Description
You may notice times in Canopy—like calendar events, time entries, invoices, reports, KBA verification receipts, or e-signature time stamps—don’t match your local time zone. This article explains why that happens and what it means for your firm.
Required Plan, License, and Permissions
All users may be affected, regardless of plan type
No special permissions are required to view or experience UTC-based timestamps
🕒 Note: This is a system-wide setting and cannot be changed.
Why does this matter to an accountant/admin?
Accurate time tracking matters for billing, deadlines, audit trails, and client communication. Understanding how Canopy handles time zones can prevent confusion and help you adjust expectations internally and with clients.
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What is UTC?
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the global time standard used in systems that require consistency, regardless of location.
Unlike your local time zone, UTC:
Does not change for Daylight Saving Time
Is the same worldwide (e.g., 3:00 PM UTC is always 3:00 PM UTC)
Many cloud-based tools and compliance-focused platforms use UTC to ensure audit accuracy.
UTC +/- Time Chart
Where does this show up in Canopy?
You might see times that appear "off" in these areas:
Calendar events
Time entries
Invoice timestamps
KBA verification receipts
Insights reports
For example, if you're on Eastern Time (UTC-5), an event scheduled for 2:00 PM local time may show as 7:00 PM in Canopy.
Why Canopy uses UTC
Canopy uses UTC to:
Maintain audit-ready timestamps
Ensure consistent records across time zones
Prevent discrepancies in signed documents, billing, and reporting
This is especially important for firms with staff or clients in multiple locations, and for compliance with legal and industry standards.
How to adjust for UTC in your day-to-day work
Check the time difference between UTC and your local time (e.g., Pacific Time = UTC-7 or UTC-8).
Communicate your local time when sharing time-sensitive info with clients (e.g., “Meeting at 3:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM UTC”).
Review time-based entries in context—especially if you’re looking at reports or billing data.
Example: If your time entry says “8:00 PM UTC” and you're in Central Time (UTC-6), that entry actually happened at 2:00 PM local time.
Summary
Canopy uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to provide consistent, compliant time tracking across all accounts. While it may not reflect your local time zone, understanding how UTC works will help you interpret time-based data accurately and confidently.
Need help?
Need help? Contact Support or ask Penny, our AI Support Bot, for assistance.