Survey123 date/time stamp

[BriannaWiddick]

I have had this question from a few of my students before.  But when a survey is created with a date/time question the correct time is recorded.  However whenever the data is exported out to CSV then the date/time changes to UTC.  Is there an easy way to convert these times back to the correct time? They would like to automate the process if possible without it being too complicated.  They are using the web designer for their survey, should they use Connect instead and if so, what can be done with Connect to correct for this?

[IsmaelChivite · Accepted solution]

Hi @BriannaWiddick   Time in ArcGIS is always stored in UTC. This is why you see it in UTC when you export.

For your convenience, ArcGIS apps like Survey123 take the UTC values and display them in your local time zone.

You can convert UTC dates to your local time in Excel. Check this out https://excel.tips.net/T003440_Converting_UTC_Times_to_Local_Times.html

Say for example, you want to convert UTC time to Los Angeles time, which is at UTC offset -7. You would do this:

Survey123 allows you to store the UTC Offset at the location where data is being collected. This can be useful too in some scenarios. Here is how you can configure your survey to collect the UTC offset of the respondent:

If you do the above, Survey123 will store the UTC offset in a column. You can use that UTC offset in your Excel formula.  Say for example, you ask someone to enter the time when a business closes.  People from Florida enter 8:00pm.  People from Los Angeles enter 8:00pm... but when you get the data from ArcGIS... you get UTC values! Messy.   If you have the UTC offset of the respondent, you can always get back their local time. I hope it makes sense.

 

You do not always have to collect the UTC Offset of the respondent. It really depends on what you want to do.

[BriannaWiddick]

This is fantastic! Thank you so much for this solution, I am going to share with other instructors too and they can pass it along to students!