To globalize information for time and place, use the guidelines
in the following table.
Guideline
More information
Use international time formats.
Do not use A.M. and P.M. notation unless you have
no other choice. Use 24-hour time format.
If you give a time for an event, include the time
zone and the corresponding GMT zone.
Microsoft
style
13:00 Eastern Time
(UTC5)
Begin calendars on Monday, not Sunday.
This is the custom in much of the
world.
Spell out names of months.
Use the format month dd, yyyy.
Microsoft
style
January 5, 2011
Do
not use numbers to represent months. For example, do not use
6/12/2011. This example could be read in different parts of
the world as June 12, 2011, or as December 6,
2011.
Do not refer to seasons unless you have no other
choice.
Remember, summer in the northern hemisphere is
winter in the southern hemisphere. Use months or calendar
quarters instead. If you must mention a season in other than
the most general way, establish which hemisphere you are
referring to.
Microsoft
style
The product is scheduled for
release in July.
The event takes place in northern summer.
Flowers
bloom in the spring.
Not Microsoft style
The product is scheduled for release in
summer.
Include the country or region name in event
locations.
None.
Do not name countries, regions, cities, or land
features in disputed areas.
Errors in names of disputed territory can be
highly offensive and even illegal in some
countries.
For more information, see A.M., P.M.; Dates; Time
zones.