Time Zone for Events

[ScottWorld]

We have an event table that keeps track of our client’s events around the globe.

Each event takes place in a different time zone.

But Airtable doesn’t allow us to attach a time zone to a date/time field.

We need to view this time in 2 different ways:

1. The “local time” of the event. This time should always remain the same in the system, since it is the “local time” of the event.
2. The “translated time” to each user’s time zone when each user logs into the system, so they know what time the event takes place in their own time zone.

How can we successfully use Airtable to accomplish this? Is this even possible in Airtable?

[kuovonne]

All date/time fields in Airtable are stored in GMT time. You can get the time for the event in the time zone for the event using formula fields.

[ScottWorld]

I think I found a solution here, thanks to @Andy_Lin1:

SET_TIMEZONE and other time-related quirks Dates and timezones

I recently had to build a table to manage a number of events that happen outside of my time zone, and I thought I’d share what I’d learned in case someone else needs to do the same. Now, Airtable offers quite a few functions and features to handle timestamps: Today I’m mainly going to focus on SET_TIMEZONE. How SET_TIMEZONE behaves Here’s a sample table I’m going to draw examples from: {Given Time} corresponds to [date] below {Time Zone} corresponds to [tz_identifier] below SET_TIMEZO…

It involves the following:

Field #1 (Date/Time Field set to GMT😞 Typing in the “local time” of the event into a GMT field, so everyone sees the same exact time as the “local time” of the event.

Field #2 (Single Line Text field): Choosing the officially supported name of the time zone for the event.

Field #3 (Formula field resulting in a number): Figure out the offset in hours between our time zone specified in field #2 (when applied to field #1) and the GMT time zone specified in field #1.

Field #4 (Formula field resulting in Date/Time set to GMT😞 Airtable still thinks that the GMT time specified in field #1 is the actual time of our event, but it’s not. So we still need to figure out the REAL GMT TIME of the event in field #1, which is based on the number of offset hours that we calculated in field #3. Then, this field #4 will have the ACTUAL GMT TIME OF THE EVENT. This is the actual GMT time of the event. This field can be hidden from the users, because they won’t need to see this.

Field #5 (Formula field resulting in Date/Time with GMT turned off😞 Same formula as #4, but since GMT is turned off, every user logging into the system will see this field updated with their local time.

I will post a sample database after I create it.

[andywingrave]

Where were you last week :crazy_face:

Having Timezone issues - Examples within Ask the community

Hey there, Wondering if you all can help me with a Timezone issue I’m having that’s driving me nuts! I think it’s to do with GMT/BST but I would like any help in solving this because I can’t get it right. Trying to pair a Mentee and Mentor with each other, and they will live in different timezones, I can get the calendar invites to work, as it’s all based off nice and simple ISO time, but I can’t for the life of me get the timezone conversion to work in Airtable for local time (which I need fo…

@ScottWorld - Please do send a sample base :pray: - I tried this, and honestly I couldn’t get it to work at all.

[ScottWorld · Accepted solution]

andywingrave:

Where were you last week :crazy_face:

Hahaha! :crazy_face: Great news for you… I figured it out!

andywingrave:

Please do send a sample base :pray: - I tried this, and honestly I couldn’t get it to work at all.

LOL, I totally hear you. Even with @Andy_Lin1’s great instructions, I still wasn’t able to figure it out for a while. But I finally cracked the code of time zones! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes:

Here is my sample database & instructional video:

SOLUTION: Working with multiple different time zones in Airtable Dates and timezones

I’ve created a sample base & accompanying training video to solve the dilemma of working with multiple different time zones in Airtable. This Airtable base solves the problem of events taking place in different time zones, and users wanting to know what time those events are taking place in their own local time zone. My sample base gives a properly-converted local time for any event — based on the event’s original date, time, and time zone. This base could also be adapted to solve the probl…