the most.
Divide the minutes by 60. That’s the whole rule — but 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75, not 7.45, and keying it the second way underpays that shift by 18 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 is 0.5, 45 is 0.75. The chart above covers every minute from 0 to 59.
Why is 7 hours 45 minutes not 7.45?
Because 45 minutes is three quarters of an hour, which is 0.75 — so it is 7.75. Entering 7.45 underpays by 18 minutes across that shift. It is the single most common timesheet keying error, and it compounds every pay period until someone notices.
Should I round employee time to the nearest quarter hour?
You may, but only if the rounding is neutral — as likely to favour the employee as the employer over time. Rounding that consistently shaves minutes is unpaid wages. Recording the actual punch to the minute avoids the argument entirely.
How many decimal hours is a 40-hour week?
40.0. Decimal hours only change how you write the minutes, not the total — 39 hours 30 minutes is 39.5, not 39.3.
Or stop converting anything
ClockAll records punches to the minute and exports payroll-ready decimal hours — with overtime already split out. Try the free time card calculator →