Time configuration includes the scheduling of events and tracking of time. There are
several functions available that enable tracking of time and using that information across
applications.
Date and time fields
Time can be stored in different ways in records. Understanding how time is stored underlies
efficient use of time functions. To learn more, see Use Date and Time Fields.
Time zones
The
Now Platform stores time values in Universal Coordinated Time. Times appear
globally based on the
system time
zone, but appear to users in their local time zone, based on their own
user settings. To
avoid calculation errors or confusing outputs, proper use of time zone information is
critical.
- All dates and times gathered through web services appear in GMT.
- When you insert data using a web service, it uses the time zone defined for the active
user.
- If the active user does not have a specified time zone, it instead uses the system time
zone.
Business calendars and schedules
You create business calendars in the Now Platform so that you can schedule events
for your users and track their time across applications. You can define several types of
schedules and calendars, including fiscal calendars, in the Business Calendar menu. To learn
more about business calendars, see Creating business calendars.
The legacy schedules functions consist of rules that include or exclude ranges of time for
certain time-related functionality. For example, schedules can restrict SLAs to only count time
during business hours. To learn more about legacy schedule definition, see Creating and using schedules.
Time display
There are several useful user interfaces that help represent time visually. To learn more, see
Displaying Time.
Viewing logs
Logs within the system provide historical information as to what occurred in the instance
when.
Scheduling events
Scheduling events enable other functionality to be triggered at particular times, or in
response to specific events. To learn more, see Schedule Events.
Timing functionality
These functions gather information with regards to duration. They answer the question "How
long?", and if time events can be based on that information. To learn more, see Timing Functionality.
