The 7-minute rounding rule explained
The 7-minute rule rounds clock times to the nearest quarter hour: minutes 1–7 round down, and minutes 8–14 round up. It’s a common, neutral way to round time for payroll.
How it works
Each clock-in or clock-out is rounded to the closest 15-minute mark:
- 1–7 minutes past the quarter hour → round down.
- 8–14 minutes past the quarter hour → round up.
Example: a 9:00 AM start —
- Clock in at 9:06 → rounds down to 9:00.
- Clock in at 9:10 → rounds up to 9:15.
Step-by-step
- Look at the minutes past the nearest quarter hour (:00, :15, :30, :45).
- If it’s 1–7, round down to that quarter hour.
- If it’s 8–14, round up to the next quarter hour.
Round automatically
You don’t have to round by hand. In the calculator, set Round input to nearest 15 Min (7 min rule) and each entry is rounded for you. Other options are 5, 30, or 60 minutes, or no rounding.
Open the Time Card Calculator with Rounding, or get the app for Save, Excel/CSV, and PDF.
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## Is rounding allowed?Time rounding is generally permitted when it’s neutral and doesn’t consistently shortchange the worker. Rules and enforcement vary, so check your local requirements — this guide is general information, not legal advice.
FAQ
What is the 7-minute rule? Clock times round to the nearest quarter hour: 1–7 minutes round down, 8–14 round up.
How do I round to the nearest 15 minutes? Choose Round input to nearest 15 Min (7 min rule) and the calculator rounds each entry for you.
What rounding options are there? No rounding, 5 minutes, 15 minutes (7-minute rule), 30 minutes, or 1 hour.
Related
This tool provides estimates and is not legal, tax, or payroll advice.