User Time Zones in ActivConnect
Release Date: April 23, 2026
Critical information:
Status: Early Access (EA)
Availability
- Plans: All plans with the ActivConnect (Add-On)
- Rollout schedule: Immediate
- Go-live date: April 23rd, 2026
Requirements
- Agent Version: No specific agent version required for this update
- Browser: N/A (ActivConnect data views)
- Integrations: ActivConnect (Add-On) required
- Permissions: Account Admin role required to configure time zone settings (Settings > Time Zone)
- Commercial: ActivConnect (Add-On)
- Technical prerequisites: To use user-level time zone conversion, the account must have User Time Zone mode enabled under Settings > Time Zone > Configuration Mode. When enabled, auto-detection begins after a 24-hour warm-up period.
What's new:
Feature description
This release extends ActivConnect to support user time zone reporting within the data glossary. Accounts that have opted to calculate metrics based on user time zones can now see time-converted columns and each user's effective time zone directly in the events, log, and logv2 views. This eliminates confusion when reconciling ActivConnect logs against in-app reports and enables accurate, user-level time-based analysis for distributed teams.
Key capabilities
- New account_datetime column: A new column in the events, log, and logv2 views that converts all activity timestamps to the account time zone. This provides a consistent reference point for cross-timezone comparisons and replicates the Activity Log behavior in the ActivTrak app. The column is always populated regardless of the account's time zone configuration setting.
- Dynamic column conversion: Existing date/time columns (local_date, local_datetime, local_time, day_of_week, day_type, period_of_day) now convert values based on the account's configured time zone mode, using either the account time zone or each user's auto-detected offset or manually assigned time zone.
- Time zone visibility: The timezonestring column now reports the UTC offset or manually assigned time zone for each user (e.g., "US/Central" or "UTC-5"). The timezoneid column is nullified when the user time zone mode is selected to avoid breaking existing queries that rely on account-level time zone reporting.
- Updated settings copy: The Settings > Time Zone > Configuration Mode > Default Time Zone description now clarifies that the time zone selection affects data in ActivConnect, reports and the application.
ActivConnect Data Glossary updates
The following updates apply to the events view tab in the ActivConnect Data Glossary:
Updated column descriptions
| Column Name | Data Type | Plans | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| local_date | DATE | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | Date only with Time Zone conversion (account or user) |
| local_datetime | DATETIME | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | Time converted based on configured application Time Zone (account or user) |
| local_time | TIME | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | Time only with Time Zone conversion (account or user) |
| timezonestring | STRING | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | The actual timezone string or user offset (e.g., "US/Central" or "UTC-5") |
| day_of_week | STRING | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | Day of week derived from converted time zone (account or user) |
| day_type | STRING | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | Day type derived from converted time zone (account or user) |
| period_of_day | STRING | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | Period of day derived from converted time zone (account or user) |
| timezoneid | STRING | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | Nullified when user time zone is selected to avoid breaking existing account-level reporting |
New column
| Column Name | Data Type | Plans | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| account_datetime | DATETIME | Essentials/Advanced, Essentials Plus, Professional/Premium | All activity timestamps converted to the account time zone. Always populated regardless of time zone configuration. |
Use cases
Operations managers and workforce analysts who build custom reports in ActivConnect can now reconcile event-level data against in-app summaries without manual time conversions. Teams with distributed users across multiple time zones can accurately analyze when work occurs relative to each user's local time, improving the accuracy of schedule adherence and productivity analysis.
Target audience
- Primary personas: Operations managers, workforce analysts, and IT administrators who use ActivConnect to build custom reports
- Fit indicators: Accounts with distributed teams across multiple time zones that use ActivConnect for custom reporting and time-based analysis
How to access:
For EA features
- Time Zone configuration: Navigate to Settings > Time Zone > Configuration Mode to select Account Time Zone or User Time Zone
- ActivConnect views: The updated columns and new account_datetime column are available in the events, log, and logv2 views within ActivConnect
Additional information:
Known limitations
The timezoneid column is nullified when the user time zone mode is selected. Existing queries that depend on this column may need to be updated.
Related feature
This update is part of the broader User Time Zone Reporting feature, which enables administrators to view productivity and activity data based on each monitored user's local time zone across Live Reports, Insights, ActivConnect, and the Activity Log. For full details on User Time Zone Reporting, refer to the separate release notes for that feature.
Migration notes
- This update does not replace existing functionality. The account_datetime column is additive.
- Existing columns (local_date, local_datetime, local_time, etc.) now dynamically reflect the configured time zone mode. Accounts that have not changed their configuration will see no difference in behavior.
- The behavior of the timezoneid column changes only when the user time zone mode is selected. Accounts using account time zone mode are unaffected.
Support contacts
- General support: https://www.activtrak.com/support/
- Feature-specific support: Contact your Customer Success team for questions about ActivConnect data glossary changes