Dated and Confused?

2002-04-18

The concern for time and date standards reached its highest peak in the days and months leading up to the millennium: corporations, governments and big businesses braced themselves against the possible repercussions of Y2K.
Although computer systems did not crash and industries did not crumble with the turn of the century, the need for a standardized time and date remains an important one.

The concern for time and date standards reached its highest peak in the days and months leading up to the millennium: corporations, governments and big businesses braced themselves against the possible repercussions of Y2K.

Although computer systems did not crash and industries did not crumble with the turn of the century, the need for a standardized time and date remains an important one.

In the year 1981, a date format was indicated as 81/09/19. It was clear that the year was 1981, the month was September, and that the day was the 19th.

Fast forward to the present.

Today, when individuals and organizations do not use common standards for time and date, the year, month and day may lead to confusion and misunderstanding. What day, for example, is being indicated by 04/07/09?

To alleviate this problem, both Canadian and international standards have been developed to assist.

ISO 8601 Data Elements and Interchange Formats - Representation of Dates and Times, an international standard, has been developed by a panel of experts, including industry representatives from all around the world. This standard sets guidelines for indicating dates and times in a numerical format, including the requirement that four digits should always be used to represent the year.

The Canadian National Standard CAN/CSA-Z234.4 All Numeric Dates and Times, prescribes the writing, typing and printing of dates and times when all numeric forms are used. This standard explains that two digits may be used for the year when no possible confusion can arise from the omission of the century; however the four-digit form indicates clearly that the descending order is used. This standard ensures that the dates must be clearly designated and not open to misinterpretation.

Even with a national and international set of standards in place, the use of these standards isn't as widespread as it could be. Take a look at your next bank form, your T-4 income tax statement, or the way the date has been indicated on your next paycheck. Do they all follow the same standard? Not likely.

The Standards Council is committed to raising awareness of standardization issues, to providing Canadians with the information that they need to make informed decisions and, where appropriate, to advocating the use of specific standards.

The Standards Council of Canada encourages and promotes the use of the National Standard of Canada (CAN/CSA-Z234.4.). Various departments within the federal government and segments of the private sector have already been successfully influenced and have adopted the national time/date standard.