Microsoft KB Archive/254811

= How the date format in regional settings affects Outlook 98 =

Article ID: 254811

Article Last Modified on 12/9/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Outlook 98 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q254811





SUMMARY
This article describes how the date format in Regional Settings affects Outlook.



How to Set the Time Format
Outlook inherits the time format from the Microsoft Windows operating system. To set the time for your Calendar:
 * 1) On the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click Regional Settings, and then click the Time tab.
 * 3) In the Time format box, click the format that you want, and then click OK.

How to Modify the Date Format
In the Day/Week/Month view of your Outlook Calendar, the date heading may display in the "day, month date" format, for example Tuesday, February 18. This date format is inherited by Outlook from the Windows Regional Long Date setting. Note that the year is not displayed.

To modify the date format for Calendar headings:
 * 1) On the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click Regional Settings.
 * 3) On the Date tab, click Long date format.

NOTE: If there is not enough space on the screen to display the entire date, the date is abbreviated.

Factors that Affect Scheduling
Three factors affect the scheduling of a meeting in Outlook:
 * The computer's clock setting (time)
 * The computer's local time zone setting
 * The computer's daylight-saving time adjustment setting (if applicable)

All of these settings must be correct on both the meeting requestor's computer, and on each attendee's computer. If the settings on both computers are not correct, Outlook cannot schedule the meeting time correctly.

How Outlook Calculates Greenwich Mean Time
Message requests are time stamped by Outlook with the Greenwich mean time for the meeting. Outlook calculates Greenwich mean time by using the computer's clock time, plus or minus the local time zone adjustment, minus (depending upon the time of year) the daylight-saving time adjustment.

Example
Assume that someone in the central time zone wants to schedule a meeting at 3:00 P.M.(their local time), with a user in the Pacific time zone.

The central time zone has a Greenwich mean time offset of minus six hours.

Outlook calculates the time for the meeting in Greenwich mean time as follows:
 * Local time for the meeting: 3:00 P.M. central time
 * Adjustment for central offset: +6:00 hours
 * Local time for the meeting: 9:00 P.M. Greenwich mean time

When the attendee receives the meeting request, the current local time is calculated by using the message's Greenwich mean time stamp, plus or minus the local time zone adjustment, plus the daylight-saving time adjustment. Outlook uses this time to schedule the meeting for the recipient.

The Pacific time zone has a Greenwich mean time offset of eight hours.

The time for the meeting in Pacific time is calculated as follows:
 * Meeting time: 9:00 P.M. Greenwich mean time
 * Adjustment for Pacific time offset: -8:00 hours
 * Local time for the meeting: 1:00 P.M. Pacific time

NOTE: As soon as Outlook receives the meeting request, it calculates the meeting time for the recipient and schedules it on the calendar. If any of the three factors listed earlier are incorrect, the meeting time is incorrect. To correct the scheduled meeting time, open the meeting request and manually correct it.

