A sign-in sheet records who came, when they arrived and when they left. It is useful for meetings, classes, events and visitor desks. You can build one in a few minutes, or start from our free sign-in sheet template.
Updated November 2026
Step 1: Choose the columns
Use name, company or team, time in, time out and signature. Add a purpose or host column if visitors need to be matched to someone.
Step 2: Format the times
Select the time columns and use a clock format such as hh:mm. Excel stores a time as a fraction of a day, so 9:00 is 0.375.
Step 3: Work out hours on site
Subtract time in from time out and multiply by 24: =IF(OR(C9="",D9=""),"",(D9-C9)*24). Ana Rivera, in at 8:55 and out at 12:05, was there 3.17 hours.
Step 4: Count who is still on site
Use COUNTIFS to find rows with a time in but no time out: =COUNTIFS(C9:C48,"<>",D9:D48,""). The COUNTIFS function counts cells that meet several conditions. In the example Dev Mehta has not signed out, so the count is 1.
Step 5: Average the time
An average of the hours column, =AVERAGE(E9:E48), gives 2.35 hours in the example. Blank cells are ignored.
Printing
Set the page to portrait and fit to one page wide. Leave the signature column empty so people can sign on paper.
Privacy
Collect only what you need. Keep printed sheets where visitors cannot read each other’s details, and store old sheets safely.
Frequently asked questions
What should a sign-in sheet include?
Name, team or company, time in, time out and a signature.
How do I calculate hours between two times?
Subtract the earlier time from the later one and multiply by 24.
Can I count people who have not signed out?
Yes, with COUNTIFS on the time in and time out columns.
Is there a template?
Yes. The sign-in sheet template on this site has these formulas.