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Convert Timezone

Converts a date/time value from one timezone to another. This node is essential for handling time-sensitive operations across different geographical regions and coordinating global automation workflows.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
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If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Input​

  • Time - The input date/time value to convert. Must be formatted according to the Time Format option.

Output​

  • Converted Time - The date/time value converted to the target timezone, formatted according to the Time Format option.

Options​

  • From Timezone - The source timezone of the input time. Options include:

    • Local - System's local timezone
    • UTC offsets - Predefined timezone offsets from UTC-12:00 to UTC+14:00
      • Examples: UTC-05:00 (Eastern), UTC+00:00 (GMT/UTC), UTC+05:30 (India), UTC+09:00 (Japan)
    • Custom - Enter a custom timezone offset (requires Custom From Timezone field)

  • Custom From Timezone - Custom source timezone offset when "Custom" is selected. Format examples:

    • +05:30 (India Standard Time)
    • -08:00 (Pacific Standard Time)
    • UTC+09:45 (with UTC prefix)

  • To Timezone - The target timezone for conversion. Same options as From Timezone (default: UTC+00:00).

  • Custom To Timezone - Custom target timezone offset when "Custom" is selected. Same format as Custom From Timezone.

  • Time Format - The date/time format for both input and output. Options include:

    • ANSIC - Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 2006
    • UnixDate - Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 MST 2006
    • RubyDate - Mon Jan 02 15:04:05 -0700 2006
    • RFC822 - 02 Jan 06 15:04 MST
    • RFC822Z - 02 Jan 06 15:04 -0700
    • RFC850 - Monday, 02-Jan-06 15:04:05 MST
    • RFC1123 - Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 MST
    • RFC1123Z - Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700
    • RFC3339 - 2006-01-02T15:04:05-07:00 (default, ISO 8601)
    • RFC3339Nano - 2006-01-02T15:04:05.000000000-07:00
    • Custom - Define a custom format

  • Custom Format - Custom date/time format string when Time Format is set to "Custom".

How It Works​

The Convert Timezone node transforms date/time values between timezones by:

  1. Parsing the input time according to the Time Format
  2. Interpreting the time in the source timezone (From Timezone)
  3. Converting the absolute moment in time to the target timezone (To Timezone)
  4. Formatting the result according to the Time Format
  5. Outputting the converted time string

The conversion preserves the actual moment in time while changing its representation for the target timezone.

Use Cases​

Global Operations

  • Schedule tasks across multiple time zones
  • Coordinate meetings between international teams
  • Synchronize operations across global offices

API Integration

  • Convert local times to UTC for API calls
  • Transform UTC responses to local display times
  • Handle timezone-aware data from external systems

Data Processing

  • Standardize timestamps from multiple sources
  • Convert log timestamps to a common timezone
  • Normalize time-sensitive data for analysis

User Experience

  • Display times in users' local timezones
  • Convert booking times for international services
  • Show event times in different regional formats

Examples​

Example 1: Convert Local Time to UTC

Time: 2024-03-15T14:30:00+05:30
From Timezone: UTC+05:30 (India)
To Timezone: UTC+00:00 (GMT/UTC)
Time Format: RFC3339
Output: 2024-03-15T09:00:00Z

Example 2: Convert UTC to Eastern Time

Time: 2024-03-15T14:30:00Z
From Timezone: UTC+00:00
To Timezone: UTC-05:00 (Eastern)
Time Format: RFC3339
Output: 2024-03-15T09:30:00-05:00

Example 3: Convert Between Two Timezones

Time: 2024-03-15T10:00:00+09:00
From Timezone: UTC+09:00 (Japan)
To Timezone: UTC-08:00 (Pacific)
Time Format: RFC3339
Output: 2024-03-14T17:00:00-08:00

Note: The date changes due to timezone difference.

Example 4: Convert to India Standard Time

Time: 2024-03-15T08:00:00Z
From Timezone: UTC+00:00
To Timezone: UTC+05:30 (India)
Time Format: RFC3339
Output: 2024-03-15T13:30:00+05:30

Example 5: Local to Custom Timezone

Time: 2024-03-15T14:30:00+03:00
From Timezone: Local
To Timezone: Custom
Custom To Timezone: +09:45
Time Format: RFC3339
Output: 2024-03-15T21:15:00+09:45

Example 6: Convert with Custom Format

Time: 2024-03-15 14:30:00
From Timezone: UTC+00:00
To Timezone: UTC+05:30
Time Format: Custom
Custom Format: 2006-01-02 15:04:05
Output: 2024-03-15 20:00:00

