SharePoint Time zones: Overview and Implementation Approaches

What is SharePoint Time zone Handling?

Time zones in SharePoint refer to the system’s capability to store, process, and display dates and times based on regional settings. SharePoint allows users to configure time zone settings at different levels, including the tenant, site collection, and user profile levels. This ensures that date and time data is correctly interpreted across various locations.

Why Do We Need Time zone Configuration in SharePoint?

In a global collaboration environment, users from different geographical locations interact with the same SharePoint environment. Without proper time zone handling, date-related data could become confusing, leading to inconsistencies in workflows, scheduling, and document versioning. SharePoint’s time zone settings help standardize these interactions by adapting timestamps according to user or organizational preferences.

Who Uses SharePoint Time zones?

End Users: Need accurate timestamps on documents, tasks, and workflows.
Administrators: Configure the default timezone for sites and tenants to ensure consistency.
Developers: Implement timezone logic in custom solutions, workflows, and automation.
Business Analysts & Project Managers: Use it for scheduling, project timelines, and reporting.

Applications that Rely on SharePoint Time zones

Workflows & Power Automate: Scheduling tasks and approvals.
SharePoint Lists & Libraries: Displaying timestamps accurately.
Power BI Reports: Extracting and visualizing date-based data.
Calendars & Events: Ensuring correct event scheduling across multiple timezones.
Custom Solutions: Applications fetching and displaying dates from SharePoint APIs.

Best Practices for Handling Time zones in SharePoint

Standardize to UTC: Store all date-time values in UTC and convert them on display based on user settings.
Use Regional Settings for Consistency: Configure site and library settings to reflect the primary timezone of operations.
Leverage User Profile Settings: Allow users to define personal timezones in their Office 365 profiles.
Handle Timezone Conversions in Power Automate: Use expressions like convertTimeZone() to ensure accuracy.
Consider Daylight Saving Time (DST): Account for time shifts when dealing with recurring events.
Test with Different User Timezones: Validate workflows and automated processes by testing with different timezone settings.

Pros and Cons of SharePoint Timezone Handling

Pros:

✔️ Enhances collaboration by aligning timestamps for global users.
✔️ Reduces confusion in scheduling and reporting.
✔️ Configurable at multiple levels (tenant, site, user).
✔️ Works well with Power Automate, Power BI, and custom APIs.
✔️ Supports dynamic user-based time zone conversions.

Cons:

❌ Can be confusing when switching between stored UTC values and displayed local times.
❌ Workflows and automated processes might require additional handling to avoid discrepancies.
❌ Daylight Saving Time adjustments need explicit handling in custom solutions.
❌ Some third-party integrations may not respect SharePoint time zone settings.

Use Cases and Sample Implementations

1. Displaying Date and Time Correctly in SharePoint Lists

Ensure list views reflect correct times by setting the site’s regional settings: Steps:

Go to Site Settings → Regional Settings.
Select the appropriate Time Zone.
Save and verify changes in list views.

2. Converting UTC to Local Time in Power Automate

If pulling SharePoint data into Power Automate, convert timestamps dynamically:

convertTimeZone(triggerOutputs()?['body/Created'], 'UTC', 'Eastern Standard Time')

This ensures that timestamps reflect the correct local time based on business needs.

3. Handling Time zones in SharePoint Online API Calls

When retrieving date fields via REST API, handle UTC conversion appropriately:

let utcDate = new Date(item.Created);
let localDate = utcDate.toLocaleString('en-US', { timeZone: 'America/New_York' });

This prevents time zone-related inconsistencies in custom SPFx web parts or third-party applications.

Comparison: SharePoint vs. Alternative Time zone Implementations

Feature	SharePoint Online	Microsoft Teams	Google Workspace	Custom Web Apps
Stores UTC by Default	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	Depends
User-based Timezone	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
DST Handling	⚠️ Partial	✅ Full	✅ Full	❌ No
Requires Manual Conversion	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes

Handling time zones correctly in SharePoint is crucial for ensuring accurate collaboration, scheduling, and reporting. While SharePoint offers flexible time zone settings, developers and administrators must actively configure and validate their workflows, API calls, and automation processes to avoid inconsistencies. By leveraging best practices, converting timestamps properly, and integrating user-based time zone settings, organizations can create a seamless experience across different time zones.

Would love to hear your thoughts! Have you encountered time zone-related issues in SharePoint? Drop a comment below and let’s discuss best practices!