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Understanding Time Zones in Cobo: How to Read and Convert Timestamps

Updated over 4 months ago

When using Cobo, you may need to check or export transaction data for reconciliation, audits, system integration, or simply to look up specific transaction times. Since time zones can affect how data is interpreted, it's important to understand how time is formatted and displayed in the Cobo system. This guide will help you confidently work with timestamps and avoid timezone-related confusion.

⏰ How Time Is Displayed in Cobo

To keep things consistent across products and exports, all timestamps in Cobo follow China Standard Time (CST / UTC+8). This applies to both the web interface and exported reports.

  • In-app display: Beijing Time (UTC+8)
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  • Exported files: ISO 8601 format
    ​ Example: 2025-06-02T14:00:00+08:00
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🖥️ How to Adjust Time Zone on Your Device

Changing your system's time zone can help you match local time with Cobo’s UTC+8 timestamps, making it easier to reconcile data.

For Windows:

  1. Click the time in the bottom-right corner of your screen and select "Adjust date/time"
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  2. Scroll to "Time zone"
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  3. Choose the appropriate time zone from the dropdown
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  4. Close the settings — your system time will update automatically
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For macOS:

  1. Click the Apple logo and open "System Settings" or "System Preferences"
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  2. Go to "Date & Time"
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  3. Open the "Time Zone" tab
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  4. Disable auto-set if needed and manually select your time zone
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  5. Close the window — changes will apply immediately

💡 Best Practices for Using Timestamps

Whether you're working with internal teams or sharing data externally, here are some quick tips:

  • Cross-time zone collaboration? Convert timestamps to the recipient’s local time zone before sharing
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  • For internal use? Add a note like: "Data generated in CST (UTC+8)" to your exports
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  • Sharing with partners or clients? Always clarify the time zone format used to avoid misinterpretation
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🔄 How to Convert Cobo Time to Other Time Zones

✅ Excel Example: Convert CST (UTC+8) to UTC

excel

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= OriginalTimeCell - TIME(8,0,0)

Note: Excel doesn’t recognize time zones by default — manual adjustment is required.

✅ Python Example: Convert CST (UTC+8) to UTC or Another Time Zone

python

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import pandas as pd

df = pd.read_csv('transactions.csv')

df['cobo_time'] = pd.to_datetime(df['cobo_time']).dt.tz_localize('Asia/Shanghai')

df['utc_time'] = df['cobo_time'].dt.tz_convert('UTC')

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is the transaction time different from what I see on my device?

A: Cobo uses a fixed time standard — UTC+8. If your computer is set to a different time zone, the displayed time may differ. Just convert the timestamp accordingly.

Q: Can I change the time zone in the Cobo interface?

A: Not at the moment — all timestamps are shown in UTC+8. If we support custom time zones in the future, we’ll let you know through a product update.

🙋 Still Have Questions? We’re Here to Help

If you’re unsure how to interpret timestamps or need help converting them, our support team is just a message away.

Reach us via the Portal support chat or email us at [email protected] — we’ll be happy to guide you.

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