Free Contractor Timesheet Generator — Australia
Create a professional timesheet tailored for contractor businesses in Australia. Track employee hours, overtime, and breaks for payroll processing.
Create Your Timesheet Now →Common Timesheet Line Items for Contractors
Here are typical items you might include on a contractor timesheet:
| Description | Unit |
|---|---|
| Contract labour | hour |
| Day rate | day |
| Project milestone | each |
| Equipment hire | day |
| Site allowance | day |
| Travel and accommodation | each |
Typical Contractor Pricing in Australia
Rates vary by state and job complexity, but these are the kinds of ranges contractors commonly charge:
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Contract labour | $70–$130 per hour |
| Day rate | $500–$1,200 per day |
| Project milestone | $1,000–$20,000+ |
| Equipment hire | $100–$400 per day |
| Site allowance | $40–$100 per day |
Compliance Tips for Contractors
- ABN must appear on all invoices; otherwise the payer must withhold 47% under PAYG.
- Taxable payments annual report (TPAR) may apply — check if your industry is covered.
- Contractor agreements should clarify GST status, payment terms, and intellectual property ownership.
How to Create a Contractor Timesheet
Follow these steps to put together a contractor timesheet with our free generator:
- Enter the employee's name and the pay period the timesheet covers.
- Log start and finish times for each day, including any unpaid breaks taken.
- Separate ordinary hours from overtime or penalty-rate hours so payroll can apply the correct rates.
- Download the completed timesheet as a PDF to attach to your payroll records.
What to Include on a Contractor Timesheet
A contractor timesheet should cover these fields, plus a few billing norms specific to how contractors typically operate in Australia.
Fields to include
- Daily start/finish times: Record exact times worked each day, including breaks, to support accurate payroll and satisfy record-keeping rules.
- Overtime and penalty hours: Separate these from ordinary hours so the correct rate is applied when payslips are generated.
- Employee sign-off: Having the employee confirm the hours reduces disputes when payslips are issued.
How Contractors typically bill
- Day rates or hourly rates are the norm for site-based contracting; fixed project fees are more common for defined deliverables.
- Invoices are usually issued fortnightly or monthly to match the client's accounts payable cycle.
- A purchase order number from the client is commonly quoted on the invoice to speed up processing.
- Site allowances and travel are billed as separate line items rather than folded into the day rate.
Contractors must quote an ABN to avoid 47% no-ABN withholding, and register for GST once turnover reaches $75,000 — many industries covered by contractors also require a Taxable Payments Annual Report from the businesses that hire them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Watch out for these common errors when preparing a contractor timesheet:
- Rounding hours loosely instead of recording exact start and finish times.
- Not keeping timesheets for the full 7-year record-keeping period required under the Fair Work Act.
Frequently asked questions
Am I a contractor or an employee?
The ATO looks at the whole working arrangement — control over how work is done, tools ownership, financial risk, and ability to delegate. If the business controls how and when you work, you may be an employee regardless of your contract.
Do contractors need to pay their own super?
If you are genuinely self-employed, you are not entitled to super from the hiring business. However, you can (and should) make voluntary contributions. If the ATO deems you an employee, the hirer must pay super.
Should a contractor issue a tax invoice or a recipient-created tax invoice (RCTI)?
Normally the contractor issues the tax invoice. An RCTI arrangement, where the payer creates the invoice, requires a written agreement and is common in mining and transport industries.
Are employers required to keep timesheets in Australia?
Yes. Under the Fair Work Act, employers must keep records of hours worked for each employee for 7 years. This includes start/finish times, breaks, and overtime.
Should a timesheet separate ordinary hours from overtime?
Yes — showing ordinary hours, overtime, and any penalty-rate hours as separate line items makes it far easier to calculate correct pay and to defend the record if it is ever audited.
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