Time to Decimal Converter
Convert hours:minutes to decimal hours for billing, timesheets, and payroll — or convert decimal hours back to h:mm format.
1 + (30 ÷ 60) = 1.5 floor(1.5) = 1h, (1.5 − 1) × 60 = 30m → 1:30 Decimal Hours Reference Table
| H:MM | Decimal Hours | Minutes Total |
|---|
What Are Decimal Hours?
Decimal hours express a duration as a single number rather than splitting it into hours and minutes. Where clock time uses a base-60 minute system, decimal time uses base-10. 1.5 hours means one hour and thirty minutes; 2.25 hours means two hours and fifteen minutes; 0.5 hours means thirty minutes.
The conversion formula is straightforward: decimal hours = hours + (minutes ÷ 60). Going the other way: hours = floor(decimal) and minutes = round((decimal − floor(decimal)) × 60).
Why Billing and Payroll Use Decimal Hours
Every freelancer, consultant, and payroll system faces the same problem: multiplying hours by a rate requires a pure number. A rate of $75 per hour applied to 7 hours 45 minutes cannot be computed as 7:45 × 75. You must first convert: 7 + (45 ÷ 60) = 7.75, then 7.75 × $75 = $581.25.
Time-tracking tools (Toggl, Harvest, Clockify) and spreadsheet formulas universally store duration as decimal to enable simple arithmetic. When you export a CSV of logged hours, the duration column is a decimal. Understanding the conversion helps you spot errors and cross-check your invoices.
Common Decimal Equivalents
These four values cover the standard quarter-hour increments used in most billing scenarios: 0:15 = 0.25 (quarter hour), 0:30 = 0.5 (half hour), 0:45 = 0.75 (three-quarter hour), 1:00 = 1.0. Any other value is a multiple of these: 2:45 = 2.75, 8:30 = 8.5, 3:15 = 3.25.
Timesheet Rounding Conventions
Many employers round timesheet entries to the nearest 6 minutes (0.1 hour), 15 minutes (0.25 hour), or 30 minutes (0.5 hour). Under the 6-minute rounding rule (common in legal and consulting): 1–3 minutes rounds down to 0.0; 4–9 minutes rounds up to 0.1; so 7:07 = 7.1 hours and 7:16 = 7.3 hours. Under 15-minute rounding: 1–7 minutes rounds to 0:00; 8–22 minutes rounds to 0:15 (0.25); 23–37 minutes rounds to 0:30 (0.5); 38–52 minutes rounds to 0:45 (0.75); 53–60 minutes rounds to 1:00.
Using Decimal Hours in Spreadsheets
In Excel or Google Sheets, time values are stored as fractions of 24 hours. To get decimal hours from a time cell (e.g., A1 showing 1:30), use: =A1*24 — this converts 0.0625 (which is 1:30 as a fraction of 24 hours) to 1.5. To convert a decimal number in B1 back to h:mm, use: =B1/24 and format the cell as [h]:mm. The [h] format (with brackets) shows totals above 24 hours correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert hours and minutes to decimal?
Use the formula: decimal = hours + (minutes ÷ 60). Example: 2:45 = 2 + (45 ÷ 60) = 2 + 0.75 = 2.75.
What is 1:30 in decimal hours?
1:30 = 1.5 decimal hours. The 30 minutes ÷ 60 = 0.5, plus the 1 hour = 1.5.
What is 2.75 hours in h:mm?
2.75 hours = 2:45. Floor(2.75) = 2 hours, (2.75 − 2) × 60 = 0.75 × 60 = 45 minutes.
Why does billing use decimal hours?
Multiplying by a rate requires a simple number: 7.5 hours × $60/hr = $450. You can't easily multiply 7:30 × $60 without first converting. Decimal hours make arithmetic straightforward.
What is 7:45 in decimal hours?
7:45 = 7.75 decimal hours. Formula: 7 + (45 ÷ 60) = 7 + 0.75 = 7.75.