Billable Time + Rounding
Round worked minutes to billing increments (6, 15, 30, or 60 minutes) and calculate invoice amounts.
Billable Time FAQ
What does rounding direction mean?
Round up always bills the full next increment. Round nearest is fairest. Round down gives a discount.
What are 6-minute increments?
Many law firms bill in 0.1-hour (6-minute) increments — the most common legal billing unit.
Can I calculate the dollar amount?
Yes — enter your hourly rate and the result includes the invoice amount.
Results are estimates for planning purposes only.
How billable time rounding works
Billable time rounding converts raw minutes worked into billing increments — 6-minute, 15-minute, 30-minute, or hourly units — depending on your profession and client agreement.
The three rounding methods are:
Round up (ceiling): Always round to the next full increment. 7 minutes becomes 12 minutes (2 × 6-min units). Standard in legal billing.
Round nearest: Round to the nearest increment. 7 minutes becomes 6 minutes (1 unit), 10 minutes becomes 12 minutes (2 units). Fairest to both parties.
Round down (floor): Always round down. 11 minutes becomes 6 minutes. Sometimes used to show goodwill to long-term clients.
Billing increments by profession
| Profession | Common increment | Minimum billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney / Law firm | 6 min (0.1 hr) | 6 minutes | Industry standard in legal |
| CPA / Accountant | 15 min (0.25 hr) | 15 minutes | Varies by firm |
| Consultant | 15 or 30 min | 30–60 minutes | Often project-based |
| Freelance designer | 15 or 30 min | None to 1 hour | Negotiated per project |
| IT / Tech support | 30 min | 30–60 minutes | Block billing common |
| Freelance writer | 1 hour | 1 hour | Often flat-rate instead |
How to convert minutes to decimal hours for invoicing
| Minutes worked | 0.1 hr increments (legal) | 0.25 hr increments (15 min) | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | 0.1 hr | 0.25 hr | 0.08 |
| 10 min | 0.2 hr | 0.25 hr | 0.17 |
| 15 min | 0.3 hr | 0.25 hr | 0.25 |
| 20 min | 0.4 hr | 0.25 hr | 0.33 |
| 30 min | 0.5 hr | 0.50 hr | 0.50 |
| 45 min | 0.8 hr | 0.75 hr | 0.75 |
| 50 min | 0.9 hr | 0.75 hr | 0.83 |
| 55 min | 1.0 hr | 1.00 hr | 0.92 |
Frequently asked questions about billable time and rounding
How do law firms round billable hours?
Most law firms bill in 6-minute increments (0.1 hours). So 7 minutes of work is billed as 0.2 hours (12 minutes), and 13 minutes is billed as 0.2 hours. The standard is to round up to the next increment.
What is the most common billing increment?
15-minute increments (quarter hours) are the most common for consultants, accountants, and freelancers. Legal billing uses 6-minute (0.1 hour) increments. IT and tech professionals often use 30-minute minimums.
Should I round up or round to nearest when billing?
Rounding up always benefits you as the service provider. Rounding to nearest is fairer to the client. The right choice depends on your industry, client relationships, and engagement terms. Always use the method specified in your contract.
How do I calculate billable hours from a time log?
Record start and end times for each task. Subtract start from end to get raw minutes. Apply your rounding rule. Divide by 60 to get hours. Multiply by your hourly rate for the dollar amount.
What is a minimum billing increment?
Some professionals charge a minimum regardless of time spent — often 15 or 30 minutes. If a 5-minute phone call triggers a 15-minute minimum, the client is billed for 15 minutes even though only 5 were spent.
How do I bill for partial hours?
Convert the partial hour to decimal format: 15 minutes = 0.25, 30 minutes = 0.50, 45 minutes = 0.75. Multiply your hourly rate by the decimal. For example, $150/hour × 0.25 = $37.50 for 15 minutes.
What hourly rate should freelancers charge?
Use the 1099 Hourly Rate Calculator on this site to estimate what you need to charge based on your desired income, expenses, and tax obligations. Most freelancers undercharge when they don't account for taxes, benefits, and non-billable time.
Related tools
- Shift Calculator — find shift end times and total hours
- Working Hours Counter — calculate hours between timestamps
- Business Day Counter — count working days for project estimates
QuickOfficeTools is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.