Why do dates look different for different users?

Understanding Record Date Formatting

Record Dates are used throughout AlisQI to store and display dates associated with records. Although the way a date is displayed may differ between users, the underlying value always remains the same: UTC.

This article explains how Record Dates are stored, how they are displayed, and how application and user settings affect date formatting.

How Record Dates are stored

Record Dates are stored internally using a standardized format. This ensures dates remain consistent and can be processed reliably throughout the application, regardless of how they are displayed.

The format shown on screen depends on your language and application settings. For example, the same Record Date may be displayed as:

Display format	Example
US English	07/15/2026
UK English	15/07/2026
Dutch	15-07-2026
ISO 8601	2026-07-15

Note

Only the display format changes. The stored Record Date in UTC remains exactly the same.

Display format

In AlisQI, by default, Record Dates are displayed using the date format configured in the Application Settings under the Management Tab.

Users can choose to override this by selecting their own language and localization preferences in their personal settings.

Two users can view the same record, but see different dates depending on the underlying UTC time combined with their system settings.

Date formatting settings

Date formatting can be configured in two different places.

User localization settings

In AlisQI, each user can choose their preferred language and localization settings.

To change your personal date format:

1. Select Settings in the upper-right corner of your AlisQI tenant account.
2. Open Localization Settings.
3. Select your preferred language and regional format.
4. Save your changes.

These settings only affect your own account.

Application settings

In AlisQI, administrators can define the default language and date format for the entire application.

To access these settings:

1. Open the Management tab.
2. Navigate to the Application Settings.
3. Configure the default language and localization.

These settings apply to all users who have not configured their own localization preferences.

Browser and operating system settings

Some browsers use your computer's regional settings for native date pickers.

For example, your operating system may display:

MM/DD/YYYY

while AlisQI displays:

DD/MM/YYYY

This only affects the appearance of certain browser controls. It does not change how Record Dates are stored within AlisQI.

 

ISO date format

AlisQI also supports the international ISO 8601 date format.

The ISO format is written as:

YYYY-MM-DD

Example:

2026-07-15

Using ISO formatting offers several advantages:

1. Eliminates ambiguity between day and month.
2. Uses an internationally recognized standard.
3. Is commonly used for integrations, imports, exports and APIs.
   
   

Frequently asked questions

Why does my colleague see a different date format?

Your colleague may have different localization settings or a different application language configured.

 

Why do imported dates appear differently?

Check that the imported file uses the expected date format. Incorrect formatting can cause dates to be interpreted differently during import.

 

Why does the date picker look different from the rest of AlisQI?

Some browsers display native date pickers using your operating system's regional settings instead of the application's formatting.

 

Best practices

1. Use the date format displayed by AlisQI when entering dates.
2. For international collaboration and data exchange, use the ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD) whenever possible.
3. If dates appear differently than expected, verify your personal localization settings before making changes.
4. Administrators should configure a default application format that matches the organization's preferred regional standard.