Workflow Example​

Schedule Global Team Meeting

  1. Get current time in New York (UTC-05:00)
  2. Use Convert Timezone to find equivalent time in:
    • London (UTC+00:00)
    • Tokyo (UTC+09:00)
    • Sydney (UTC+10:00)
  3. Display all times to participants

Process International Orders

  1. Receive order timestamp in customer's timezone
  2. Use Convert Timezone to convert to UTC
  3. Store UTC timestamp in database
  4. When displaying to admins, convert back to their local timezone

Synchronize Scheduled Tasks

  1. User sets task time in their local timezone
  2. Use Convert Timezone to convert to UTC
  3. Store UTC time in scheduler
  4. Execute at correct absolute moment regardless of server timezone

Timezone Reference​

Common timezone offsets:

RegionOffsetDescription
Baker IslandUTC-12:00International Date Line West
HawaiiUTC-10:00Hawaiian Standard Time
AlaskaUTC-09:00Alaska Standard Time
PacificUTC-08:00Pacific Standard Time (US)
MountainUTC-07:00Mountain Standard Time (US)
CentralUTC-06:00Central Standard Time (US)
EasternUTC-05:00Eastern Standard Time (US)
BrazilUTC-03:00Brasília Time
UTCUTC+00:00Coordinated Universal Time
Central EuropeanUTC+01:00Central European Time
Eastern EuropeanUTC+02:00Eastern European Time
MoscowUTC+03:00Moscow Standard Time
IndiaUTC+05:30India Standard Time
ChinaUTC+08:00China Standard Time
JapanUTC+09:00Japan Standard Time
Australia EasternUTC+10:00Australian Eastern Time
New ZealandUTC+12:00New Zealand Standard Time
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Note: These offsets represent standard time. Daylight saving time adjustments are not automatically applied. When DST is active, adjust the offset accordingly (e.g., EDT is UTC-04:00, not UTC-05:00).

Tips for Effective Use​

  • Always Store in UTC - For database storage and system operations, convert to UTC to avoid timezone ambiguity
  • Display in Local - Convert UTC times to users' local timezones for display purposes
  • Daylight Saving Time - Be aware that static UTC offsets don't account for DST; adjust manually when needed
  • Consistent Formats - Use RFC3339 format which includes timezone information for clarity
  • Test Edge Cases - Test conversions that cross day boundaries to ensure correct behavior
  • Document Assumptions - Clearly document which timezone is expected for each time value in your automation
  • Use Custom Offsets - For unusual timezones (e.g., Nepal UTC+05:45), use the Custom option

Common Errors and Solutions​

Error: "failed to parse input time"

  • Cause: Input time format doesn't match the Time Format specification
  • Solution: Ensure the input time matches the selected Time Format exactly

Error: "invalid source timezone"

  • Cause: Invalid format in From Timezone or Custom From Timezone
  • Solution: Use valid format like +HH:MM, -HH:MM, UTC+HH:MM, or select a predefined timezone

Error: "invalid target timezone"

  • Cause: Invalid format in To Timezone or Custom To Timezone
  • Solution: Use valid format like +HH:MM, -HH:MM, UTC+HH:MM, or select a predefined timezone

Error: "custom source timezone offset is empty"

  • Cause: From Timezone set to "Custom" but no offset provided
  • Solution: Provide a valid offset in Custom From Timezone field

Error: "custom target timezone offset is empty"

  • Cause: To Timezone set to "Custom" but no offset provided
  • Solution: Provide a valid offset in Custom To Timezone field

Error: "custom format string is empty"

  • Cause: Time Format set to "Custom" but no format provided
  • Solution: Provide a valid format string in Custom Format field

Unexpected date change in output

  • Cause: Timezone conversion crossed a day boundary (this is correct behavior)
  • Solution: This is expected when converting between distant timezones; verify the conversion is mathematically correct

Important Notes​

  • The conversion preserves the absolute moment in time; only the timezone representation changes
  • Converting the same UTC time to different timezones will show different clock times but represent the same moment
  • The node uses static UTC offsets; it does not automatically handle daylight saving time transitions
  • When From Timezone is "Local", the system's current timezone setting is used
  • Timezone offsets can range from UTC-12:00 to UTC+14:00
  • Half-hour (e.g., UTC+05:30) and quarter-hour (e.g., UTC+05:45) offsets are supported
  • Now - Get current time in a specific timezone
  • Format Time - Change time format without timezone conversion
  • Add Time - Add duration to converted times
  • Time Span - Calculate differences between times in different timezones