Read a timecard CSV without losing minutes
A spreadsheet can silently reinterpret dates, clock times and decimal hours. Understand the columns and rounding before using an exported timecard in another calculation.
Updated October 27, 2026 · Scope and methods
Read the header first
The ShiftTotal export distinguishes clock-in and clock-out readings from worked minutes and decimal hours. A clock reading is a point within a day; worked minutes describe a duration. Next day tells you whether the finish belongs to the following date. Week numbers and summary-row labels help separate daily records from totals. Do not assume every numeric cell is measured in hours.
Preserve the original readings
A spreadsheet may turn 09:00 into a time value, remove leading zeroes or display an ISO date in a local format. Keep an untouched copy of the export. When importing, choose text for date and clock-reading columns if the receiving application offers that option. This preserves the recorded representation while allowing you to calculate from the separate numeric duration columns.
Use worked minutes for exact totals
Five rows of 450 worked minutes total 2,250 minutes, or 37.50 hours. The decimal-hours column is useful for reading and may be rounded, while the whole-minute column preserves the source precision used by the calculator. If you need to reproduce the site’s total, add the daily worked minutes and divide that total by 60 rather than adding previously rounded displays.
Do not count the summary twice
The export includes rows labelled WEEK TOTAL and PERIOD TOTAL after the daily rows. Summing the entire worked-minute column without excluding summaries counts the same time again. Filter for rows labelled DAY when building a new total. Check that the total number of daily rows matches the seven- or fourteen-day card before comparing results.
Check the midnight and adjustment columns
An end time of 06:00 is earlier on the clock than a start time of 22:00, but it can be later in real time when Next day is Yes. The adjustment column records only the signed clock-change minutes supplied by the user. An importer that ignores either field may calculate a different duration. Retain the exported worked-minute value as a comparison while testing your own formula.
Keep a two-week card in two groups
A biweekly export has Week 1 and Week 2 labels. Group daily rows by those labels if you need separate subtotals. The site assigns an entire shift to its starting date and does not split a shift at a workweek boundary. That allocation is visible in the rows but may not match a receiving system’s rule; reconcile it before using the data for a consequential decision.
Review format assumptions in the receiving system
A destination field asking for HH:MM is not the same as one asking for a decimal number. Entering 7.30 into a decimal field represents 7 hours 18 minutes. If the destination rounds to a particular interval or requires a particular date format, follow its documented requirements while keeping your original export. ShiftTotal does not configure or certify an external payroll system.
Store the file as a private record
CSV is plain text rather than an encrypted document. ShiftTotal creates it locally and does not receive a copy of your time entries. Your later saving or sharing decisions determine who can access it. Review any identifiers you add in a spreadsheet before sending a file. For a calculation correction, a made-up shift with the same numeric behaviour is usually enough to explain the issue.