Option to not use UTC time offset in ArcGIS Online

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01-22-2013 02:21 PM
MattKennedy
Esri Contributor
Is it possible for ArcGIS Online to have an option to display date fields using local time instead of UTC time?  It is fine to store the dates in UTC, but it would be helpful if dates/times could be displayed in local time.  Perhaps AGOL organizations could have a time zone setting that organization administrators could opt to set.  This would be especially helpful for users/organizations that don't have cross-time zone issues to face, and want to see times and dates in the only time zone they ever work in.  Thanks.
41 Comments
NCDPWField_Operator
This option would be extremely helpful.  Our organization is working at the county level to map Superstorm Sandy debris removal locations and will be using Arc Online to push information to FEMA.  Currently, we are fielding questions with regard to the date field (in the popup window) as some of the availalable paper back-up does not match.  Please add an option to set a time zone - this would greatly improve the credibility and accuracy of our web map.  Thank you.  
KellyGerrow

If you enable time on the layer before publishing, it will apply the UTC offset to your local time.

ToddWilson
 I agree on the option to not use UTC Time offset in ArcGIS Online. Dates should not be manipulated through another web app. What stored in the field is what should show. Fortunately, I was able to use the time tab and set my dates to UTC Eastern Time in the mxd to fix this ArcGIS online issue. But what if you have more than two date fields in your featureclass?
 
KevinRathgeber
We too at the City of Saskatoon agree on this.  Silverlight and ArcGIS Online converting to a UTC value causes the data to be saved as the UTC time and not our local time. With all our other systems defaulting to our local time knowing when certain data is saved in UTC and when certain data is hard to keep track of.  This is extremely problematic when apps like ArcMap which connect directly to the database are reading the raw dates which are now off by how ever many hours different your timezone is.  We find we are having to constantly create spatial views for things like ArcMap to handle easily because having our users weed through a list of what dates are UTC or not simply does not work.


deleted-user-zGZcJ5TpRUeA
City of Toledo has ArcServer and all dates are converted once published. We were hoping to use AGO for our Leaf Collection schedule but this conversion is causing a problem since I can't format the date/timezone in AGO popups. We will have to use Flex or JavaScript instead where we can specify the date format.
CharlieYe1
We, at The City of Calagary, agree on this too. AGO needs to be have a way to display time in Local Time.
WilliamRice
Viewing the time in a Local Time Zone would be very helpful especially when trying to present time related data to non GIS users.
BradyHoak
There should be a checkbox on the ArcGIS online layer not to perform a UTC conversion if the UTC time zone was not specified (as is an option when publishing from desktop, which resolves the issue entirely at 10.3). In general, the benefit gained from an automatic UTC conversion on none time zoned designated layers is not worth the confusion this causes most users. This would take care of the vast majority who normally collect data in one timezone, and where the intended audience is viewing from that zone as well.

In fact, it could be argued that this should be the default behavior (no conversion to UTC). Thus, there would be a checkbox option if one WANTS the server to change it to UTC time (which is the current default).
 
MichaelPotter1
Are you (bradyhoak) saying that there is an option in Desktop 10.3 that resolves this issue or are you saying that there should be an option? If this option does exist, where is it?
KellyGerrow
To enable a timezone on one or two fields when publishing the data to ArcGIS Online, follow this documentation before publishing your map document: http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/desktop/latest/map/time/enabling-time-on-your-data.htm, http://desktop....