The time of day (saat) is less visible than the date on corporate documents, but in some jobs it is more decisive. The tender submission deadline, the time of a notice and system records have consequences at the level of minutes. In cross-border jobs the question of the time zone makes this field even more critical.
Jobs where the time is binding
In tender and bid processes the application deadline is defined in hours and minutes. A delay of one minute may invalidate the application. This is why the field is carried over in full.
Missing time zone
If the time is written but the time zone is not stated, parties in different countries may understand it differently. This ambiguity is not resolved in the text. The situation is made visible in a translator's note.
Local time wording
Some documents state expressly that the time is local time, and this wording is critical information. If the wording is skipped, the time is left without context. It is kept in the carry-over.
Daylight saving time
In some countries the clock changes during the year, and this change depends on the date. The time in the document is read in this context. The translation does no conversion.
Twelve-hour and twenty-four-hour clock
The time can be written in two different systems, and this choice varies by country. In a spelling that carries the before-noon and after-noon distinction, this marker is not skipped. If the marker is dropped, the time shifts by twelve hours.
The midnight problem
Times at the turn of the day may give rise to argument about which day they belong to. The spelling in the document is kept and not interpreted. The ambiguity is noted.
Time in system records
Electronic systems record the transaction time in their own server time. This time may differ from the user's local time. The difference is not left unexplained.
Time stamp
Electronically signed documents bear a separate time stamp, which carries its own time zone. The stamp information is independent of the text. It is carried over as a separate field.
Meeting minutes
Minutes state the opening and closing times, which show the length of the meeting. The two times are read together. A missing time leaves the minutes incomplete.
Shift records
Shift times occur regularly on personnel documents, and night shifts spread over two days. This spread is shown in separate columns in the table. The logic of the columns is kept.
Delivery and shipment times
Logistics documents record loading and delivery times, which determine the transfer of responsibility. The times are read in sequence. If the sequence is broken, the course of events changes.
Notice periods
In contracts notice periods are sometimes defined in hours. The period is tied to a moment, and that moment is written in the document. The two are carried over together.
Separator in the spelling of time
The mark used between hours and minutes may vary by country. The mark does not change the meaning, but it affects reading habits. The common form of the target language is used.
Seconds
System records also contain seconds, which are decisive in some transactions. Seconds are not skipped. The record is carried over as it stands.
Time column in a table
Time columns may turn into another format on their own in spreadsheet tools. This corruption goes unnoticed. The fields are kept as text.
Handwritten times
In minutes the time is often added by hand and may be illegible. The illegible part is not guessed. The situation is written.
Consistency
A single system for writing the time is used in a file. A mixed system makes the document look unreliable. The decision is taken at the start of the job.
Delivery check
All fields containing a time are gathered in a separate list and compared. Binding times are flagged in addition. The check is done twice.