Security Guard Timesheet Template (Free Excel)
Published 19 October 2026
Free security guard timesheet template for Excel that handles overnight shifts and flags 48 hour weeks, plus the working time rules to know.
Paying security officers correctly starts with recording their hours correctly. Disputes about pay almost always come back to a missing or unclear record of when someone started, finished and took a break. This guide explains what a security timesheet needs, and you can download a free security guard timesheet template for Excel that does the sums for you.
What a security timesheet should record
- the officer's name and the week
- the site worked, for each shift
- the start time and end time, on a 24 hour clock
- unpaid break time
- hours worked, calculated
- any overtime, and notes such as cover or an extended shift
- the officer's and supervisor's signatures
Overnight shifts are the usual trap: a shift from 22:00 to 07:00 ends the next day. The template handles this, treating an end time earlier than the start time as finishing the next day, and takes off unpaid breaks.
Working time rules to keep in mind
Check the detail on GOV.UK, because individual contracts and opt-outs matter. In general:
- Most workers should not work more than 48 hours a week on average, unless they have opted out in writing. See maximum weekly working hours.
- Workers are normally entitled to a break of at least 20 minutes if their shift is longer than 6 hours, and to rest between working days. See rest breaks at work.
- Workers are entitled to paid holiday. See holiday entitlement.
- Pay must not fall below the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage for the age of the worker. Rates change every April: check the current figures at National Minimum Wage rates.
The template turns the weekly limit cell red above 48 hours as a prompt to check, not as legal advice.
Common mistakes
- Rounding every shift. Rounding in the company's favour is how minimum wage underpayments start. Record actual times.
- Forgetting unpaid breaks, or paying breaks that should be unpaid. Be clear in the contract and apply it the same way every time.
- Late timesheets. Set a weekly cut-off, and chase before payroll, not after.
- Handwriting that cannot be read. A spreadsheet or app removes this.
- No second signature. A supervisor's check catches errors before they become pay disputes.
From timesheets to payroll
Whatever you use, keep the chain simple: shift worked, hours recorded, hours approved, pay run, payslip. Each handover by hand is a place for errors. If you run PAYE payroll yourself you must report pay to HMRC each pay period. See running payroll.
Replacing the spreadsheet
Spreadsheets work for a small team and break down as you grow. GuardFlow records hours from geofenced clock-ins against the rota, brings timesheets, UK payroll and client invoicing into one place, and keeps clock records that cannot be edited or deleted through the app, with corrections kept alongside the original. See pricing and features.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked on a night shift?
Take the finish time, add 24 hours if it is earlier than the start time, subtract the start time, then take off unpaid breaks. For example, 22:00 to 07:00 is 9 hours, or 8.5 hours with a 30 minute unpaid break. The free template does this for you.
Are breaks paid for security guards?
It depends on the contract. The law gives workers a right to a rest break of at least 20 minutes on shifts longer than 6 hours, but it does not say the break must be paid. Your contract should say whether it is, and you should apply it the same way for every officer.
How long should I keep timesheets?
Keep them with your other payroll records for as long as HMRC and employment law require. See the GOV.UK guidance on payroll record keeping, and ask your accountant if you are unsure.
Can officers sign timesheets on their phone?
Yes. An electronic record that is time stamped and cannot be altered afterwards is as good as a signed sheet, and it removes problems with handwriting.