Free tip pool spreadsheet
Split a tip pool by hours worked, or by hours times role points, for up to 30 people. One Excel file that also opens in Google Sheets and Numbers. No sign-up, no email.
Download the tip pool spreadsheet (.xlsx)
Want the answer without a file? Use the online tip pool calculator, which does the same split in your browser and prints it for the shift.
What is in the file
- Tip pool sheet: total tips, a Hours or Points switch, and 30 rows for name, role, hours and role points.
- Shares: each person's share rounded to the cent, their effective tips per hour, and a check cell that shows if the shares add up to the pool.
- Instructions sheet: how to fill it in, typical role points and the federal tip rule.
Yellow cells are inputs. Every other cell is a formula, so nothing is locked and you can change roles, points or rows.
What it looks like
| Name | Role | Hours | Share | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | Server | 6 | $261.82 | $43.64 |
| Sam | Server | 5.5 | $240.00 | $43.64 |
| Jordan | Bartender | 7 | $305.45 | $43.64 |
| Casey | Busser | 5 | $218.18 | $43.64 |
| Riley | Host | 4 | $174.55 | $43.64 |
How to split tips by hours worked
- Add up the hours of everyone in the pool. In the sample, that is 27.5 hours.
- Divide the pool by total hours to get the tip rate per hour: $1,200 ÷ 27.5 = $43.64.
- Multiply each person's hours by that rate. Jordan worked 7 hours, so Jordan gets 7 × $43.64 = $305.45.
The points method works the same way, but each person's hours are first multiplied by a role weight. With busser at 0.5 points, Casey's 5 hours count as 2.5 in the split.
Questions
Does the tip pool spreadsheet work in Google Sheets?
Yes. In Google Drive, choose New, File upload, then open the file with Google Sheets. The formulas and the Hours or Points drop-down carry over.
What are typical tip pool points?
A common setup is server 1.0, bartender 1.0, busser 0.5, food runner 0.5 and host 0.4. There is no legal standard, so set points your staff agree are fair and keep them the same from shift to shift.
Why does the check cell show a few cents?
Each share is rounded to the cent, so the shares can miss the pool by a cent or two. Add or take the difference from the largest share.
Can a POS do the tip pool for me?
Yes. Most restaurant POS systems with payroll, including Toast and SpotOn, can pool tips from clocked hours and pay them out through payroll, so nobody runs the split at close.
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