How to get the time and date in CET time zone in scoped application

Sai25 · 3 hours ago

Hi All,

I would like the date and time to be converted in Scoped application below code is not working can you please help me.

var grIncident = new GlideRecord('incident');

if (grIncident.get('sys_id', 'e8bfe5eac380cb9896985630a00131a2')) {

var gdt = new GlideDateTime(grIncident.opened_at);

var gsdt = new GlideScheduleDateTime(gdt);

gsdt.setTimeZone("CET");

var cetTime = gsdt.getGlideDateTime().getDisplayValue();

gs.info("Incident opened time in CET: " + cetTime );

}
The above Incident record created on the 2026-04-07 21:15:06 and output I am getting is Incident opened time in CET: 2026-04-07 19:15:06 (Actually it should be 17:45:06)

Thanks,

Sai.

Pavan Srivastav · 3 hours ago

Hello Sai,

There are two separate issues here — one is a wrong API choice for timezone conversion in scoped apps, and the other explains why you are getting an unexpected offset.

Issue 1 — `GlideScheduleDateTime` is the Wrong API for Timezone Conversion

GlideScheduleDateTime is designed for schedule-based time calculations (working hours, SLAs), not straightforward timezone conversions. It is also not reliably available in all scoped app contexts.

The correct API for timezone conversion in a scoped application is GlideDateTime with getUserTimezone or using GlideTimeZone via the DateTimeUtil approach — but the simplest and most reliable method in scoped context is:

var grIncident = new GlideRecord('incident');
if (grIncident.get('sys_id', 'e8bfe5eac380cb9896985630a00131a2')) {

    // Get the raw UTC value from the field
    var gdtUTC = new GlideDateTime();
    gdtUTC.setValue(grIncident.getValue('opened_at')); // getValue gives UTC string

    // Convert to target timezone using GlideDateTime's built-in method
    var formatter = new GlideDateTime();
    formatter.setValue(gdtUTC.getValue());

    // setTZ accepts IANA timezone names
    formatter.setTZ(new Packages.java.util.TimeZone.getTimeZone('Europe/Paris')); // CET = Europe/Paris

    gs.info('Incident opened time in CET: ' + formatter.getDisplayValue());
}

Issue 2 — Why You Are Getting the Wrong Offset

Your record was created at 2026-04-07 21:15:06 and you expected 22:15:06 CET (UTC+1) or 23:15:06 CEST (UTC+2), but you got 19:15:06 which is actually going backwards — this means the API was applying an offset in the wrong direction or using a wrong base timezone.

The core problem is that grIncident.opened_at when passed directly into new GlideDateTime() may be returning the display value in the instance's local timezone rather than raw UTC, causing a double-offset calculation.

Always use getValue() to get the raw UTC string:

// ❌ Wrong — may pass display value (already offset from UTC)
var gdt = new GlideDateTime(grIncident.opened_at);

// ✅ Correct — gets raw UTC value guaranteed
var gdt = new GlideDateTime();
gdt.setValue(grIncident.getValue('opened_at'));

Issue 3 — CET vs CEST

April 7 2026 is in British Summer Time / Central European Summer Time territory. CET is UTC+1 in winter, but in April Europe uses CEST which is UTC+2. If your record is 21:15:06 UTC, the correct CET/CEST display should be 23:15:06 CEST.

Using the IANA name Europe/Paris or Europe/Berlin automatically handles the DST switch, whereas hardcoding "CET" as a string does not — it stays at UTC+1 year-round.

Complete Corrected Script

var grIncident = new GlideRecord('incident');
if (grIncident.get('sys_id', 'e8bfe5eac380cb9896985630a00131a2')) {

    // Step 1 — Get raw UTC value (never use field reference directly)
    var utcValue = grIncident.getValue('opened_at');
    gs.info('Raw UTC value from record: ' + utcValue);

    // Step 2 — Load into GlideDateTime as UTC
    var gdtUTC = new GlideDateTime();
    gdtUTC.setValue(utcValue);
    gs.info('Confirmed UTC time: ' + gdtUTC.getDisplayValue());

    // Step 3 — Convert to CET/CEST using IANA timezone name
    // Europe/Paris and Europe/Berlin both honour CET/CEST DST automatically
    var javaTimeZone = Packages.java.util.TimeZone.getTimeZone('Europe/Paris');
    gdtUTC.setTZ(javaTimeZone);

    // Step 4 — Display converted time
    var cetTime = gdtUTC.getDisplayValue();
    gs.info('Incident opened time in CET/CEST: ' + cetTime);
}

Expected output for your record:

Raw UTC value from record:      2026-04-07 21:15:06
Confirmed UTC time:             2026-04-07 21:15:06
Incident opened time in CET/CEST: 2026-04-07 23:15:06

Why Each Change Was Made

Problem	Old code	Fixed code
Wrong API for scoped timezone conversion	`GlideScheduleDateTime`	`GlideDateTime.setTZ()`
Possible double-offset from display value	`grIncident.opened_at`	`grIncident.getValue('opened_at')`
DST not handled — fixed UTC+1 year-round	`"CET"` string	`'Europe/Paris'` IANA name
Offset applied in wrong direction	Base timezone ambiguous	Explicit UTC load via `setValue()`

Sai25 · 8m ago

Hi Pavan,

getting the below error while running the code.

Error Description: Use of Packages calls is not permitted in scoped applications,

Tanushree Maiti · 2 hours ago

Hi @Sai25

Refer this blog: Demystifying GlideDateTime and Timezones, also convert dates to different timezones

Please mark this response as Helpful & Accept it as solution if it assisted you with your question.
Regards
Tanushree Maiti
ServiceNow Technical Architect
Linkedin:

Pavan Srivastav · 31 seconds ago

This is a known scoped app restriction. The fix is straightforward — replace the Packages.java call with ServiceNow's native scoped-safe timezone conversion method.

Why It Fails in Scoped Apps

Packages.java.util.TimeZone is a direct Java class call and ServiceNow blocks all Packages.* calls in scoped applications for security isolation reasons. You need a purely ServiceNow-native approach.

Scoped App Safe Solution

javascript

var grIncident = new GlideRecord('incident');
if (grIncident.get('sys_id', 'e8bfe5eac380cb9896985630a00131a2')) {

    // Step 1 — Get raw UTC value safely
    var utcValue = grIncident.getValue('opened_at');
    gs.info('Raw UTC value: ' + utcValue);

    // Step 2 — Load into GlideDateTime as UTC
    var gdtUTC = new GlideDateTime();
    gdtUTC.setValue(utcValue);

    // Step 3 — Use GlideDateTime.convertTimeZone() — fully scoped app safe
    // This is the correct scoped-safe alternative to Packages.java
    var gdtCET = new GlideDateTime();
    gdtCET.setValue(utcValue);
    gdtCET.convertTimeZone('UTC', 'Europe/Paris'); // handles CET/CEST DST automatically

    // Step 4 — Display result
    gs.info('Incident opened time in CET/CEST: ' + gdtCET.getDisplayValue());
}