Salary sheet in Excel format (free download, October 2026): download this simple monthly salary sheet for up to 10 employees. Enter each employee's pay and days paid, and it works out earned gross, PF on the new ₹25,000 wage ceiling, ESI, professional tax, TDS, net pay and cost to the employer, following the labour code wage rules.
What the Salary Sheet Does
| You enter (yellow cells) | It calculates |
|---|---|
| Month, days in the month, PF ceiling and ESI ceiling; for each employee: name, basic, DA, special allowance, HRA, other allowances, days paid, professional tax and TDS | Full-month gross, earned gross, PF wages, employee PF and ESI, total deductions, net pay, employer PF and ESI, cost to employer, and totals for all employees |
Salary Sheet in Excel With Formula: Columns and Formulas
| Column | Excel formula (row 10) |
|---|---|
| Full-month gross (H) | =SUM(C10:G10) |
| Earned gross (J) | =ROUND(H10*I10/$E$4,0) |
| PF wages (K) | =MIN(ROUND(MAX(C10+D10+E10,H10*0.5)*I10/$E$4,0),$E$5) |
| Employee PF (L) | =ROUND(K10*12%,0) |
| Employee ESI (M) | =IF(H10<=$E$7,ROUNDUP(J10*0.75%,0),0) |
| Total deductions (P) | =L10+M10+N10+O10 |
| Net pay (Q) | =J10-P10 |
| Employer PF (R) / ESI (S) | =ROUND(K10*12%,0) / =IF(H10<=$E$7,ROUNDUP(J10*3.25%,0),0) |
| Cost to employer (T) | =J10+R10+S10 |
E4 is days in the month, E5 the PF ceiling, E7 the ESI ceiling. In the download, the PF ceiling can be switched off (Yes/No) if your company pays PF on full wages.
Example: Three Employees in October 2026
| Item | Employee A | Employee B | Employee C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-month gross | ₹21,000 | ₹50,000 | ₹20,000 |
| Days paid (of 31) | 31 | 31 | 28 |
| Earned gross | ₹21,000 | ₹50,000 | ₹18,065 |
| PF wages | ₹15,000 | ₹25,000 (ceiling) | ₹9,032 |
| Employee PF | ₹1,800 | ₹3,000 | ₹1,084 |
| Employee ESI | ₹158 | Not covered | ₹136 |
| Professional tax + TDS | ₹200 | ₹2,200 | ₹0 |
| Net pay | ₹18,842 | ₹44,800 | ₹16,845 |
| Cost to employer | ₹23,483 | ₹53,000 | ₹19,737 |
Employee A: basic ₹12,000 + special allowance ₹3,000 = ₹15,000, which is more than 50% of ₹21,000, so PF wages are ₹15,000. Employee C: basic ₹10,000 is exactly 50% of gross. These examples are already filled in the sheet.
Payroll Rules Used in the Sheet (2026)
- PF: 12% employee + 12% employer. The wage ceiling is ₹25,000 a month from 17 September 2026 (Gazette S.O. 5109(E)), up from ₹15,000; paying on higher wages is optional.
- PF wages under the labour codes: the four codes took effect on 21 November 2025. Wages are basic pay, DA and retaining allowance plus other pay that is not excluded, such as special allowance; if excluded items like HRA and conveyance exceed 50% of total pay, the excess counts as wages. The sheet applies this as basic + DA + special allowance, or 50% of gross if higher.
- ESI: 0.75% employee and 3.25% employer, for employees with wages up to ₹21,000 a month (unchanged for 2026-27), rounded up to the next rupee.
- Professional tax: set by each state; enter the amount for your state.
- TDS: enter the monthly tax worked out for each employee; most employees are on the new regime, with no tax up to ₹12 lakh of taxable income.
Check one employee in detail with the new labour code salary calculator, the EPF calculator and the ESI calculator.
How to Make a Salary Sheet in Excel (Step by Step)
- Set up columns: employee name, basic, DA, special allowance, HRA, other allowances, full-month gross, days paid and earned gross.
- Pro-rate pay: earned gross = full-month gross × days paid ÷ days in the month, rounded.
