Per-day salary calculation and absent deduction
Divide by 30, 26 or the days in the month? Worked examples of per-day salary, absent cuts and half days, and why staff argue about it.
Munshi Team · 15 Oct 2026 · 2 min read
"Why did you cut Rs 1,200 for one day? Last month it was Rs 1,100." If you have heard this, the problem is not your staff. It is that per-day salary can be worked out three ways, and most businesses never decide which one they use.
The three ways
Take a salary of Rs 36,000 a month.
| Method | How | Per day (October, 31 days) | Per day (February, 28 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days in the month | 36,000 ÷ days in that month | Rs 1,161 | Rs 1,286 |
| Fixed 30 | 36,000 ÷ 30, every month | Rs 1,200 | Rs 1,200 |
| Working days | 36,000 ÷ working days (e.g. 26 with Sundays off) | Rs 1,385 (26 days) | Rs 1,500 (24 days) |
None of these is wrong. They just give different answers, and the difference grows with the salary.
- Days in the month is the most common in offices and is easy to defend: you pay for every day, including Sundays.
- Fixed 30 keeps the per-day rate the same all year, which staff find easiest to understand.
- Working days suits shops and factories where only working days are paid and the weekly off is unpaid.
Pick one, write it in the appointment letter, and use it every month.
Worked example: two days absent
Ali earns Rs 36,000 and was absent 2 days in October without leave. Using days in the month:
- Per day: 36,000 ÷ 31 = Rs 1,161
- Cut: 1,161 × 2 = Rs 2,322
- Salary: 36,000 − 2,322 = Rs 33,678
Using fixed 30, the cut would be Rs 2,400 and the salary Rs 33,600.
Half days and lates
- A half day is half the per-day rate: Rs 580 in the example above.
- Many shops cut one day for every three lates. Decide whether lates are counted per month or carried over, and say so up front.
Allowances: cut them too or not?
If someone earns basic Rs 30,000 plus Rs 6,000 house rent, do you cut the house rent for an absent day? Most businesses do, because it is part of the monthly salary. Some keep fixed allowances like mobile whole. Whichever you choose, apply it to everyone.
Let the software do it
In Munshi's staff attendance app and HR and payroll you choose the method once (days in the month, working days or a fixed 30) and the late rule, and every slip shows the days present, absent, the per-day rate and the cut. When Ali asks, you show him the slip instead of the calculator. Start free.
Try it free in your own business
Start with your mobile number. No card, no installation.