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MCE World Clock

World Clock that helps you with Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE) system dates. Let it handle the timezone math so you can focus on building your automations.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE) operates on a fixed server time (UTC-6), which can complicate date and time handling, especially when dealing with audiences across various timezones. To simplify this, I've created the MCE World Clock — a free, browser-based tool designed to assist marketers and developers in managing date and time conversions effortlessly.

And the best part? It generates production-ready code snippets in SQL, AMPScript, and SSJS to help you implement timezone-aware logic in your Marketing Cloud Engagement automations.

I also use it just for checking what time it is in different timezones when working with global teams.

You Should Know

The app code is 100% AI generated as a part of my exploration of AI capabilities in software development. If you find any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to contribute on GitHub or let me know on LinkedIn.

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The UTC-6 Challenge​

MCE's server time is always UTC-6, regardless of Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes. This means that during DST periods, the server time does not adjust, which can lead to discrepancies when scheduling or personalizing communications based on local times. It also makes it tricky to work with date data in SQL, AMPScript, or SSJS, as you need to manually account for timezone differences and DST adjustments.

This app allows you to paste a raw system date from Query Studio or Data Extension and instantly see what that moment was in up to 8 different global timezones. It effectively bridges the gap between fixed server timestamps and your local audience's reality.

Script Generation Engine​

One of the standout features of this tool is the ability to generate production-ready SQL, AMPScript, and SSJS code snippets for your Marketing Automation needs.

MCE SQL​

The generator leverages the AT TIME ZONE function to handle offset information. It specifically uses the Central America Standard Time workaround to account for MCE's lack of DST.

AMPScript & SSJS​

The tool provides dynamic datetime conversion logic. Since AMPScript & SSJS do not natively handle timezone objects, the generated code uses one of three approaches:

  1. Simple DateAdd: When you convert to UTC (no DST).
  2. SystemDateToLocalDate: When you convert to your local time (assuming you have the same timezone selected on your user in MCE).
  3. Manual Summer Time (DST): Boundary variables that you can update to ensure accuracy throughout the year for all other timezones.

Key Features​

  • MCE Date Conversion: Paste a raw MCE system date to sync all clocks to that specific point in time.
  • DST-Aware Logic: Automatically detects if a target timezone is in Summer/Winter time and suggests appropriate offsets.
  • Minimalist Dual Face: Toggle between a geometric analog aesthetic and a high-readability digital dashboard.
  • Instant Script Generation: Autogenerated snippets for SQL, AMPScript, and SSJS to handle timezone shifts.
  • Local Storage: Everything you do stays in your browser. No server-side data storage.
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