diff --git a/devdocs/specs/core-time-and-dates.txt b/devdocs/specs/core-time-and-dates.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4b9cebb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devdocs/specs/core-time-and-dates.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+TIME (DATE AND TIME handling)
+
+RAVEN stores all times and dates in UTC in DB and internally all is UTC
+User has a timezone offset setting which is used to format dates for display at the client
+Dates coming from the client are all assumed to be in UTC format (i.e. converted at the client from input)
+TimeZoneOffset is also used for relative date filters in list filter retrieval.
+    - i.e. "NextMonth" is assumed to be client relative, so the server will use their offset to calculate what next month meens to them in the query builder
diff --git a/server/AyaNova/Startup.cs b/server/AyaNova/Startup.cs
index 03b04bb0..75cf63de 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/Startup.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/Startup.cs
@@ -355,11 +355,12 @@ namespace AyaNova
                     var ct = context.RequestServices.GetService<AyContext>();
 
                     //get the user record
-                    var u = ct.User.AsNoTracking().Where(a => a.Id == userId).Select(m => new { roles = m.Roles, name = m.Name, id = m.Id, localeId = m.LocaleId }).First();
+                    var u = ct.User.AsNoTracking().Where(a => a.Id == userId).Select(m => new { roles = m.Roles, name = m.Name, id = m.Id, localeId = m.LocaleId, tzOffset = m.UserOptions.TimeZoneOffset }).First();
                     context.Request.HttpContext.Items["AY_ROLES"] = u.roles;
                     context.Request.HttpContext.Items["AY_USERNAME"] = u.name;
                     context.Request.HttpContext.Items["AY_USER_ID"] = u.id;
                     context.Request.HttpContext.Items["AY_LOCALE_ID"] = u.localeId;
+                    context.Request.HttpContext.Items["AY_USER_TZ_OFFSET"] = u.tzOffset;
 
 
 
diff --git a/server/AyaNova/biz/FilterSqlCriteriaBuilder.cs b/server/AyaNova/biz/FilterSqlCriteriaBuilder.cs
index 6f0ea5be..5d1a751b 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/biz/FilterSqlCriteriaBuilder.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/biz/FilterSqlCriteriaBuilder.cs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
     public static class FilterSqlCriteriaBuilder
     {
         //"SELECT *, xmin FROM AWIDGET name Like 'BoolDataFilterTest%' AND active = true AND "
-        public static string DataFilterToSQLCriteria(AyaNova.Models.DataFilter dataFilter, FilterOptions filterOptions)
+        public static string DataFilterToSQLCriteria(AyaNova.Models.DataFilter dataFilter, FilterOptions filterOptions, decimal timeZoneOffset)
         {
 
             if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(dataFilter.Filter))
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
 
                 var dataType = filterOptions.Flds.Find(x => x.Fld == fld).Type;
 
-                sb.Append(DataFilterToColumnCriteria(fld, dataType, opType, val, tagList));
+                sb.Append(DataFilterToColumnCriteria(fld, dataType, opType, val, tagList, timeZoneOffset));
                 if (i < FilterArray.Count - 1)
                 {
                     sb.Append(" AND ");
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
         /// <summary>
         /// Translate DataFilter to Postgres friendly SQL criteria
         /// </summary>
-        private static string DataFilterToColumnCriteria(string sColumn, string sDataType, string sOperator, string sValue, List<string> sTags)//, bool IsCompound)
+        private static string DataFilterToColumnCriteria(string sColumn, string sDataType, string sOperator, string sValue, List<string> sTags, decimal timeZoneOffset)//, bool IsCompound)
         {
             bool TagFilter = sTags.Count < 0;
             StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
diff --git a/server/AyaNova/models/UserOptions.cs b/server/AyaNova/models/UserOptions.cs
index 81963bb8..e564448f 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/models/UserOptions.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/models/UserOptions.cs
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ namespace AyaNova.Models
         //-------------
         [EmailAddress]
         public string EmailAddress { get; set; }
+        /// <summary>
+        /// As of today Dec 10 2018 all time zones in the world are either on the hour, half hour or 45 minute mark from utc so
+        /// keeping this value as decimal hours for back compatibility with v7 and easier for user to enter
+        /// 8.5 for 8:30 time difference or 12.75 for 12:45 time differnce for example
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <value></value>
         public decimal TimeZoneOffset { get; set; }
         public int UiColor { get; set; }