DST Changes and GroupWise End User Action required

  • Document ID:3768695
  • Creation Date:05-Mar-2007
  • Modified Date:27-Apr-2012
    • Micro Focus Products:
      GroupWise

Environment

Novell GroupWise 7
Novell GroupWise 6.5

Situation

Scheduled events, appointments, meetings, posted events made for the time period between the old and new DST transition dates could be off by one hour. For example, an appointment scheduled to occur between March 11 and April 1, 2007 (the new and old DST start dates), will be scheduled at the wrong time because the wrong DST information was used to schedule the event. This will only be noticed after the workstation is updated with the new DST time zone definitions.

This behavior also applies to appointments scheduled to occur between October 28 and November 4 of 2007 (the old and new DST end dates), or during any similar period in future years. After a workstation's time zone definitions are updated, appointments can be correctly scheduled for these time periods.

Work Schedule Start and End times will be shown off by one hour during the extended DST periods after the workstation has been updated with the new DST time zone definitions. Before Mar 11, 2007 and after Mar 31, 2007 they will be correct when viewed in a Calendar view. Between Mar 11 and 31, 2007 they will be off by one hour in any time zone that has had changed DST definitions. The same will be seen when looking at the week between Oct 28 and Nov 4, 2007.

Busy Search results show users Start and End Work Schedule times off by one hour during new DST time zone definition periods.

Resolution

Novell has released the GroupWise DST Adjustor 2007 tool to help administrators handle the DST change. The tool can be run in a variety of ways and is fully explained in the documentation accompanying the tool. Administrators will need to run the tool on all post offices in order to automatically adjust the majority of affected appointment items. It is VERY important that customers understand that while the tool will fix most appointments, some end user intervention will still be required. For full details please review the tool and included documentation available at:
https://download.novell.com/Download?buildid=e8uJ-mD9OSQ~.

For situations where the GroupWise DST Adjustor 2007 tool is not used the following steps will need to be completed manually be all end users.

For situations where the GropuWise DST Adjustor 2007 tool has been used the first step below will not be required. The remaining steps may be required for some scheduled events.

All end users should review their scheduled events and adjust them as needed after the tool has been run. End users should complete the following tasks after the workstation(s) have been updated with the new DST time zone changes.
  1. Reset the Work Schedule Start and End time
  2. Verify and Adjust Scheduled Events between Mar 11 and Mar 31, 2007
  3. Verify and Adjust Scheduled Events between Oct 28 and Nov 4, 2007 if applicable
1. Reset the Work Schedule Start and End time

The current work schedule time Start and End times are displayed next to the "Work Schedule” group box title on the Tools – Options – Date and Time dialog. Even if the Work Schedule Start and End times are displayed correctly, perform the following steps to ensure that the correct Start and End times are adjusted for the revised DST time zone changes.

1. In the GroupWise client Choose Tools | Options | Date and Time...
2. Change the Work Schedule - Start time and End time values to something different
3. Click OK
4. Choose Date and Time... again
5. Set the Start time and End time values back to the original or desired values
6. Click OK
7. Click Close

2. Verify and Adjusting Scheduled Events between Mar 11 and Mar 31, 2007

Users that have already created appointments in these time periods, or that do so before the workstation's time zones are updated will need to adjust those scheduled events occuring in this period. After a workstation is updated users should check all scheduled events, appointments, meetings, etc. between Mar 11 and Mar 31, 2007 adjust or resend them if necessary. Specifc steps for different type of scheduled events are listed below.

Adjusting Posted Appointments:

1. Drag and drop the appointment to the new time
or
2. Open the appointment, modify the time, then click Post

Adjusting Sent Appointments:

Note: Resends of recurring appointments must be done on each instance of the recurring appointment. Drag and drops of recurring appointments can be done on the first instance of the appointment to change all instances of the recurring appointment.

1. Drag and drop the appointment to the new time. When prompted to edit, choose no. The old appointment is retracted and the new one re-sent.
or
2. Select the appointment. Choose the Resend menu option. Modify the time (and other changes if desired) then click Send. Choose Yes to retract.

Adjusting Posted All-Day Events:

1. Drag/Drop the all-day event onto the same day.
or
2. Open the item, click the all-day event check box, then click Post

Adjusting Sent All-Day Events:

1. Select the all-day event. Choose the Resend menu option. Click the all-day event check box, then click Send. Choose Yes to retract.

Adjusting Received Appointments or All-Day Events:

1. Contact the event organizer and ask them to adjust and resend the item.

3. Verify and Adjusting Scheduled Events between Oct 28 and Nov 4, 2007

Use the steps detailed above as needed for any scheduled event in this time period.

Status

Top Issue

Additional Information

Sample email communication to End Users from IT

Sample E-Mail Subject Line: "IT Alert: End-User Action Required"

Dear Employee,

This message contains critical information that all employees will need to understand and act upon.

Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. and Canada has been extended by three weeks in the spring and one week in the fall. This will affect some messages sent out by GroupWise or any other collaboration email system. Appointments and other scheduled events sent out before workstations received the updated DST time zone changes may be off by one hour during the period from March 11-31 and also from October 28 to November 4.

We want to make you aware of the need to check your own calendar for appointment accuracy. There is also one change required to reset your Scheduled Work Start and End times in GroupWise.

We recommend you include the intended time of day for your appointments during this period in the subject line of each appointment you send out. This way you and your co-workers will know what time the meeting is intended to be held.

The steps detailed in the Resolution section of this TID can be modified to fit your environment and insterted here. They could also be placed in a separate document with appropriate screen shots and then attached to the email sent out to End Users.

There is also a sample document onCool Solutionsthat walks users through how to set up a GroupWise folder that will search your calendar for affected appointments during the DST time-zone changes. This may be useful to End Users in identifying which Appointments and Scheduled events require verification and adjustments.


Other references:
Cool Solutions - Daylight Saving Time Change Impacts GroupWise Appointments
TID 3802376 - NOTICE to GroupWise Customers: Daylight Saving Times - DST are Changing for most of the U.S. and Canadian Time Zones
TID 3094409 - (DST Master TID) Time zone and Daylight Saving Changes for Novell Products - 2006 and 2007