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How to sum hours worked from a timesheet in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:SUM & aggregationHeads up: Excel and Google Sheets do this differently.
Excel
=SUM(B2:B6)Google Sheets
=SUM(B2:B6)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Date | Hours Worked | Notes |
| Mon | 8 | |
| Tue | 7.5 | |
| Wed | 9 | |
| Thu | 8 |
=SUM(B2:B6)→32.5
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Step by step
- 1Enter start times in column A and end times in column B. In column C calculate hours per day: =B2-A2.
- 2If shifts can cross midnight, use: =MOD(B2-A2,1) to handle overnight correctly.
- 3In C7 (below the data) enter =SUM(C2:C6) to total all hours.
- 4Format C7 as [h]:mm in Excel (Ctrl+1 > Custom > [h]:mm) or Duration in Google Sheets (Format > Number > Duration) so values over 24 hours display correctly.
Tips
- Never format timesheet totals as a standard Time format — it wraps at 24 hours. Use [h]:mm (Excel) or Duration (Sheets) exclusively for cumulative time.
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Frequently asked
Why does my total show 1:30 when I expect 25:30?
The cell is using a standard Time format which resets at 24 hours. Change it to [h]:mm in Excel or Duration in Sheets.
How do I convert the total hours to a decimal for pay calculations?
Multiply the time value by 24: =SUM(C2:C6)*24. Format this cell as Number, not Time.
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