Keep original timestamps
Save the recorded time together with its stated time zone or offset. A timestamp without an offset can be ambiguous. Do not overwrite the original value when converting it for a client report or an internal operations sheet.
Convert to one review zone
Use a consistent zone when arranging events in order. Account for a date change across midnight. If a panel does not identify its time zone, ask for clarification before interpreting the gap between an order record and a payment receipt.
Measure the correct interval
Calculate queue time from order acceptance to the relevant start event, and total processing time from the appropriate documented milestones. Comparing a payment timestamp with a delivery timestamp may include funding delays unrelated to the service itself.
Decision checklist
| Decision | What to check |
|---|---|
| Original | Timestamp with offset |
| Review | Consistent converted time |
| Interval | Matching event milestones |
Worked example
In a hypothetical record, an order is logged at 23:30 UTC and a support note at 02:00 UTC+3 the next calendar day. The note is actually 30 minutes before the order, not two and a half hours after it.
Example figures explain the decision; they are not current prices or promised results.