Time zones

Reference · Before you write a configuration · Documentation

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Earlier command and setup reference · Engine 18.6.0rc590 / Reader 8.11.0rc649

Definition

Zones are IANA names such as Europe/Stockholm. A clock value with no zone is read in the run’s TIMEZONE, and the run says so.

Make the interpretation explicit

A timestamp such as 2026-03-02 09:00:00 does not identify a zone by itself. The reference uses an IANA zone for the run:

settings:
  TIMEZONE: Europe/Stockholm

Use the zone that describes the source clocks. Choosing the analyst's current location is not enough if the exported system records a different local time.

Review zone assumptions

When zone-free values are interpreted through TIMEZONE, the run reports that assumption. Check timestamp_zone_from_run_setting, and compare a known event with its source-system time. An explicit zone in an export removes this particular ambiguity; a parseable timestamp still needs the correct real-world interpretation.