Planning estimate only, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Verify assumptions and current rules before making decisions.
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What does this calculator estimate?
Decimal hours = hours + minutes ÷ 60. 7 hours 45 minutes = 7.75 decimal hours; 15 minutes = 0.25, 30 = 0.5, 45 = 0.75. To go back, multiply the decimal part by 60: 0.75 × 60 = 45 minutes.
- 7h 45m = 7.75 hours; × $20/hr = $155.00.
- 15 min = 0.25 hr · 30 min = 0.5 hr · 45 min = 0.75 hr.
- Payroll multiplies decimal hours by rate — that is why timesheets use decimals.
The payroll worked example
The conversion is the entire trick — once time is decimal, every downstream calculation (overtime, weekly totals, cost per project) is ordinary multiplication.
- Clock time: 7h 45m
- Decimal: 7.75 hours
- Gross pay at $20/hr: 7.75 × $20 = $155.00
- Weekly: 5 shifts × 7.75 = 38.75 hours
Quick conversion table for common times
Six minutes is exactly a tenth of an hour — the basis of the 6-minute billing increment used by law firms and agencies.
- 6 minutes = 0.1 hours
- 12 minutes = 0.2 hours
- 15 minutes = 0.25 hours
- 30 minutes = 0.5 hours
- 45 minutes = 0.75 hours
- 48 minutes = 0.8 hours
Decimal hours vs decimal minutes: do not mix them
7.75 decimal hours is 465 decimal minutes (7.75 × 60). Confusing the two units is the classic timesheet error: entering 7.75 when the system expects 7:45 underpays by 45 minutes. Check whether your payroll software wants HH:MM or decimal format before the first submission.
How this calculator works
Formula
decimal hours = hours + (minutes ÷ 60); reverse: minutes = decimal fraction × 60
Worked example
7 hours 45 minutes = 7 + 45 ÷ 60 = 7.75 decimal hours. At $20 per hour, that is 7.75 × $20 = $155.00 of pay.
Sources
Sources support the method, terminology, or planning context. Editable assumptions remain your responsibility.
Assumptions to verify
- Minutes are entered as whole clock minutes (0–59 typical)
- Decimal hours use base 10 — 7.5 means seven and a half hours, not 7:50
- Reverse conversion rounds to the nearest minute
Frequently asked questions
Why does payroll use decimal hours instead of hours and minutes?
Because pay = time × rate, and multiplication needs one number. 7h 45m × $20 cannot be computed directly; 7.75 × $20 = $155.00 can. Every payroll system converts to decimal first.
How do I convert seconds too?
Divide seconds by 3,600 and add. 1h 30m 45s = 1 + 30/60 + 45/3600 = 1.5125 hours. For payroll purposes, seconds are usually ignored or rounded.
Is rounding timesheets legal?
In the US, the FLSA allows rounding to the nearest quarter hour (7 minutes past rounds down, 8 rounds up) as long as it averages out neutrally over time and does not systematically favor the employer. Many employers round to the nearest tenth of an hour instead.
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