# Understand a UUID v7 timestamp

Read an encoded UTC timestamp while keeping its device-clock and provenance limits clear.

Source: https://help.smartfact.ai/guidbench/guides/uuid-time

Audience: Operator

Read an encoded UTC timestamp while keeping its device-clock and provenance limits clear. This is isolated practice with invented records. Nothing is uploaded or written into a live system.

## Understand a UUID v7 timestamp

1. **Open UUID inspection**

   Open UUID inspection.

   Inspection reads a value’s structure. It does not verify who generated it or whether another system has used it.

2. **Enter a time-bearing UUID**

   Enter a time-bearing UUID.

   Read the timestamp encoded in this supplied UUID v7. This is separate from generating a new identifier.

3. **Read the encoded UTC time**

   Read the encoded UTC time.

   Embedded time is the timestamp stored in the identifier. It does not certify when a business event happened or whether the generating clock was accurate.

[Watch or practise this chapter](https://help.smartfact.ai/guidbench/demo?guide=uuid-time&chapter=uuid-time&audience=office)

Review the result and its limits before using it in another application.