With the last vestiges of Winter behind us (well nearly) it’s time to consider the impact that the first clock change of the year has on voice recording systems.

In the realms of voice recording the importance of the biannual clock change should not be underestimated. The timestamp for an audio recording is one of it’s most important attributes. Consider the implications where a recording is being used for compliance, regulatory or legal purposes and the timestamp is adrift by an hour.

At an operational level care must be taken when the time is changed. How does the system handle the change? What happens to recordings that are currently in progress and the time is changed?

Voice recording solutions differ in the method in which they handle the time change. Some require no intervention, some require basic manual intervention and some require a comprehensive manual process. In general, adding an hour to the system clock (Spring change) is a simpler process as there is no period of time overlap. Subtracting an hour (Autumn change) can carry a greater risk due to the possibility of overlapping times. As an example, on certain solutions, it is necessary to stop recordings as part of the clock change. This ensures the integrity of recording is not compromised. Another factor to consider is time synchronisation. If the solution is centrally synchronised via NTP or via an IRIG-B source have these been configured in line with the manufacturers recommendations? How do these central time sources manage the clock changes?

The Spring and Autumn clock change periods represent two of the busiest weekends for Business Systems with planning commencing weeks in advance. Remember the first point of call should be your support organisation who will be able to advise you on the best course of action.