- Add PF wages, employee PF and ESI with the formulas above.
- Add professional tax and TDS, total the deductions, and subtract for net pay.
- Add employer PF and ESI for the cost to the employer, and a totals row with SUM.
- Lock formula cells and keep input cells coloured, so only inputs are edited each month.
Track days paid with the monthly attendance sheet in Excel, and issue payslips as explained in salary slip explained.
Other Salary Sheet Formats
| Format | Best for | Key formula |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly salary sheet (this download) | Salaried staff paid by the month | Earned gross = monthly gross × days paid ÷ days in the month |
| Attendance-based sheet | Pay that depends on days present | Days paid = days present + paid leave + weekly offs and holidays as per policy |
| Hourly salary sheet | Part-time or hourly workers | Pay = hourly rate × hours worked |
For interns on a fixed stipend, enter the stipend as basic and set PF and ESI to apply only if they are covered.
Protect and Share the Salary Sheet
- Lock formulas: unlock only the yellow input cells, then use Review › Protect Sheet, so formulas cannot be overwritten.
- Password-protect the file: File › Info › Protect Workbook › Encrypt with Password.
- Name files by month: for example Salary_Sheet_Oct-2026.xlsx, and keep each month's file as a record.
- Google Sheets: upload the file to Drive, open it with Google Sheets, use protected ranges for formula columns and share with view or edit access only as needed.
About the Salary Sheet
How to Use the Excel Sheet
- Download the file and open it in Excel, Google Sheets or LibreOffice.
- Enter the month, days in the month, and check the PF and ESI ceilings.
- Replace the three example employees with yours and fill in pay, days paid, professional tax and TDS.
- Read net pay and cost to employer for each employee, and the totals.
Assumptions and Limitations
- "Other allowances" are treated as excluded from wages (like conveyance); put allowances that count as wages under special allowance.
- ESI coverage is checked on the full-month gross; ESI contribution periods and exempt items follow ESIC rules.
- Overtime, bonus, arrears, loans and LWF are not included.
- General payroll guidance, not legal advice.
Who It Is For
Small business owners, HR and payroll staff, and accountants running a monthly payroll for a small team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a salary sheet in Excel?
List each employee's basic, DA, special allowance, HRA and other allowances; add them for the full-month gross; pro-rate for days paid; then work out PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS and subtract them for net pay. The free sheet on this page has all the formulas ready.
What is the formula for net salary in Excel?
=Earned gross − (employee PF + employee ESI + professional tax + TDS). Earned gross is =ROUND(full-month gross × days paid ÷ days in the month, 0).
How is PF calculated in a salary sheet?
12% of PF wages for the employee and 12% for the employer. Under the labour codes, PF wages are basic + DA + special allowance, but at least 50% of gross; the employer may limit them to the ₹25,000 wage ceiling in force from 17 September 2026.
What is the PF wage ceiling in 2026?
₹25,000 a month from 17 September 2026, raised from ₹15,000 by Gazette notification S.O. 5109(E). Contributions on wages above the ceiling are optional.
When is ESI deducted from salary?
When the employee's monthly wages are ₹21,000 or less (₹25,000 for persons with disabilities): 0.75% from the employee and 3.25% from the employer, each rounded up to the next rupee.
How is salary calculated for days worked?
Earned amount = monthly amount × days paid ÷ days in the month. For 28 paid days in a 31-day month, ₹20,000 becomes ₹18,065.
Is professional tax the same in every state?
No. It is a state tax with its own slabs; some states do not levy it. In Karnataka it is ₹200 a month, and ₹300 in February, for salary of ₹25,000 or more. Enter your state's amount in the sheet.
Does the salary sheet work in Google Sheets?
Yes. The .xlsx file opens in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc with all formulas working.
Can I add more employees to the sheet?
Yes. It has 10 rows; copy the last row down for more employees and extend the totals row's SUM ranges.
What is the difference between a salary sheet and a salary slip?
A salary sheet (payroll register) lists all employees for a month on one sheet; a salary slip is the statement given to one employee. The figures in both should match.