Need a simple attendance sheet template for Excel? These free templates can be used to record employee time in, time out, lunch breaks, and daily attendance.
They are useful for small businesses, departments, part-time staff, temporary workers, or any workplace that needs a simple monthly attendance record without using a full attendance management system.
On this page, you can download Excel attendance sheet templates in vertical and horizontal layouts. Some templates are designed for one employee, while another template can be used to track multiple employees on one sheet.
In Japanese workplaces, attendance records are often checked carefully by managers or administrative staff. Even when a company uses a digital system, printed or Excel-based records may still be used for small teams, temporary work, or internal confirmation. A clear format helps avoid confusion at the end of the month.
Free Attendance Sheet Templates for Excel
These attendance sheet templates are made for recording employee attendance by day. You can enter the employee name, department, time in, time out, lunch break, and other attendance details.
Click the thumbnail image to see a larger preview. Use the “Download” button below each image to open the download page.
What Is an Attendance Sheet?
An attendance sheet is a document used to record when an employee starts work, finishes work, and takes breaks. It is different from a shift schedule. A shift schedule shows planned working hours, while an attendance sheet records actual attendance.
For example, a shift schedule may say that an employee is scheduled from 9:00 to 18:00. The attendance sheet records what actually happened, such as arriving at 8:55, leaving at 18:10, and taking a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00.
- Employee name
- Department or affiliation
- Date
- Day of the week
- Time in
- Time out
- Lunch break or break time
- Remarks
- Employee signature
- Manager approval
A common mistake is recording only the total working hours and leaving out break time. It may look simple, but later it becomes harder to check how the total was calculated. Recording time in, time out, and breaks separately is usually safer and easier to review.
Attendance Sheet Templates
Daily Attendance Sheet Template 01
Daily Attendance Sheet Template 02
Multiple Employee Attendance Sheet Template 03
How to Use an Attendance Sheet in Excel
First, choose the template that matches your purpose. If you need to manage one employee’s monthly attendance in detail, use a vertical daily attendance sheet. If you want to check attendance for several employees at a glance, use the multiple employee template.
After downloading the template, open it in Excel and enter the employee name, department, year, and month. Then record the time in, time out, and break time each day.
It is better to fill in the sheet every day instead of waiting until the end of the month. This sounds obvious, but it is where people often get stuck. Once several days pass, exact arrival times and break times become hard to remember.
Tips for Managing Attendance Records
Attendance records should be easy to check later. Use the same time format throughout the sheet, such as 09:00 or 18:30. Mixing formats like “9am,” “9:00,” and “09:00” can make the sheet look messy and harder to calculate.
- Use one row for one day or one employee.
- Record break time separately from working time.
- Keep remarks short and specific.
- Check missing entries before the end of the month.
- Have the employee and manager review the sheet if required.
In Japanese companies, manager confirmation may be required at the end of the month. Some workplaces use signatures, while others use stamps or digital approval. The important thing is that the person checking the sheet can understand the record without asking many extra questions.
Attendance Sheet vs Shift Schedule
An attendance sheet and a shift schedule are similar, but they are not the same.
A shift schedule is used before work happens. It shows who is planned to work and at what time. An attendance sheet is used after or during work. It records the actual time worked.
For small teams, it may be tempting to use one sheet for both. That can work for a while, but it often becomes confusing later. If planned shifts and actual attendance are different, it is better to keep them separate.
When Excel Is Enough, and When a System Is Better
Excel attendance sheets are useful for small teams, simple records, temporary work, or backup management. They are easy to edit, print, and share.
However, if many employees need to record time every day, or if you need automatic calculations, approval workflows, or payroll integration, attendance management software may be more efficient.
For a small office or a simple monthly record, though, an Excel attendance sheet is often the fastest and easiest starting point.
Summary
An attendance sheet is used to record actual employee attendance, including time in, time out, and break time. It helps managers and administrative staff check monthly attendance records clearly.
Download the Excel attendance sheet template that matches your purpose, enter the required information regularly, and keep the format simple. A clean attendance sheet may look plain, but at the end of the month, it makes checking work much easier.
