Employee Sign-In Sheet
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Why do companies need an employee sign-in sheet in today’s technologically advanced society? Aren’t all of these records just handled electronically? While some businesses have switched to an electronic sign-in system, many have not. In fact, a 2017 study found that 25% of businesses are still tracking employee hours with paper or an Excel spreadsheet.
There are many reasons for this. Smaller companies might not see a return on the investment in firmware – afterall, there needs to be enough tablets, computers, or time clocks for everyone to punch in – or software – which can be expensive and difficult to navigate. Paper and Excel, in contrast, are both easy to use and nearly ubiquitous.
Also, digital systems don’t always work. Computers crash and software can become corrupted. Even some larger companies prefer to use a physical sign-in sheet so they don’t have to deal with the headache technology can cause when it doesn’t work correctly.
Even if a company has made the switch to electronic systems, there are still situations in which the electronic system won’t work. If an employee needs to go on special assignment, or move between locations, they won’t necessarily have access to the on-site time tracking system.
This sign-in sheet template won’t be a great fit for everyone. But, there are many instances when this is the simplest way to reliably document employee time.
Why Would You Need an Employee Sign In Sheet Template?
Employee sign-in sheets are a simple way to track work hours and help improve transparency between the employer and the employee. They help minimize time theft and provide accountability and encourage employees to get to work on time. And, sign-in sheets are a way to document overtime hours.
By tracking hours, employees can better calculate their take-home pay. They can easily check for discrepancies in billable hours and pay.
Payroll personnel can examine these sheets to check for lunch breaks and overtime or calculate holiday pay. They can quickly do the math and calculate employee hours worked. When completed regularly and accurately, employee sign-in sheets can be used as a simple weekly timesheet.
Related: See our free Excel time sheet templates for tracking time, calculating total hours worked, automatic payroll reports, hourly rate, and more
What Information Is Collected on an Employee Sign-In Sheet?
Your employee sign-in sheet needs to collect the data you need. Otherwise, it’s a waste of company time to have your employees fill it out.
The worksheets in this spreadsheet ask for employees to document:
- Employee Name
- Employee ID Number
- Arrival time
- Time Out
- Signature
You will need to decide if this is the information you need, or if you want to customize the column headers to ask employees to provide different data.
Notice there isn’t any private information on these employee sign-in forms. For instance, employees do not list their rate of pay, social security number, or phone number.
Since everyone who signs in will be seeing this material, you need to ensure your employees’ privacy is protected. Do not ask for private information on a publicly accessible form.
Template Contents
This spreadsheet contains two different worksheets for your use.
Simple Employee Sign In and Out
The simple sign in and out form is a basic sign in sheet that gathers the essential information listed above. It also asks employees to document the date each time they sign in.
This form is designed to be used with multiple employees.
Employee Sign-In Department and Shift
Sometimes, businesses must track work attendance by department and shift. This spreadsheet does just that. The department supervisor, or another authorized staff member, can quickly prepare the form before the start of each shift.
This template is designed to track time in and time out for employees during a single shift.
To help ensure the accuracy of the data, there is a spot at the bottom for the supervisor’s signature.
How to Customize the Employee Sign-In Sheets
Before your employees begin using either of these sign-in sheets, you can customize them to meet your company’s needs.
You will want to look at the column headers. Does the worksheet you are using collect the information you need? If not, you can click on the prepopulated text and change it.
If you would like to collect additional information, you can easily add your own columns. For example, inserting “Hours Worked” after the “Time Out” column would double this template as a simple timesheet. If you need more complex solution for keeping track of employee attendance, please see our Free Timesheet Templates.
You can also update the header. You might consider adding your company name to help make your document look a little more official. If you decide to add a header, you can click on the placeholder text, “Add header,” and change it.
Would you like a branded document with your logo? You can also follow the directions in this post to insert your logo:
How to Insert Pictures in Headers and Footers
If you want to add more visual appeal to your sign in and sign out sheet, you can add color. Alternating rows with different colors can make each entry stand out. Just make sure you select colors that will be easy for employees to write over. You don’t want anything too dark.
To add color to the rows, follow the directions in this post:
Add or Change the Background Color of Cells
Once your sign-in form is customized, it is ready for you to print and use.
How to Use the Employee Sign-In Sheets
To collect accurate information, you need to establish good sign-in procedures in your business. Make it easy for your employees to access the sheet on their way into work each morning.
If you are just starting to collect this information, having someone there to remind each employee can help build the habit. You can also use signage that’s hard to miss.
Since not everyone wears a watch, consider having an easy-to-read clock near the sign-in sheet. That way employees don’t have to guess what time they are arriving or leaving.
How Long Should You Store the Employee Sign-In Sheets?
According to the Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour division, employee time sheets must be kept for three years. Since these sign-in sheets are used to track time in and time out, you will want to hang onto them for that length of time.
Conclusion
Though some companies have made the switch to a paperless style of employee time tracking, Excel employee sign-in sheets still have their place in the business world. The worksheets in this template can help you quickly gather the information you need to track employee hours.
