Date Format for Data Import

Fleetio helps you get your initial account data established by using a Data Import. You may prepare a CSV file containing new data, or updates to existing data, then map the fields in your source file to the appropriate destination fields in Fleetio.

Many of the fields in Fleetio store information as specific Date or Date/Time data types, so that you can maintain historical records and associate entries with specific dates and/or times.

To ensure that data records in Fleetio are created exactly as you intend them, it is important to properly format these Date and Time fields in your source data.

Date formats in common usage include various separators, such as slashes, dashes, or periods. Dates may be spelled out with words or can be numbers only. Day, month, and year values may be arranged in a different order depending on geographical region.

Examples include:

  • 5/15/19
  • 15/5/19
  • 5-15-2019
  • 2019-05-15
  • May 15, 2019

For accurate and consistent data imports, we recommend formatting Date and Date/Time source data in your import files the same way it will be stored in the Fleetio database. This removes any ambiguity regarding day/month values and ensures continuity across all Users in your account.

For Date, this format is YYYY-MM-DD.

For Date/Time, this format is YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000 (where +0000 is the offset from Coordinated Universal Time or UTC).

IMPORTANT: You may use the simple Short Date Format from your Account Settings. Just be sure to use it consistently throughout your source data file.

Time, Timezones, and Data Import

Date/Time data in the database is stored in UTC format so that Users in different regions may display these values in the timezone configured in their User Settings.

Recorded times will also automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time. For example, Eastern Standard Time is -0500 UTC, and Eastern Daylight Time is -0400 UTC

IMPORTANT:

  • UTC format uses 24-hour (military) time notation.
  • If you wish to import times using a 12-hour clock format, be sure to designate AM or PM to avoid ambiguity.
    • 12:00:00 defaults to noon in an account configured for 24-hour clock Time Format
    • 12:00:00 defaults to midnight in an account configured for 12-hour clock Time Format
  • If you omit the time entirely in a Date/Time field, the default 00:00:00 (i.e. midnight) for the timezone from your Account Settings will be recorded automatically
    • e.g. importing 2019-05-19 for an organization with Account Setting time zone Eastern Time (U.S. & Canada) will result in the database value 2019-05-19 00:00:00 -0500

Data Imports with Date Fields

Record Type Field Format
Contact Renewal Reminder due_date YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Contacts birth_date YYYY-MM-DD
Contacts start_date YYYY-MM-DD
Contacts leave_date YYYY-MM-DD
Custom Fields (custom) YYYY-MM-DD
Expense Entry occurred_at YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Fuel Entry date YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Issues reported_at YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Issues due_date YYYY-MM-DD
Meter Entry new_meter_date YYYY-MM-DD
Meter Entry new_secondary_meter_date YYYY-MM-DD
Service Entry started_at YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Service Entry completed_at YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Service Reminders next_due_at YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Vehicle Assignment started_at YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Vehicle Assignment ended_at YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0000
Vehicle Renewal Reminders due_date YYYY-MM-DD
Vehicles purchase_date YYYY-MM-DD
Vehicles acquisition_date YYYY-MM-DD
Vehicles first_payment_date YYYY-MM-DD
Vehicles acquisition_end_date YYYY-MM-DD
Warranty start_date YYYY-MM-DD
Warranty end_date YYYY-MM-DD