This process explains how the system uses a series of decision rules to determine the time zone of an object in the R/3 system. By determining an object's time zone, the system can display a time stamp for the object in any local time. To ensure consistent determination of time zones and efficient performance, this process is performed by a central function.

Every object (for example, a plant) has an actual, or at least an assigned, location. The time zone of an object depends primarily on its location. However, a location's time zone can depend on political reasons rather than simply its longitude and latitude. Governments decide the time zone to which a location belongs for countries and/or their regions. In a few cases, they make the decision to assign a postal code in a city to a particular time zone. The decision rules take countries, regions, and postal codes into account.

The system can determine an object's time zone whether a central address is maintained for the object or not. In either case, the system determines the time zone as follows:

1. The SAP system checks the object's time zone attribute.

If the object has a time zone attribute and it is maintained, the system uses this time zone.

2. SAP checks the object's country and region attributes.

If the object has country and region attributes and they are maintained, it derives the object's time zone from this data.

3. SAP checks the object's country data (a required field).

If the object's country includes only one time zone, the system uses this time zone for the object. If it includes several time zones, the system uses the country's default time zone.

4. If the SAP system could not determine the object's time zone through the first three steps, it uses the default time zone of the system's database server.