Calculate.co.nz NZ Calculators

nz_work_hours_calculator

Add up a timesheet of work hours, and turn them into gross pay.

Use for: 'how many hours did I work this week', 'add up my shifts',
'what will I be paid for these hours', 'I worked 22:00 to 06:00, how long
is that'.

Handles overnight shifts: a finish time at or before the start is treated as
the next day, so 22:00 to 06:00 is eight hours rather than a negative.

Args:
    days: One dict per day worked, each with "start" and "finish" as "HH:MM"
        in 24 hour time, optional "break_minutes" of unpaid break, and an
        optional "label". Leave days off out of the list entirely.
    hourly_rate: Gross pay per hour. Zero returns hours only.

Returns:
    Hours for each day, the total, and GROSS pay weekly, fortnightly,
    monthly and annually. For take-home pay use nz_hourly_to_salary_calculator
    with the rate and the hours.

Does not apply overtime or penal rates, public holiday entitlements, or a
minimum wage check.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`days`	Yes
`hourly_rate`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedSep 1, 2026

TDQS

A5/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations to carry the burden, the description discloses the non-obvious overnight rule ('a finish time at or before the start is treated as the next day') with a worked example, and the zero-rate behavior. It also states upfront what the tool does NOT compute, which prevents the agent from overpromising results.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with a one-sentence purpose, and every subsequent block earns its place: query examples, the critical overnight edge case, Args, Returns, and exclusions. Clear section headers make it skimmable with no filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

This is a moderately complex tool — nested per-day objects, a tricky overnight rule, and multiple output figures — with no output schema and no annotations, yet the description covers inputs, edge-case behavior, and the full return breakdown (per-day hours, total, weekly/fortnightly/monthly/annual gross pay). Nothing an agent needs to call it correctly or set user expectations is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0% and the schema only declares 'days' as an array with additionalProperties: true, so the Args section is the sole documentation. It fully compensates: per-day key formats ('start'/'finish' as HH:MM 24-hour), optional 'break_minutes' and 'label', the instruction to omit off days, and the semantic of a zero hourly_rate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Opens with a specific verb-plus-resource statement — 'Add up a timesheet of work hours, and turn them into gross pay' — and backs it with concrete user queries. Among the large sibling set of NZ calculators, it is clearly the timesheet-to-gross-pay tool, and the closing reference to nz_hourly_to_salary_calculator further draws the boundary.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Provides an explicit 'Use for' block with four natural-language example queries an agent can match against. It names the alternative for take-home pay (nz_hourly_to_salary_calculator) with the condition that selects it, and the exclusions (overtime, penal rates, public holidays, minimum wage) signal when this tool will not satisfy the user's underlying request.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Calculate.co.nz NZ Calculators tools Inspect

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