Correct a UTC Timestamp in Power Automate for Excel
Question details
Convert a timestamp from UTC to the correct local time before saving a Microsoft Forms response in Excel.
- Product
- Microsoft Power Automate, Microsoft Forms, and Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A Power Automate flow writes a timestamp associated with a Microsoft Forms response to an Excel table.
- Observed behavior
- The time written to Excel differs from the expected local time.
Open a recent flow run in Power Automate and inspect the timestamp used by the Excel action. Confirm that it is in UTC, such as a value ending in Z, and identify the destination time zone before converting it.
Convert the timestamp with the Power Automate time zone action
Use the built-in action to convert a confirmed UTC timestamp before adding it to Excel.
In Power Automate, open My flows, select the flow that handles the Forms response, and choose Edit.
Before the Excel Add a row into a table action, select the plus button, choose Add an action, and search for Convert time zone.
In Convert time zone, select the timestamp from Dynamic content as the base time. Set Source time zone to UTC and Destination time zone to the intended local time zone.
Choose a suitable format in the conversion action, then open Add a row into a table and map its timestamp column to the converted time output instead of the original timestamp.
Select Save and Test, submit a Forms response, and compare the converted output in the run history with the value written to Excel.
Convert the timestamp with a Power Automate expression
Use an expression when you prefer to convert and format the timestamp directly in the Excel action.
Review Your Excel Timestamp Data in WPS Spreadsheet
WPS Office is a free, lightweight Office alternative with a familiar interface. Open compatible Excel workbooks in WPS Spreadsheet to review timestamp data and move between office suites with ease. Time zone conversion in the flow must still be configured in Power Automate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell whether my flow timestamp is in UTC?
Open a flow run and inspect the timestamp output from the relevant trigger or action. A timestamp ending in Z indicates UTC; if it has no time-zone indicator, check the source before converting it.
Why does the time in Excel differ from the Microsoft Forms time?
The flow may be writing a UTC timestamp while you expect local time. Inspect the value in the run history, then use Convert time zone before the Excel Add a row into a table action if the value is UTC.
Will the conversion account for daylight saving time?
Select the appropriate destination Windows time zone in Convert time zone or use its name in convertTimeZone. The time-zone rules can account for daylight saving time; a fixed hour offset cannot.
Does the converted Excel value retain its time zone?
A formatted value such as yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss does not identify its time zone. If readers need that context, add a separate column identifying the destination time zone.
