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How to Build a Vacation Accrual Spreadsheet in Excel

How to Build a Vacation Accrual Spreadsheet in Excel

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Manage your paid time off all in one place with Vacation Tracker.

Last updated on June 6, 2025

Frequently asked questions

Vacation accrual is the process by which employees gradually earn paid time off over a specific period, typically based on the number of hours worked or the length of their employment. Instead of receiving all their vacation days at once, time off accumulates over time, giving employers better control over leave usage and payouts.

To figure out vacation accrual accurately, start with the hourly accrual rate. The formula is: Annual PTO hours ÷ total annual hours worked

For a standard 40-hour workweek, that’s 2,080 hours per year. Once you’ve calculated the rate, multiply it by the number of hours someone has worked to determine how much time off they’ve accrued.

Yes, it’s ideal for them. Because the formula is based on actual hours worked, it’s a fair and accurate way to calculate PTO for part-time or hourly team members. 

Set up a spreadsheet with each employee’s total PTO quota, their weekly schedule, and how many hours they’ve worked. Then apply the formula to calculate how much time off they’ve accrued. The article includes a free PTO accrual tracker to help you do this without building it from scratch.  

Yes, try our free downloadable PTO accrual spreadsheet with built-in formulas. It’s customizable, so you can adjust it to match your policy. 

Spreadsheets work, until they don’t. If you’d rather avoid manual updates and formulas, try Vacation Tracker. It automates all your accruals, keeps all your leave tracking data in one place, and your first 7 days are free.