Time Zones and Date Formats
Choose the time zone and date format Signplanr uses for you, and set defaults for your organisation.
Signplanr shows every time, such as comments, status changes, photo uploads and export dates, in your time zone. It writes dates and numbers in the format you're used to. You can leave both on their defaults, choose your own, and organisation owners can set defaults for everyone.
How Signplanr picks your time zone
Signplanr uses the first of these that applies:
- Your own setting, if you've chosen a time zone on your Account page.
- Your device's time zone. This is the default, called Automatic.
- Your organisation's default time zone, set by an owner or admin.
Most people never need to change anything. With Automatic, times follow the time zone your computer or phone is set to. A team member in Perth sees Perth times and a team member in Sydney sees Sydney times, even in the same organisation.
The first time you open Signplanr on a new device, or after you travel to a different time zone, the page may refresh once as it switches to your device's time zone.
What your time zone affects
- Times on comments, sign status history, photo uploads, activity and exports.
- "Today" for due-date badges, the Due today and Overdue filters, and the counts on the event page, survey dashboard and Overview. The day rolls over at midnight where you are.
- Dates in PDFs and exports you create, including the date in the file name.
Due dates never shift. A sign due on 2 October shows 2 October in every time zone.
Choosing your own time zone
Choose a specific time zone if your device's time zone isn't the one you work in. For example, you might manage an event in another city, or your computer is set to UTC.
- Open your Account page:
- Organisers: click your avatar in the top-right corner, then Account.
- Contractors: tap Account in the app's navigation.
- In the Profile section, open Time zone.
- Search for a city or region (for example, "Auckland" or "London") and select it. Each option shows its current offset from UTC, such as Auckland (UTC+13).
- Click Save changes.
Times across Signplanr switch to your chosen time zone straight away. Your choice follows your account, so it applies on every device you sign in on.
To go back to your device's time zone, open Time zone again, select Automatic — use this device, and save.
Emails can't see your device. If the times in job assignment emails don't match your local time, set your time zone explicitly: those emails use your chosen time zone, or your organisation's default if you haven't chosen one. Organisation-wide emails, such as billing and security notices, always use the organisation's default.
Choosing your date and number format
The date and number format controls how dates, times and numbers are written, not the language of the app. Signplanr is currently in English.
| Format | Date | Time | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| English (Australia) | 24 Aug 2026 | 2:30 pm | 1,234 |
| English (New Zealand) | 24 Aug 2026 | 2:30 pm | 1,234 |
| English (United Kingdom) | 24 Aug 2026 | 14:30 | 1,234 |
| English (United States) | Aug 24, 2026 | 2:30 PM | 1,234 |
| English (Canada) | Aug 24, 2026 | 2:30 p.m. | 1,234 |
To change yours:
- On your Account page, in the Profile section, open Date & number format.
- Select a format, or Organisation default to use your organisation's.
- Check the preview under the field ("Times will show like: …"), then click Save changes.
Setting your organisation's defaults
Owners and admins can set the organisation's default time zone and date format.
- Go to Settings → General.
- Set Default time zone and Default date & number format.
- Click Save changes.
The organisation's defaults are used for:
- Emails: organisation-wide notices such as billing and security, plus job assignment emails to members who haven't chosen their own time zone or format.
- The public progress page you share with clients.
- Members' first page load, before Signplanr knows their device's time zone.
- The date and number format of every member who hasn't chosen their own.
A member's own setting always takes priority over the organisation's default. New organisations start with Australia/Sydney and English (Australia).
Only owners and admins can change these fields. Other members can see them, but they're read-only.
Troubleshooting
Times are a few hours off. Check Time zone on your Account page. On Automatic, check the time zone setting on your computer or phone. If your device is set correctly but you work in a different time zone, choose that one instead.
Times changed after I travelled. That's Automatic following your device. To keep your home time zone while you travel, choose it on your Account page.
Dates are written month-first (or day-first) and I want the other way. Change Date & number format on your Account page, or ask an admin to change the organisation's default.
A due date looks a day early or late. Due dates don't change with time zones. If one looks wrong, check the date set on the sign or survey itself.