Timesheet Rounding Calculator

The "7-minute rule," explained

Under the most common US convention (rooted in federal guidance for rounding to the nearest quarter-hour), a punch time rounds down if it falls within the first 7 minutes of a quarter-hour block, and up if it falls at 8 minutes or later — the name comes from that 7-minute cutoff point specifically. It's designed so rounding evens out to roughly neutral over time, rather than consistently favoring the employer or employee.

Not every company uses the same increment

Some payroll systems round to the nearest quarter-hour (15 minutes, shown here), others to the nearest tenth of an hour (6 minutes) or the nearest 5 minutes — the underlying "round at the midpoint" logic is identical, just applied to a different-sized block. Check your specific employer's policy; this tool shows the most common conventions side by side, not a universal legal standard.