# Timezone Handling

### Database Connectors

Flow Connect represents every date/time internally as calendar date + clock time + UTC offset (i.e., an offset-aware timestamp). Many external databases however use offset-naïve types (datetime objects that lack any timezone information)

* **Oracle:** `DATE`, `TIMESTAMP`
* **SQL Server:** `datetime`, `datetime2`
* **IFS10:** `DATE`, `TIMESTAMP`

Because these formats lack time zone context, Flow Connect must:

* Assume a time zone when reading values from external sources.
* Optionally convert values into a target time zone when writing back to those systems.

#### Connector Configuration

To improve consistency in date/time handling, Flow Connect introduces new configuration options in database connectors.

<figure><img src="/files/gP0O5qUBsgcZWuoAzsl7" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### **Time Zone**

* Purpose: Defines the target time zone for the connected database.
* Configuration: Select the appropriate time zone from the dropdown list.
  * Default: Connector Agent’s time zone
  * Custom: Choose the external database’s time zone if known
* Behavior When Reading Values

  For offset‑naïve types (e.g., Oracle `DATE`, SQL Server `datetime`, IFS10 `DATE`), Flow Connect interprets values in the configured time zone. Daylight Saving Time adjustments are applied automatically.
* Behavior When Writing Values

  Controlled by the **Date/Time Input Parameter Behavior** setting:

  * Pass through: default option where the values are sent exactly as provided, with no conversion.
  * Convert to configured time zone: All date/time input parameters are converted to the selected time zone before execution. Useful when your database stores date/time without offsets but you want them normalized to a specific zone (e.g., `Etc/UTC`).

#### Behavior Matrix

Use this matrix to predict read/write behavior based on the database column type and the chosen connector configuration.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="IFS 10" %}
**Offset-aware** data types:

IFS 10 lacks support for offset-aware timestamp data types, due to limitations in the .NET Access Provider.

**Offset-naïve** data types:

* `DATE`&#x20;
* `TIMESTAMP`

<table><thead><tr><th width="109.6348876953125">Operation</th><th width="251.635009765625">Connector Configuration</th><th>Behaviour</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/Imsvp7rWejTvpPf98FtD" alt="" width="329"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Interpreted in connector agents time zone (Daylight saving time aware) to produce an offset-aware value in Flow Connect.</td></tr><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/kHCIySD7k86XLrr5RpRE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Interpreted in connector configured time zone (Daylight saving time aware) to produce an offset-aware value in Flow Connect.</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/dC4TZTh0rxLOYmwkAk5s" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Values are sent as given (including offset). No conversion</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/3qkhwEueCAEXvgAWWcF0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect converts inputs to connector configured time zone (including offset). It can be the connector agent's time zone or any other time zone value set in the connector.</td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Oracle" %}
**Offset-aware** data types:

* `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE`&#x20;
* `TIMESTAMP WITH LOCAL TIME ZONE`

<table><thead><tr><th width="109.6348876953125">Operation</th><th width="251.635009765625">Connector Configuration</th><th>Behaviour</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/Imsvp7rWejTvpPf98FtD" alt="" width="329"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect uses the stored offset. Time zone settings in the connector is ignored</td></tr><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/kHCIySD7k86XLrr5RpRE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect uses the stored offset. Time zone settings in the connector is ignored</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/dC4TZTh0rxLOYmwkAk5s" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Values are sent as given (including offset). No conversion</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/3qkhwEueCAEXvgAWWcF0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect converts inputs to connector configured time zone (including offset). It can be the connector agent's time zone or any other time zone value set in the connector.</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Offset-naïve** data types:

* `DATE`&#x20;
* `TIMESTAMP`
* `TIMESTAMP WITHOUT TIME ZONE`&#x20;

<table><thead><tr><th width="109.6348876953125">Operation</th><th width="251.635009765625">Connector Configuration</th><th>Behaviour</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/Imsvp7rWejTvpPf98FtD" alt="" width="329"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Interpreted in connector agents time zone (Daylight saving time aware) to produce an offset-aware value in Flow Connect.</td></tr><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/kHCIySD7k86XLrr5RpRE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Interpreted in connector configured time zone (Daylight saving time aware) to produce an offset-aware value in Flow Connect.</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/dC4TZTh0rxLOYmwkAk5s" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Values are sent as given (including offset). No conversion</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/3qkhwEueCAEXvgAWWcF0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect converts inputs to connector configured time zone (including offset). It can be the connector agent's time zone or any other time zone value set in the connector.</td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="SQL Server" %}
**Offset-aware** data types:

* `datetimeoffset`&#x20;

<table><thead><tr><th width="109.6348876953125">Operation</th><th width="251.635009765625">Connector Configuration</th><th>Behaviour</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/Imsvp7rWejTvpPf98FtD" alt="" width="329"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect uses the stored offset. Time zone settings in the connector is ignored</td></tr><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/kHCIySD7k86XLrr5RpRE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect uses the stored offset. Time zone settings in the connector is ignored</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/dC4TZTh0rxLOYmwkAk5s" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Values are sent as given (including offset). No conversion</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/3qkhwEueCAEXvgAWWcF0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect converts inputs to connector configured time zone (including offset). It can be the connector agent's time zone or any other time zone value set in the connector.</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Offset-naïve** data types:

* `datetime`&#x20;
* `datetime2`&#x20;

<table><thead><tr><th width="109.6348876953125">Operation</th><th width="251.635009765625">Connector Configuration</th><th>Behaviour</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/Imsvp7rWejTvpPf98FtD" alt="" width="329"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Interpreted in connector agents time zone (Daylight saving time aware) to produce an offset-aware value in Flow Connect.</td></tr><tr><td>Read</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/kHCIySD7k86XLrr5RpRE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Interpreted in connector configured time zone (Daylight saving time aware) to produce an offset-aware value in Flow Connect.</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/dC4TZTh0rxLOYmwkAk5s" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Values are sent as given (including offset). No conversion</td></tr><tr><td>Write</td><td><div><figure><img src="/files/3qkhwEueCAEXvgAWWcF0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></td><td>Flow Connect converts inputs to connector configured time zone (including offset). It can be the connector agent's time zone or any other time zone value set in the connector.</td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.novacura.com/flow-connect/working-with-connect/connect-to-systems/timezone-handling.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.