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Converting timezone data

Omni can convert time-based data to different timezones, performing the conversion when it generates SQL for a query. The underlying data is not changed. Instead, Omni converts the query results using the connection's timezone settings.

In this guide, you'll learn how:

  • To define timezone settings for data connections
  • Omni uses the settings to determine the converting timezone
  • To prevent timezone conversion on fields

Connection timezone settings​

Connections have a few settings that allow you to specify how time-based data is converted:

SettingDescriptionDefault
Database TimezoneDefines the timezone the database is in. The specified timezone is used as the source timezone for any timezone conversions.UTC
Query TimezoneDefines the timezone to convert data to when querying. If Do Not Convert is selected, the Query Timezone will be UTC and no conversion will occur. If a timezone is selected:

  • When querying, data will be converted from the Database timezone to the selected timezone
  • In Omni, fields with timezone data will display in the Query Timezone. This also applies to filters with references to relative times and dates, such as today, yesterday, and so on.
  • And the connection is to Snowflake, if you specify any timestamp_tz fields will be displayed in that timezone. Otherwise, they will keep their timezone offset as-is.
Do not convert
Allow User-specific TimezonesIf enabled, individual users' Query Timezone setting will be used as the query timezone for the connection.Disabled
note

Note: If a user writes a raw SQL query with SQL Super Powers turned off, the timezone will not be converted.

Determining the converting timezone​

Trying to determine how these settings impact the timezone used for conversion? Check out the following diagram to step through how Omni uses these settings.

Preventing timezone conversion​

To prevent timezone conversion for a field, add the convert_tz: false property to the field in model. Note: This applies only to fields that don't contain timezone information.