Employee Work Schedule Template

  • Excel
  • PDF

Last reviewed:

Plan a week of shifts for up to 12 employees on one page. The Excel version totals scheduled hours for each person and the whole team, so you can spot anyone scheduled over 40 hours before the week starts.

Download the free template

Free to use and edit for your business. No sign-up needed to use the calculators on this site.

What’s in the template

  • Start and end time for each employee and day, with the dates filled in from the week’s start
  • Unpaid break per shift, deducted automatically
  • Scheduled hours per employee and team total; overnight shifts supported
  • Landscape layout that prints on one page

Tips for scheduling hourly staff

  • Check each person’s weekly total — hours over 40 in a workweek are overtime under federal law.
  • Some states and cities have predictive scheduling laws that require advance notice of schedules; check your local rules.
  • Keep the posted schedule with your payroll records.

Frequently asked questions

Is the work schedule template free?

Yes, it is free to download, edit and use.

Can I schedule overnight shifts?

Yes. A shift from 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM is counted as 8.5 hours before the unpaid break.

Does a schedule replace a timesheet?

No. A schedule shows planned hours; pay is based on hours actually worked, so record actual times on a timesheet or time card.