Timestamp in Collector for ArcGIS

Question

Hi all,

I prepared a web map with a hosted feature service in AGOL for the usage in Collector for ArcGIS. The feature service is editable and editor tracking is activated. When collecting / editing a feature, the creation / edit time is written in the attributes automatically. Everything works fine so far. My question is: What is the source of this date / time Information written the date field? Where can I determine this value (for exampe in case of a time shift)?

Thank you very much in advance,

Johannes

Fylkesmannen_iNordland · Answer

I have done and experienced the same. But I have one question:

If I access the tracking-layer from a webmap or from collector, I get the correct time. But if I open the dataset i ArcMap, I get the UTC-time (for me that means 2 hours early).

Is this possible to avoid or is this how it has to be?

Jofu · Answer

Hi Todd,

thanks for the answer.

I found another thread with this Information:

The time specified in the service url of hosted feature services in AGOL is always UTC. The browser used for ArcGIS Online converts the UTC time into your local time (when language / region settings are set correctly). When using the collector app, these settings work as well.

Cheers,

Johannes

ToddBlanchette · Answer

Hi Johannes,

The answer is: whatever setting you used when you set up editor tracking.  You have the option of using the database's time zone, or using UTC across the board.  ESRI recommends that if you have user's making edits from different time zones, using UTC is the best option as it enforces one time standard for all edits.

From online help:

Specifying how times are recorded

When you enable editor tracking on a dataset, you can record the dates of the edits in either UTC or the database's time zone.

If you'll be copying or replicating data across time zones, or if you're planning on editing through a feature service, use UTC, a standard that is unaffected by differences in time zones. Since editors can apply edits from potentially anywhere in the world, UTC works well.

Recording in the database's time zone is recommended only if you are certain all edits will be performed within the same time zone.

ArcGIS Help 10.1

Cheers!

Todd