The Ultimate ADP Conversion Guide
If you are processing payroll through ADP Workforce Now, Run by ADP, or ADP Vantage, you have likely encountered the dreaded "decimal time" formatting error.
When an employee submits a timesheet that says they worked "8 hours and 15 minutes," you cannot simply type "8.15" into the ADP portal. Doing so will result in an inaccurate paycheck. You must convert those 15 minutes into a fraction of an hour (a decimal).
Why Does Payroll Software Use Decimals?
The core issue is that time is calculated in Base-60 (60 minutes in an hour), while money is calculated in Base-10 (100 cents in a dollar).
If an employee earns $20.00 an hour and works 8 hours and 30 minutes, you cannot multiply $20.00 × 8.30. The math will break. You must convert the 30 minutes into a decimal (0.50) so the software can perform a clean Base-10 multiplication: $20.00 × 8.50 = $170.00.
The Manual Conversion Formula
If you don't have our calculator handy, the formula is simple: take the number of minutes and divide it by 60.
Example: 45 minutes ÷ 60 = 0.75.
Quick Reference: Minutes to Decimal Chart
Keep this chart handy when doing manual data entry into your payroll software. This chart rounds to two decimal places (1/100th of an hour), which is the standard format required by ADP and Paycom.
| Actual Minutes | ADP Decimal Format |
|---|---|
| 05 Minutes | .08 |
| 10 Minutes | .17 |
| 15 Minutes | .25 (Quarter Hour) |
| 20 Minutes | .33 |
| 30 Minutes | .50 (Half Hour) |
| 40 Minutes | .67 |
| 45 Minutes | .75 (Three Quarters) |
| 50 Minutes | .83 |
| 55 Minutes | .92 |
A Note on the "7-Minute Rule"
Many businesses using ADP hardware clocks utilize the FLSA's 7-Minute Rounding Rule. This means if an employee clocks in at 8:05 AM, the system rounds their time down to 8:00 AM (0.00). If they clock in at 8:08 AM, it rounds up to 8:15 AM (0.25).
If your timesheets look slightly different than the exact minutes your employees worked, check with your HR administrator to see if rounding rules are enabled in your ADP environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I enter 8 hours and 30 minutes in ADP?
In ADP, you must use decimal format. 8 hours and 30 minutes is entered as 8.50 hours.
Does QuickBooks use the same format?
Yes. Almost all major payroll providers, including QuickBooks Online, Paycom, and Paylocity, require time to be entered in standard decimal format. You can use our QuickBooks Converter for more details.
Is MyShiftCalc affiliated with ADP?
No. MyShiftCalc is an independent utility created by Procuran Limited. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP).