Do you still need the template for 2025? You can find it here.

For Admins

• The template defines 8 hours of work per day by default. You can adjust this under the “Working Hours/Day” cell.
• All weekdays (Mon-Fri) are defined as workdays in the template. You can adjust the actual number of workdays per month (affected by holidays, which vary by state, or Saturday work) under the “Workdays/Month” cell.

For Users

• Enter the time you started your workday under “Start” (e.g., 09:00).
• Enter the time you ended your workday under “End” (e.g., 16:00).
• If you took a break, enter the duration of your break in minutes under “Break” (e.g., 00:30).

General

• Everything is entered in hh:mm format, e.g., 09:00 for 9 AM.
• Enter break times in the same format, e.g., 00:30 for a 30-minute break.
• The table automatically calculates your hours.
• Under “Balance”, you can see how many hours you still need to work in the corresponding month. If the number exceeds 0 and reaches the positive area by the end of the month, your overtime will be automatically displayed.

Vacation

• Enter the number of your vacation days for the respective month under “Vacation Days”. The hours will then be deducted from the hours to be worked accordingly. For better clarity, you can color-code your vacation days.

Time Tracking Template as a Google Drive Spreadsheet

If you’d like to track your working hours using a Google Drive spreadsheet, we also offer a template for that.

To use it, simply click on “File” in the top left corner, then select “Make a copy.” You can save this copy in your Google Drive account and use the time tracking template as needed.

If you’re looking for a time sheet template, you can download a PDF or Word template here.

Excel Templates: Time-consuming, Error-prone, Insecure

Keep in mind the following aspects when using an Excel template for time tracking:

• Time-consuming creation of the Excel table: Creating it requires time and effort, as formulas and formatting need to be inserted, adding complexity.
• High time expenditure for entering working hours: Manual entry can be time-consuming, possibly leading to sporadic updates and inaccuracies.
• Inaccuracy in recording working hours: Manual entries increase the risk of errors and inaccuracies.
• Error-proneness of Excel: Excel sheets are prone to errors, especially when mishandled.
• Lack of transparency: Difficulties in getting a comprehensive overview of all employees’ working hours due to scattered data.

Is There a Better and Cheaper Solution?

If you want to ensure secure time tracking while saving your budget, you should opt for absence.io. We are extremely convinced of our product and consider our time tracking software the best, so we highly recommend it to you.

Unlike any Excel template, we offer you digital time tracking with:

• Digital stopwatch, punch terminal, or manual entries
• Smart and automatic overtime management
• Usability via web and mobile app (iOS & Android)
• Optimal overview for admins and users

Software Instead of Excel Template?

If you want to take your time tracking to the next level, you can test our software now for 14 days for free and completely non-binding. You don’t need to enter any payment details, and the trial period ends automatically. Just give it a try!

Our experts are available to support you for free.

• Download your Free Vacation Request Form
• Timesheet Template Free Download
• Free Excel vacation planner template 2026
• Travel Expense Reimbursement Template: in PDF and DOCX

The post Free Time Tracking Excel Template 2026 appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

FREE DOWNLOAD

Instructions: How to use the vacation planner Excel template from absence.io

Step 1: At the bottom of the vacation planner, you’ll find a tab for each month. Go to January and enter your employees’ names. They will then be automatically included for each month and in the overall overview.

Step 2: In the last tab “Summary,” enter the corresponding number of vacation days under “Vacation Entitlement.” This can be specified separately for each person, for example, if you have full-time and part-time employees.

Step 3: Let’s get started! Enter “V” for vacation, “S” for sick leave, or “HO” for home office on the respective days. In the right table, you’ll then see the sum of individual absence days.

Step 4: In the last tab “Overview,” the Excel template provides a comprehensive overview:

• Vacation days: The total number of vacation days taken so far in the year
• Sick leave: The total number of sick days
• Home Office: The total number of home office days
• Vacation Entitlement: The number of the corresponding vacation entitlement
• Remaining vacation: The number of unused vacation days

Our vacation planner Excel template is simple and effective. You can track all types of leave (and more) with it. With the corresponding overview page, you can simultaneously keep the necessary overview. Enjoy!

FREE DOWNLOAD

Additional Options

If you’d like to manage your vacation through a Google Drive spreadsheet, you’ll find a template here. To use it, simply click on “File –> Make a copy” in the top left corner.

Do you still need the 2025 template? You can download it directly here.

Do you want an even better solution for vacation planning?

Our Excel vacation planning template is great, no doubt. However, there’s a solution that’s even simpler, safer, and more organized: our software.

