How Break Message Parses the Return Time

Break Message does not parse your return time itself — it hands the value to your browser's built-in time parser. That means the formats you can use depend on which browser you are running, not on the site. In practice, any browser should accept a 24-hour time in your local time zone (for example 12:34 or 6:54:32), and you can switch to UTC by appending a Z after the time.

What "parsed by your browser" actually means

When you type a return time into the message field, Break Message passes that string to the browser's date/time parsing function. The browser decides whether the string is valid and converts it into a concrete moment. Because different browser brands implement this parsing slightly differently, the exact set of accepted strings can vary from one browser to another.

The practical consequence: if a time format works in one browser but not another, that is expected behavior, not a bug in the site.

Formats that should work everywhere

The page states that essentially any browser should work with:

• Military (24-hour) time in your local time zone — e.g. 12:34, 6:54:32
• UTC time — the same 24-hour format with a Z appended, e.g. 12:34Z

The examples shown on the page are 12:34 and 6:54:32, which confirms that both hour:minute and hour:minute:second forms are intended inputs.

Local time vs. UTC

If you are coordinating with people in another time zone, using the Z suffix removes ambiguity about which zone you meant.

How to set it up

1. Open Break Message and enter your message text.
2. Type your return time in the message field using a 24-hour format such as 12:34 or 6:54:32.
3. Add Z after the time if you want it read as UTC (e.g. 12:34Z).
4. Check the result in your own browser before relying on it — since parsing is browser-dependent, the only reliable test is the browser you will actually use.

Expected result: the browser resolves your string into a return time and displays it as part of the break message.

Common snags

• 12-hour times with AM/PM: the page only guarantees 24-hour formats, so a 12-hour string may or may not parse depending on your browser.
• Assuming one browser's behavior applies to all: a format that works in your browser may fail in a colleague's. Stick to the documented 24-hour forms for the widest compatibility.
• Forgetting the Z: without it, the time is treated as local, which can shift the meaning for anyone reading it from another zone.

Ending the break

Once the message is showing, you can end it by double-clicking or pressing X. Pressing F toggles full-screen mode. These controls are separate from the time parsing and work the same regardless of which format you used.