Server time and local time are rarely the same

[Amanhasnoname]

A platform shows server time, the computer shows local time, and an economic calendar might use a third timezone. Mixing them up is surprisingly common, and it leads to entries at the wrong hour or news windows missed by an hour.

Server time varies by broker. Some use GMT plus 2, switching to plus 3 in summer. Others use GMT plus 0 or New York closing time. Indicators that mark sessions or draw daily levels depend on that setting, and the same code can give different results on two brokers.

Writing down the offset in a note near the desk saves repeated mental calculation. A clock showing UTC and one showing server time, side by side, removes most of the confusion.

Daylight saving transitions are the high-risk moments. A script that assumed a fixed offset can misplace session boundaries for weeks before anyone notices.

When testing a strategy across brokers, aligning time zones is the first thing to check, otherwise the results are not comparable.

What time convention is used for scheduling and journaling, and has a mix-up ever caused a missed trade or news event?