Date format across the Workfront system

[Vazgen_Babayan]

Hi everyone,

As a product team, we have seen a number of ideas submitted, concerning inconsistencies between different date formats within the system. With that, we would like to understand what pages of the application are affected and what are the highest priority pages to address?

Here are the ideas we have seen on this topic so far:

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/date-format-consistency/idc-p/55197...

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/international-date-format/idi-p/523...

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/change-the-display-format-for-dates...

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/ability-to-format-how-dates-display...

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/add-year-to-due-date/idi-p/519857

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/format-setting-for-european-user/id...

Thanks,

Vazgen

[RandyRoberts]

I think if the request is about consistency, that should include all pages, everywhere. If not, it isn't consistent.

For example, I would like either mediumAtDate or fullAtDate to display everywhere depending on if I need the time displayed or not, as the time may take up too much width in some areas. I can do this in standard reporting but nowhere else.

We have an international instance and many folks get confused by dates like 9/1/2023. Is that September 1st or January 9th?

[Vazgen_Babayan]

Hi Randy, what will be the most critical areas to address first, in your opinion?

[RandyRoberts]

I think the area Heather mentioned is the proofing updates, that's where I see the most need if you're trying to sort. Although I really like the "2 days ago", 7 hours ago", etc. ,format as well. I can see a need for both. Maybe something like a new date format "5 hours ago at 17:30 Wed, 7 Nov, 2023"? Chronologically sortable, of course.

I'v done this sort of thing in some reports already:

column.19.description=Days until due (or past)
column.19.displayname=Due In Day(s)
column.19.namekey=plannedCompletionDate
column.19.sharecol=true
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.icon=false
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.leftmethod=task:plannedCompletionDate
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.lefttext=task:plannedCompletionDate
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.operator=between
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.operatortype=date
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.righttext=$$TODAY
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.righttextrange=$$TODAY+2d
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.trueproperty.0.name=fontstyle
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.trueproperty.0.value=regular
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.trueproperty.1.name=textcolor
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.trueproperty.1.value=e19503
column.19.styledef.case.0.comparison.truetext=
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.icon=false
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.leftmethod=task:plannedCompletionDate
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.lefttext=task:plannedCompletionDate
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.operator=lt
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.operatortype=date
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.righttext=$$TODAY
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.trueproperty.0.name=fontstyle
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.trueproperty.0.value=bold
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.trueproperty.1.name=textcolor
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.trueproperty.1.value=d30519
column.19.styledef.case.1.comparison.truetext=
column.19.textmode=true
column.19.valueexpression=CONCAT("Due in ",ROUND(DATEDIFF({task}.{plannedCompletionDate},$$NOW),0), " Days on ")
column.19.valuefield=plannedCompletionDate
column.19.valueformat=
column.20.sharecol=true
column.20.textmode=true
column.20.value=<br>
column.20.valueformat=HTML
column.21.displayname=Due On
column.21.linkedname=task
column.21.namekey=view.relatedcolumn
column.21.namekeyargkey.0=task
column.21.namekeyargkey.1=plannedCompletionDate
column.21.querysort=task:plannedCompletionDate
column.21.shortview=true
column.21.sortOrder=1
column.21.sortType=asc
column.21.textmode=true
column.21.valuefield=task:plannedCompletionDate
column.21.valueformat=fullAtDate

[RandyRoberts]

I should add: Some of those ideas URLs listed are from pre-New experience and those areas aren't even a thing anymore. Or they're just not descriptive enough to act upon.

I think these are still relevant:

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/change-the-display-format-for-dates...

https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/workfront-ideas/date-format-consistency/idc-p/55197...

[lgaertner]

Hi,

interestingly I recently came across a similar issue when trying to adapt an Excel formula into a custom calculation.

We are a company in Germany, therefore we normally have our browser language set to German.

The project start date should be calculated after entering the calendar week and the year for campaign start. Therefore I am using a custom field. Afterwards the system field plannedStartDate will be automatically updated using Fusion.

IF(ISBLANK({DE:abcBatProjectLaunchWeek}), "- bitte das Jahr nachtragen -", WEEKDAYDIFF({plannedStartDate},ADDDAYS((DATE(CONCAT("04.01.",{DE:projectYear}))),{DE:projectLaunchWeek}*7-7-((DATEDIFF(DATE(CONCAT("02.01.",{DE:projectYear})),DATE("01.01.1900"))+2)-(7*FLOOR((DATEDIFF(DATE(CONCAT("02.01.",{DE:projectYear})),DATE("01.01.1900"))+2)/7))))))

As I prefer switching to English, when doing Workfront specific setup, I recognized that this formula does not work any more.

I did not find a workaround yet, but working with a system defined date format would help a lot!

[KristenS_WF]

I'd love if there were an option in the report builder to just use dates.  You have the option to choose the format (e.g., short date, short date with time, etc.), but the timestamp remains even if only the date is showing.  I've found this to be problematic when attempting to conditionally format a comparison between a built-in WF date and a custom date field.  The dates in the report show as the same, but the conditional formatting flags them as different due to the underlying presence of the timestamp in the built-in WF date.  We have to create an additional custom calculated field to strip the timestamp.  It would be helpful if this workaround weren't necessary.

[RandyRoberts]

You may need to use the "CLEARTIME" function for that.

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/docs/workfront/using/reporting/reports/calculated-custom-data/cal...

[KristenS_WF]

Yes, that's what we've had to use in the custom calculated field.  You could also use the function in the report itself, but then you lose the ability to base conditional formatting off of it.

[Vazgen_Babayan]

Thanks, do I understand correctly that reporting is the most critical area to address when it comes to displaying dates in a certain format?

[RandyRoberts]

I think new date and time formats are desired in reporting but it is separate from the "consistency" request. If there were new formats that could be used in proof comments as well, that would be better. At least it would be more consistent.

Not to muddy the waters but consistency is something that has been largely ignored throughout the Workfront interface in many different areas, not just dates.

[Rafal_Bainie]

hi @Vazgen_Babayan 
I was thinking about setting up an idea, but since we have employee here who cares about that. 
My comment is not strictly about date format, but more about input interface, which has at least 3 variations:

1. e.g. task details page: calendar plus time in 24hr format, not timezone indication

2. Report, calendar plus 12hr format, no timezone

3. Summary pane, calendar plus 24hr format with timezone indication

I'm not sure if there are more variations, but unifying these 3 would be a good start.
From my perspective: timezone indication - is a must, 24vs12hr format should be consistent with user locale settings, as it is for date format usually.
Let me know if there are chances to address this.