Record the date, clock-in, clock-out, unpaid break, job, applicable rate, and a short note only when needed. Review weekly, compare at payday, and export selectively.
Capture the small set of useful facts
For each shift, keep the start date and time, end date and time, unpaid break, job or client, and the rate that applied. Add a note only when it explains a correction, unusual gap, or other detail you may need later.
Avoid placing identity documents, payroll credentials, or unnecessary personal information in a simple work-hours log.
Record near the time you worked
Waiting until the end of the week turns ordinary details into guesses. Capture the entry when the shift ends or use a timer that records work blocks as they happen. Pause for an actual unpaid gap instead of editing the total later.
A weekly review then becomes a check, not a reconstruction project.
Use a simple review cycle
A reliable routine has three moments, each with a different purpose.
- After the shift: confirm start, end, break, job, and rate.
- After the week: look for missing, duplicate, overlapping, or overnight entries.
- After the pay period: compare personal hours and estimates with the official record.
Keep the master record private by default
A personal log can contain sensitive work patterns and pay estimates. Store it somewhere you control, protect the device, and share only the job and date range needed for the situation.
The browser calculator keeps inputs in memory and does not submit job names, times, breaks, or rates to EarnTrace. The iPhone app stores work records locally unless you choose to export or back them up.
Understand what the record is—and is not
A personal record can help you remember, plan, compare, and discuss. It is not an employer-certified timecard, payroll determination, tax calculation, legal opinion, or guarantee of money owed.
Preserve official statements and employer or client records separately. Use qualified guidance when a payment or legal issue goes beyond personal organization.
Make the routine faster on iPhone
EarnTrace is built around this recordkeeping rhythm: separate jobs, rate history, segment-based work time, pay-period review, adjustments, and user-controlled PDF, CSV, audit, or backup exports.
The free core covers everyday tracking. Annual Pro and Lifetime Pro unlock the same time-saving shortcuts for people who repeat entries or manage more active jobs.
Calculate the full period without sharing your inputs.
Add multiple shifts, breaks, overnight work, jobs, rates, and an optional weekly overtime scenario in one browser-only workspace.
Open the free calculator