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Slot: Run Timestamp (UTC) (run_timestamp_utc)

When the run started (UTC).

Tier: recommended

Why this slot matters

The timestamp orders runs within the provenance chain and lets auditors match the record against external logs and the state of upstream data sources at that moment. Without it, "which run produced this file" can become undecidable.

In plain terms

Simply when the program started, expressed on a single worldwide clock (UTC) so that times recorded on different machines in different time zones line up.

URI: envar:slot/run_timestamp_utc

Applicable Classes

Name Description Modifies Slot
ToolRun A single tool invocation that produced an output from one or more inputs: too... no

Properties

Type and Range

Property Value
Range datetime
Domain Of ToolRun

Cardinality and Requirements

Property Value

Examples

Value
2026-05-23T14:18:42Z

See Also

Identifier and Mapping Information

Annotations

property value
tier recommended
justification The timestamp orders runs within the provenance chain and lets auditors match the record against external logs and the state of upstream data sources at that moment. Without it, "which run produced this file" can become undecidable.
explanation Simply when the program started, expressed on a single worldwide clock (UTC) so that times recorded on different machines in different time zones line up.
covered_by None

Schema Source

Mappings

Mapping Type Mapped Value
self envar:run_timestamp_utc
native envar:run_timestamp_utc

LinkML Source

name: run_timestamp_utc
annotations:
  tier:
    tag: tier
    value: recommended
  justification:
    tag: justification
    value: The timestamp orders runs within the provenance chain and lets auditors
      match the record against external logs and the state of upstream data sources
      at that moment. Without it, "which run produced this file" can become undecidable.
  explanation:
    tag: explanation
    value: Simply when the program started, expressed on a single worldwide clock
      (UTC) so that times recorded on different machines in different time zones line
      up.
  covered_by:
    tag: covered_by
    annotations:
      omop_gaia:
        tag: omop_gaia
        annotations:
          extent:
            tag: extent
            value: partial
          status:
            tag: status
            value: asserted
          where:
            tag: where
            value: gaia_db data_source.created_at/updated_at and location.created_at
              (load time, not run timestamp)
          note:
            tag: note
            value: Gaia records per-row load times, which approximate but are not
              the tool-run start timestamp.
      degauss:
        tag: degauss
        annotations:
          extent:
            tag: extent
            value: absent
          status:
            tag: status
            value: asserted
          where:
            tag: where
            value: no column
          note:
            tag: note
            value: Only OS file mtime is available; no run timestamp is emitted.
      amadeus:
        tag: amadeus
        annotations:
          extent:
            tag: extent
            value: partial
          status:
            tag: status
            value: asserted
          where:
            tag: where
            value: thredds_response_headers.json HTTP Date header
          note:
            tag: note
            value: The HTTP Date header is the only timestamp captured, recoverable
              but not a first-class run-timestamp field.
      cher:
        tag: cher
        annotations:
          extent:
            tag: extent
            value: partial
          status:
            tag: status
            value: asserted
          where:
            tag: where
            value: table_dictionary.metadata_created_at/metadata_updated_at (metadata
              time, not producing-run time)
          note:
            tag: note
            value: C-HER stamps metadata create/update times, which are registration
              times, not the producing tool-run timestamp.
      codata:
        tag: codata
        annotations:
          extent:
            tag: extent
            value: out_of_layer
          status:
            tag: status
            value: asserted
          where:
            tag: where
            value: no column
          note:
            tag: note
            value: Run timestamp is instance-layer; out of scope for CODATA.
description: When the run started (UTC).
title: Run Timestamp (UTC)
examples:
- value: '2026-05-23T14:18:42Z'
from_schema: https://w3id.org/linkml/microschemas/envar
see_also:
- https://www.w3.org/TR/prov-o/
rank: 1000
domain_of:
- ToolRun
range: datetime