⏱️ Understanding Timezones and Automated Reminders

⏱️ Understanding Timezones and Automated Reminders

At Smile Checks, we support global teams and candidates across all timezones. To ensure your data is accurate and your candidate experience is professional, the portal uses two distinct "engines" to handle time and dates.

1. Your Personal Dashboard (User Timezone)

This setting controls how every date and time appears to you on your screen. Whether you are looking at a Report, the Dashboard, or a candidate's Timeline, the system ensures the data matches your local clock.

  • How it Works: By default, the portal uses Auto-Detection. If you travel from Manila to London, the portal will automatically shift all timestamps to match your new location.

  • Manual Override: If you prefer to keep your view "locked" to a specific city (for example, your company’s headquarters), you can change this in Settings → Profile.

  • Pro-Tip: If a report timestamp looks "off," check your Profile to ensure you aren't accidentally locked into a different timezone.

2. Candidate Notifications (Company Timezone)

While your dashboard shows you your time, your automated Email and SMS reminders follow the Company Timezone. This ensures that candidates are contacted at appropriate hours, regardless of where the recruiter is working from.

The "8 AM – 6 PM" Rule

To remain respectful of your candidates, the system only sends automated reminders between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM in your configured Company Timezone.

  • Why this matters: If your company is based in Manila but you are working from the US, you might see a reminder log that says "Sent at 2:00 AM" your time. This simply means it was 10:00 AM in Manila, falling safely within the business hour window.

  • The "Day-N" Rule: Reminders are scheduled in 24-hour windows. If a reminder is scheduled for a time that falls outside the 8 AM – 6 PM window (like a Sunday at midnight), the system will wait and send it the following morning at 8:00 AM.

Common Scenarios

What you see...Why it happens...

"The report says it was finished at 3 AM."

Your personal profile might be set to UTC or a different city. Check your Profile Settings.

"It's 10 AM local time, why hasn't the reminder gone out?"

The system follows the Company Timezone, not your local clock. Check your Company Settings to see which timezone is driving your schedule.

"My team sees different times than I do."

This is a feature! Every team member sees the exact same event translated into their own local time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we change the 8 AM – 6 PM sending window?

Yes. Owners or Administrators can adjust these hours for the entire company in Company Management → Notifications.

Q: Does the candidate see the same timezone as I do?

No. The candidate's submission form also uses Auto-detection. If they are in Singapore and you are in New York, they will see their "Link Expired" message in Singapore time.

Q: Why does the Audit Log sometimes show different times?

Internal technical logs often use UTC (Universal Time). However, the portal interface is designed to automatically convert those technical logs into your preferred timezone for easy reading.

Need Assistance?

If your timestamps are shifting incorrectly (e.g., jumping by exactly 12 or 13 hours) even after setting your profile to "Auto-detect," please reach out to our technical support team at support@getsmilechecks.com.

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