Frequently Asked Questions

ShiftSum · Updated 2026-08-27

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What does “gross estimate” mean?

Every pay figure in the app is a gross estimate: hours you recorded, multiplied by the rates and overtime rules you entered, before any taxes, deductions, pension, or benefits. The app does not calculate legally authoritative wages, payroll, taxes, deductions, benefits, or net pay — use it as your personal record to compare against your payslip or client payment. If the app and your payslip disagree, your employer’s records and the law govern.

How do I compare with my payslip?

Open Earnings and pick the job’s pay period in the period picker. Under Recorded payment, tap Record payment and type the gross amount your payslip or client payment shows for that period. The screen then lists three lines: the app’s estimated gross, what you recorded as received, and the difference between them.

Both figures are gross. The app does not calculate tax, deductions, or net pay, and a difference is not a finding against anyone — if the two disagree, your employer’s records and the law govern. Recording a payment is free on every tier, and the amount is stored on your device and included in your encrypted backups.

There is no photo or payslip scanning: you type the amount yourself. Tips, bonuses, and other adjustments stay in their own rows and are not part of the comparison.

How do I set up overtime rules?

Open Settings → Jobs and tap your job.
Open Pay Rules.
Enable daily or weekly overtime and enter the threshold (for example, over 8 hours a day or over 40 hours a week), the multiplier (for example, 1.5×), the effective date, and the week boundary.
The app shows a preview example and explains the highest-multiplier, no-stacking behavior before you confirm.

Overtime is off unless you configure it — the rules are your personal settings, computed exactly as entered. They are not legal defaults and the app does not claim they match any country’s employment law.

How do I back up and restore my record?

Back up: Settings → Your data → Backup & restore → create a backup. You choose a passphrase; the app writes an encrypted backup file (.hptbackup) that you save wherever you like (Files, iCloud Drive, a computer). Keep the passphrase safe — there is no way to recover a backup without it.

Restore: on the same or a new phone, install the app, open Settings → Your data → Backup & restore → restore, pick your .hptbackup file, and enter the passphrase. Restoring replaces the data on the device with the backup’s contents — it does not merge.

What export formats are available?

Settings → Your data → Export data (CSV / PDF):

CSV — the complete record for a chosen scope, including calculation details (hours, breaks, rates, multipliers, totals), so you can reconcile every number.
PDF — a formatted timesheet report for a date range (Pro).

Exports always include generation time, time zone, currency, duration basis, and the gross-estimate disclaimer. CSV export and encrypted backup are always available free. PDF reports require Pro.

How do I import shifts I already have?

Settings → Your data → Import shifts (CSV). Pick the shifts.csv from a ShiftSum CSV export; breaks.csv and jobs.csv from the same export are optional but make the import complete. You then see a review screen — how many shifts would be added, how many are already here, and every row that would be left out and why — before anything is written.

Three things worth knowing:

Import merges; it never replaces. Rows are matched by their identifier, so re-importing the same file updates those shifts instead of duplicating them. Restore from a backup is the only thing that replaces your data.
Pay is recalculated, not copied. Any amounts in the file are ignored. Every imported shift is recalculated from the rates and overtime rules on this device, so imported figures can differ from the ones you exported if your rates have changed since.
Imported shifts are labelled. They show up under History → Filter → Source → Imported.

Only finished shifts import. Rows that are still running, are archived, are missing an end time, or belong to a job recorded here in a different currency are listed on the review screen and left out — amounts are never converted between currencies. If the file names a job that is not on this device, the import can create it (you are asked for its hourly rate, because the export carries no rates); on the free tier, which includes one active job, you can instead add every shift in the file to a job you already have.

What happens when my Pro subscription expires?

Nothing is deleted, hidden, or held hostage. Your full history stays readable, and CSV export and encrypted backup keep working. PDF reports require Pro and are unavailable while free or expired — use CSV for a complete data copy. Pro-only configuration and automation stop: adding more jobs, 28-day custom pay-period cycles, enabling or changing overtime rules, older-period earnings analysis, PDF reports, scheduled reminders, and widgets. The missed clock-out notification is not Pro — it is a free safety feature and keeps working, so a forgotten timer still gets caught. You can still turn overtime rules off after expiry. Renewing restores Pro exactly where you left off. You can also restore a previous purchase anytime via the paywall or Settings → Pro → Restore Purchases.

Is my data private?

Yes. Your record lives only on your device; there is no account. The app collects anonymous feature-usage statistics (never your job names, notes, rates, amounts, or dates), and you can turn that off in Settings → Privacy. Crash reports come only through Apple’s built-in reporting, controlled by your iPhone settings. Full details in the Privacy Policy.

Does the app work offline?

Yes. Recording, editing, earnings, export, and backup all work fully offline. An internet connection is only needed for purchasing Pro and for the optional anonymous usage statistics.