Free work from home diary template
Make your template
Work from home diary · November 2026
Name: ____________________ Employer: ____________________ Fill in each day, on the day.
| Date | Start | Finish | Breaks (min) | Hours at home | Work done / notes | Written on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 2 Nov | ||||||
| Tue, 3 Nov | ||||||
| Wed, 4 Nov | ||||||
| Thu, 5 Nov | ||||||
| Fri, 6 Nov | ||||||
| Mon, 9 Nov | ||||||
| Tue, 10 Nov | ||||||
| Wed, 11 Nov | ||||||
| Thu, 12 Nov | ||||||
| Fri, 13 Nov | ||||||
| Mon, 16 Nov | ||||||
| Tue, 17 Nov | ||||||
| Wed, 18 Nov | ||||||
| Thu, 19 Nov | ||||||
| Fri, 20 Nov | ||||||
| Mon, 23 Nov | ||||||
| Tue, 24 Nov | ||||||
| Wed, 25 Nov | ||||||
| Thu, 26 Nov | ||||||
| Fri, 27 Nov | ||||||
| Mon, 30 Nov | ||||||
| Total hours at home this month | ||||||
From wfhdiary.com. General information, not tax advice.
What the template records
Each row is one day. The columns cover what a fixed rate record needs: the date, when you started and finished, breaks, and the hours you worked at home. There’s also a column for notes and one for the date you wrote the entry, which shows the record was kept at the time.
| Column | What to write |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | When you started and stopped working at home that day. |
| Breaks | Time you weren’t working, such as lunch or the school run. |
| Hours at home | Finish minus start, minus breaks. Leave out time worked at the office. |
| Notes | Anything that explains the day: a split day, a meeting away from your desk. |
| Written on | The date you filled in the row. Ideally the same day. |
A template is only a record if you fill it in as you go
The ATO asks for a record of your actual hours for the whole year, kept at the time. A sheet filled in at the end of the year from your usual schedule is an estimate, and estimates aren’t accepted for the fixed rate method. See what records the ATO accepts.
If you’d rather not rely on remembering, WFH Diary records the times for you from your Mac’s menu bar and asks only about the gaps. You can still print its worksheet and mark it up by hand.
Keep your bills too
The hours are half of the record. You also need at least one bill for each running cost the fixed rate covers. See bills to keep for the fixed rate method.
Questions
Is there an ATO work from home diary template?
The ATO doesn’t require a particular format. It accepts timesheets, rosters, logs from time-tracking apps and diaries, as long as they record the actual hours you worked from home for the whole year and were kept at the time.
Can I use Excel for my WFH hours?
Yes, if you fill it in as you go. Download the CSV from this page and open it in Excel or Numbers. Keep a copy of the file for five years from when you lodge your return.
Sources
This is general information, not tax advice. Check your own situation with the ATO or a registered tax agent. WFH Diary is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office.