Time Zone Setting in Microsoft CRM

How does Microsoft Dynamics CRM treats time zone?  All date/time entries are recorded as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) at the database level based on the Microsoft CRM Server's time clock.  Upon the date/time data entry or display, Microsoft CRM will factor in the CRM User's Time Zone setting and accordingly adjust it based on the GMT's value.

You can access your Time Zone setting via Microsoft CRM Web Client >> Tools menu >> Options >> General tab:



If you are using the Microsoft CRM Outlook Client - the Time Zone setting will be automatically set for you based on your Windows Time Zone setting:




Here is a scenario to better describe this:

It is 10AM on April 22nd and CRM User One's Time Zone setting is the Pacific Time (-8 GMT).  If CRM User One created a CRM Contact record - the created date is 4/22 6PM (GMT) on the Microsoft CRM database.  When CRM User One views this contact record in his Microsoft CRM Client, it will display 4/22 10AM because Microsoft CRM will display it based on CRM User One's Time Zone setting.

Another CRM User (CRM User Two) has his Time Zone setting at Eastern Time (-5 GMT), if CRM User Two was viewing CRM User One's contact record created above, the created date will be displayed as 4/22 1PM (vs. 4/22 10AM for CRM User One).

Here is an interesting question that comes up:

What happens if due to the Time Zone, it is the next day? 

The answer is that Microsoft CRM will display the date respective to the Microsoft CRM User's Time Zone setting.   If CRM User One (Pacific Time zone) created another CRM contact record at 11PM on April 22nd, that record's created date will be show as 2AM April 23rd (vs April 22nd) if viewed by CRM User Two (Eastern Time zone).  Be sure to take this into account when designing your CRM processes.

Here is a blog with more insight into Microsoft CRM Time Zone:  
http://blogs.msdn.com/crm/archive/2007/05/22/date-time-values-in-microsoft-dynamics-crm.aspx