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eSignature SOAP API 101

Time Zone Format Information

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This appendix provides information on how time zone and date/time format information is set for an account and how it appears in the Docusign web console, Certificate of Completion, and API responses. The appendix also has information on the expected date/time formats for API requests.

Account settings

There are a number of account settings that determine the time zone and date/time format used for an account. These options are set in the Docusign web console Preferences – Features; some can be set through the API account settings.

  • Default Account Time Zone: This option selects the default time zone to be used in the User Interface display. A member of the account can set their own time zone preference to override the account default if the Allow account member to set their own unique time zone option (see below) is enabled.
  • Time Zone Used For API: This option selects the default time zone used for Docusign SOAP API operations.
  • Format for Date Signed: This option selects the date format applied to the Date Signed tags.
  • Format for Time Signed: This option selects the time format applied to the Date Signed tags. You can also select to Include AM/PM designation for the time format.
  • Allow account member to set their own unique time zone: When selected, account members can set their own personal time zone, which can be different that the default account time zone. If the Allow account member to set their own unique time zone option is selected, there are two options the account members can set by a user:
  • My local time zone: This option selects the default time zone to be used in the account member’s Docusign web console.
  • Format my local date and time: This option selects the date/time format used in the account member’s Docusign web console and the format used when the account member signs envelopes.

Time zone and date/time format appearance

How the time zone and date/time format appears depends on what is being viewed, who is viewing the information, and the settings for the account.

Signing user interface and PDF documents: The time zone and date/time format information shown in Date tags and form data in the signing user interface and PDF documents depends on the signer:

  • If the signer has a Docusign account, then the signer’s time zone and the sender’s date/time format settings are used for the information. If the sender’s account does not allow users to set their own date/time format, then the date/time format setting for the account is used.
  • If the signer does not have a Docusign account, then the sender’s time zone and date/time format settings are used. If the sender’s account does not allow users to set their own time zones or date/time format, then the account settings are used.

Certificate of Completion: The sender’s time zone and date/time format settings are used. If the sender’s account does not allow users to set their own time zone and date/time format, then the account time zone and date/time format settings are used.

Envelope History: When viewing History through the web console or signing user interface, the time zone and date/time format used depends on the viewer:

  • If the sender is viewing the History, the sender’s time zone and date/time format settings are used. If the sender’s account does not allow users to set their own time zones or date/time format, then the account settings are used.
  • If the viewer has a Docusign account that allows users to set their own time zone and date/time format, then the viewer’s time zone and date/time format settings are used.
  • If the viewer has a Docusign account that does not allow users to set their own time zone and date/time format, then the account time zone and date/time format settings are used.
  • If the viewer does not have a Docusign account, then the sender’s time zone and date/time format are used. If the sender’s account does not allow users to set their own time zones or date/time format, then the account settings are used.

REST API: When getting information from the REST API, all non-PDF time zone responses are returned in ISO 8601 date/time format using GMT as the time zone. PDF items retrieved through the REST API, such as a Certificate of Completion or documents with date tags, use Certificate of Completion and PDF documents settings previously described.

SOAP API: When getting information from the SOAP API, all non-PDF items use the time zone set by the Time Zone Used For API option. PDF items retrieved through the SOAP API, such as a Certificate of Completion or documents with date tags, use Certificate of Completion and PDF documents settings previously described.

Date/time formats for API calls

All Docusign SOAP and REST API requests must use ISO 8601 date/time formats. The REST API assumes that all values passed represent UTC date/times.

When providing a date/time format for the Docusign REST API, the preferred formats are:

  • “yyyy-MM-dd | HH:mm”
  • “MMMM d, yyyy | HH:mm”
  • “MMM-dd-yyyy | HH:mm”
  • “dd-MM-yyyy | HH:mm”