Breaks - Timesheet

Breaks - Timesheet

Breaks in Timesheets help capture employee break times within the timesheet service. Breaks can be configured to be logged either manually by employees or automatically between time log entries. This enables accurate tracking of both paid and unpaid break durations for timesheets and payroll.

Enable Break

  1. Enable Breaks in Timesheet, navigate to Settings > Timesheet > Configuration > Methods tab.


  2. Enable Break.

Configure Breaks

To configure Breaks:
  1. Navigate to Settings > Timesheet > Configuration > Break.

  2. Click Add Break.
  3. Enter Break name, select colour and icon of your preference.
  4. Select type as either Paid or Unpaid.


  5. Select break logging mode as either:
    1. Automatic: Automatic breaks are logged only if an employee has time logs before and after the break time, or if a time log overlaps with the break period on that day.
      Info
      Automatic breaks are logged only when start and end time based or timer-based logging is used.

      Automatic Break Example

      How Automatic Breaks are Logged Based on Time log settings


      Time entry overlap is restricted

      When Time entry overlap is set to Restricted, time logs cannot overlap with breaks. If an automatic break occurs during a time log, the system automatically splits the time log. The overlapping time is recorded as a break, and the remaining time is saved as separate time logs.



      Example:

      Time log: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
      Break: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM


      Result:

      Time log: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM - 2 hours
      Break: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM  - 0.5 hours
      Time log: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM - 3.5 hours

      Time entry overlap is allowed

      When time entry overlap is allowed, breaks can overlap with time logs without splitting them. The time log remains unchanged at 6:00 hours, and the break is logged separately as 00:30. This is useful when breaks are tracked for visibility or compliance without affecting recorded work duration.


      Example      :
      Time log: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
      Break: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

      Result:
      Break: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM  - 0.5 hours
      Time log: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM - 6 hours

    2. Manual: Employee has to manually log the break within the defined start time and end time.
      Info
      - If start time and end time is not defined, employee can log break anytime within allowed duration their shift time.
      - You can add multiple break time ranges for Manual break.
  6. Enter the Allowed duration (applicable only for manual breaks).
    Example (Manual Break):
    A 20-minute tea break is configured between 4:00 PM–6:00 PM. An employee can manually log this break anytime within that time window, up to the allowed duration.
  7. Select Break applicable location.
    Employees from the selected location can take this break.

How Employees can Log Breaks in Timesheet

Logging Manual Break

To log manual break for a day:
  1. Navigate to Timesheet (left side tab) > My Data > Time Logs.
  2. Click on the break icon.
  3. The list of manual breaks applicable for the employee will be shown.


  4. Select any one of the logging method:
    1. Start time end time: Allows you to log break within specific timeframe.


    2. Timer: Start and stop a timer to record your the break duration.



  5. For bulk time log submissions (Daily, Weekly, Semi-Monthly, or Monthly), click Add Row > Breaks to include break hours in the logs.



Logging Automatic Break

Automatic breaks are logged only if an employee has time logs before and after the break time, or if a time log overlaps with the break period on that day.

InfoAutomatic breaks are logged only when start and end time based or timer-based logging is used.
Simply log your time for the day. The system checks whether any automatic break falls between your time logs and records the break accordingly.


Info
If a time log that contains an automatic break is deleted, the break is deleted along with it. Automatic break logs cannot be deleted separately.

View total break hours while submitting and Approving timesheet 

The total break hours are displayed to employees while submitting the timesheet.


Administrators and approvers can view the total paid and unpaid break hours logged by employees during timesheet approval.



Employee Logged Hours Report - Timesheet

To view employee logged hours report to track and process employee break hours in timesheet service:

Navigate to Reports > Organization Reports > Timesheet > Employee logged hours

This report records employees’ logged work hours along with both paid and unpaid break hours, allowing you to track break time for the selected period.