All employees get their own account. Everything is requested and approved through it.

It works like this, for example:
Antonia wants to take a week off in September. She selects the corresponding days in absence.io and requests the desired vacation with just one click.
Her supervisor, Mascha, receives a notification (e.g., via email, Teams, or Slack) and can approve or deny the requested vacation accordingly.

In the background, everything is recorded and monitored according to your statutes. Employees and supervisors always have a comprehensive overview of the vacation and absence situation. There are also many practical automations.
For example, if someone has no more vacation days left, they can’t request any more. And much more.

This is not only convenient for employees and supervisors but also significantly reduces your HR effort. At the same time, it makes things much safer. Excel is susceptible. At absence.io, everything is encrypted to the highest security standards and protected against unauthorized access with the appropriate permissions. Everyone sees only what they are allowed to see.

Ready?

If you’re ready to take your vacation management to the next level, you’re in the right place with us. Test our software for 14 days without obligation and for free or schedule a consultation with our product experts!

LET’S GO

The post Free Excel vacation planner template 2026 appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

Here you go!

If you’re tired of printing, searching for pens, crossing things out, and the like—whether you’re a boss, supervisor, or employee—it’s time to say goodbye to the traditional time sheet. The time is right to transition into digital time tracking!

Digital time tracking offers you many benefits:

1. Accuracy & Security: Digital systems track working hours accurately and prevent human error or manipulation. Additionally, with time tracking software, you can control exactly who can see what, protecting against unwanted access to paper time sheets left lying around.
2. Efficiency: It saves time. Employees can quickly and easily record their working hours through software, instead of manually filling out time sheets. There’s no need to print a new sheet when the old one is full or search for that missing pen again.
3. Transparency: Employees can check their own working hours, while employers have a comprehensive view of the hours worked.
4. Flexibility: With the right time tracking software, you can either use a digital stopwatch, a digital terminal for clocking in and out, or manually enter time entries later—depending on the preference of supervisors or employees.
5. Cost Savings: By automating and moving away from paper-based systems, companies can save on printing, storage, and managing time tracking documents.
6. Compliance: Digital time tracking helps you comply with work-hour regulations and laws. As mentioned earlier, digital time tracking is becoming mandatory!
7. Integration: Many digital time tracking systems can seamlessly integrate with other business software, such as payroll or HR software, further reducing administrative burden and increasing efficiency.

If you’re more of a traditional type who likes pen and paper, and your company has fewer than 10 employees, a time sheet template will suit you just fine. But if you don’t meet these conditions, you’re ready for digital transformation. It’s time for digital time tracking from absence.io!

The post Timesheet Template Free Download appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

Using a template for travel expense reimbursement is a proven system. But there’s always room for simplification.

The process can be simplified, especially with a template. The travel expense reimbursement process with a template typically goes like this:

• Herbert looks for the template on his computer or the company server.
• Herbert can’t find the template.
• He asks his colleague Vera to send him the template.
• Vera sends him the template.
• Herbert wants to print the template.
• The connection to the printer fails.
• He asks Vera if she can print the template for him.
• Vera prints the template for Herbert.
• Herbert fills out the template accordingly and brings it to his supervisor, Yvonne.
• Yvonne asks Herbert for the receipts.
• Herbert looks for the receipts.
• Herbert finds the receipts and brings them to Yvonne.
• Yvonne reviews the travel expense reimbursement and the receipts.
• Yvonne submits everything to the accounting department.

Sounds stressful. Yet, with such a process, everyone may still come out relatively unscathed. Often, it goes worse.

It runs much more efficiently with … drumroll … software!

With a software solution, especially with an app, the travel expense reimbursement process becomes much simpler.

• Herbert has the absence.io app for travel expense reimbursement on his smartphone.
• He can upload digital receipts directly, upload printed receipts like entertainment receipts via photos, and expenses with his corporate credit card are automatically recorded.
• He can enter all other information directly in the app without searching, printing, or back and forth.
• Herbert can submit the travel expense reimbursement digitally on the way home.
• Yvonne receives a corresponding notification directly. She can review everything digitally – even from the sofa – and approve it.
• Afterwards, everything lands automatically and completely in the accounting department.
• Done.

If you’re convinced that a software solution suits you better than the traditional travel expense reimbursement template, just give it a try. You can try absence.io for free for 14 days, without obligation and with all features. Alternatively, you can also book a demo and let our experts explain everything in detail. Enjoy!

• Free Excel vacation planner template

The post Travel Expense Reimbursement Template: in PDF and DOCX appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.