Handling dates, times, and time zones can be a tricky business, especially when you’re dealing with business automation tools like Bubble.io and Make.com. But worry not! Today, we’re diving deep into this common issue and showing you how to navigate these waters like a pro. 🌊

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s take a look at the video that sparked this discussion:

Understanding Date and Time Challenges

When working with dates and times, especially in automation, you often encounter issues related to formatting and time zones. Let’s break this down step-by-step.

Step 1: Date and Time Strings

First, you need to understand the format of the date and time strings coming into your system. For example, if you’re receiving data from a form like Gravity Forms, the date might come in a format like YYYY-MM-DD and the time as HH:MM:SS. These need to be combined into a single datetime string that Make.com can read and process.

Step 2: Handling Missing Data

Always treat dates and times as variables. If any part of the date or time is missing, it could cause an error. To handle this, use routers and handlers to manage different scenarios, such as:

• If the time is missing, pass the date without the time.
• If the time is present, combine it with the date.

Step 3: Correct Date and Time Formatting

Make.com requires specific tokens to interpret dates and times correctly. You can find the list of these tokens by searching for Make.com date format tokens. Ensure you’re using the correct format, like:

• YYYY for the year
• MM for the month
• DD for the day
• hh for the hour (12-hour format)
• HH for the hour (24-hour format)
• mm for the minutes
• ss for the seconds

Also, make sure you handle leading zeros and AM/PM correctly to avoid errors.

Step 4: Time Zone Conversion

Converting to the correct time zone is crucial. Use UTC time zones from reliable sources like Wikipedia. For example, if you’re working with Eastern Time, you might use America/Toronto as your time zone. Ensure that the time zone you choose matches your local daylight saving time.

Daylight saving time can complicate things further. If your area observes daylight saving, make sure to select a time zone that adjusts for it, like America/Toronto for the Eastern Time Zone, which adjusts for daylight saving.

Step 5: Handling Daylight Saving Time

Understanding how daylight saving time impacts your datetime processing is essential. For instance, during daylight saving time, the offset might change from -4 to -5 hours from UTC. Always use time zones to handle these changes automatically.

Step 6: Storing and Displaying Dates

Different systems store and display dates differently. For example, Airtable stores dates in UTC and then converts them to the local time zone for display. Be aware of these differences to ensure that the displayed time matches the user’s expectations.

Step 7: Testing and Validation

Always test your date and time handling logic thoroughly. Ensure that dates and times are correctly interpreted, stored, and displayed across different time zones and during daylight saving changes.

Conclusion

Handling dates, times, and time zones in automation tools like Bubble.io and Make.com can be complex, but with the right approach, you can manage these challenges effectively. 🧠💡 By understanding the format of your date and time strings, handling missing data, using correct formatting tokens, and properly managing time zone conversions, you can ensure that your automations run smoothly and accurately.

Got any questions or need further assistance? Feel free to book a free call with me. Happy automating! 🚀