Challenges in different time zones not recording steps

[kittybits21]

Has there been any update to this issue? I have restarted the app, updated, etc, but challenges I've joined in different time zones don't record all my steps, even after the time for the challenge has passed and everything has synced. Will I just never be able to join a challenge in another time zone? (I have the flex)

[SunsetRunner]

@kittybits21 challenges take steps only during the timeframe of the creator's time zone. So for instance if you are doing a 1 day challenge it will run from 12am-12pm in the time zone of the creator, if you are 5 hours ahead of them your steps taken between 5am (day 1) and 5am (day 2) would be the ones that count.

If you would like to see the way the challenges work you can go to the Feature Requests Forum and search if another user has already suggested this feature.  If so vote for the idea, and if not create a new idea.  If an idea receives enough support from the community it may be implemented in future firmware/website/mobile app updates.

Please remember to take a moment to mark the post that best answers your question as the Accepted Solution and Vote for posts that are useful or provide quality content.

[kittybits21]

I've read about the challenges, and what I'm experiencing isn't being updated even after the challenge ends. I have several screenshots if it will help. I was in a workweek hustle challenge, which ended with only about 7k steps instead of the actual about 50k steps which are listed on my dashboard. For the current challenges, I have waited over four hours, and the steps still have not updated.

I've seen other posts about this, but I'm not sure if any have completely failed to update the correct number of steps or not, and if this is just my flex versus an ongoing issue which has a correction.

Thank you!

[SouthernDad]

I've got the same issue.  And it isn't because we are not intelligent enough to understand how time zones work.  It's pretty disheartening to look at your Fitbit Challenge and see you only have 700 steps or so after you take an hour's walk.  But wait, the dashboard shows 7500, the in time zone challenges show 7500, only the out of time zone ones are buggy.  No, we aren't out walking between midnight and 1 AM when the time zone difference is.

There is a problem somewhere in the Fitbit Challenge program.  I am also using a Flex.  Maybe that is a contributing factor.

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums my friends @kittybits21 @SouthernDad ! Below are possible reasons for this issue: 

1. Your steps have fully synced to our database but you're not viewing the mobile app dashboard in Live Data Mode. (Live data mode would show the word "connected" under your tracker tile). 
2. You manually logged an activity. Steps from manually logged activities do not count toward challenges; only steps recorded by your tracker or MobileTrack are counted toward challenges. 
3. You used MobileRun to track GPS data with your app. Only steps recorded by a tracker or MobileTrack are counted toward challenges. 
4. All challenge participants are not in the same time zone. 

I also recommend waiting 15 minutes after syncing your Fitbit data to see if your challenge updates.

As my friend @SunsetRunner has suggested, if you want the challenges to work in a different way, visit our Feature Request board to share your comments and ideas that can be implemented in the future.

Have a great day you all!

[SouthernDad]

All great suggestions but none of them are it.  The steps are fully synced becuase they show up in challenges that are within the time zone and they show up on the dashboard.  I'm not manually logging anything.  It's all Fitbit Flex.  No mobile run or GPS in use.

Number 4 is it.  Not all participants are in the same time zone.  However, the time zone is only -1 or -3 and none of the walking is between 12 AM - 3 AM.  This issue started for me on 5/2/2016.  Prior to that I particiapted in four to five challenges at a time.  Many across time zones, never had an issue.  Now?  If it is out of time zone, it's not recording right.

I'm not wanting the challenges to work a different way, I'm just wanting them to work.

[PA212]

I'm in a challenge with folks in a different time zone--3 hours different. reply implies my steps between 3 am and 3 am would count for the day. However, NONE of my steps are even taken during those hours. They all fall between 5:30 am and 11 pm the latest; yet the workweek hustle count for me is more than 7,000 steps shy of what I've actually taken. This is very frustrating; probably won't join another workweek challenge with another time zone.

[JuliaDarwin]

I am also having this issue and over the week lose about 700 steps a day! Did anyone find a resolution to this?? I am definitely not walking when the time zone is different as I am fast asleep!!

[rkathey]

I also have a Flex and it's not syncing steps properly for the workweek challenge. It gets about a 10th of the steps. What's more, the organizer of the event is one time zone off from mine but upon joining the challenge my mobile app says there is a 23 hours difference. 

I join the same challenge with another group and all steps are counted correctly. 

I'm on a Samsung Galaxy 7 running the Fitbit mobile app version 2.29 with a fitbit flex.

[KellyJean]

I am also having this issue.  How can the steps be off if there is a difference of only two hours due to the time zone?  The time zone difference is 2 hours, yet my steps are 6,000 off from the Dashboard.  I'd really like to know how Fitbit is calculating the steps.

[MarreFitbit]

Hey guys @SouthernDad @PA212 @JuliaDarwin @rkathey @KellyJean, it's nice to see you around! Challenges take steps only during the timeframe of the creator's time zone. So for instance if you are doing a 1 day challenge it will run from 12am-12pm in the time zone of the creator, if you are 5 hours ahead of them your steps taken between 5am (day 1) and 5am (day 2) would be the ones that count.

But let me say it's a great suggestion. We're constantly striving to improve Fitbit products and services, and we very much appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. The best place to make your voice heard is our Feature Suggestion board, which our product development teams consult regularly to ensure we're delivering on what our customers need and want. Please take a moment to visit and give us your feedback. 

I've found the suggestion "No Timezone Challenges" that another member has created.  If you find that one similar of what you would like to implement, you can vote for the idea and add your comments. Our product team looks forward to reading and incorporating your suggestions into future versions of Fitbit trackers and apps. 

Thank you so much for your feedback and for participating in our community!

[rkathey]

This has not been my experience. I regularly participate in the Workweek
Hustle and barely have any steps counted for the entire week. Also the
creators are in the Eastern Time Zone while I'm in Central so that should
only be 1 hour difference

Something is wrong with the current software.

[Imtovar2]

I understand what you are saying. It should work that way, but it doesn't. The time zone difference isn't a problem. I understand how it's supposed to work. It doesn't . Quit giving the run around. Fix the software.

[RobertoME]

Hello @rkathey and welcome aboard to our Fitbit Community @Imtovar2. Thank you for your feedback and your comments. I will make sure to pass your feedback within our teams so it can be review it.

I know you are quite familiar on how it works the challenges, although there are other factors that can affect the step count, beyond the timezone.

1. Your steps have fully synced to our database but you're not viewing the mobile app dashboard in Live Data Mode. (Live data mode is when your tracker is connected to your app showing information in real time) 
2. You manually logged an activity. Steps from manually logged activities do not count toward challenges; only steps recorded by your tracker or MobileTrack are counted toward challenges. 
3. You used MobileRun to track GPS data with your app. Only steps recorded by a tracker or MobileTrack are counted toward challenges.

Once again thank you for bring this issue to our attention and let me know if you have more questions.

[Jacquelynkeeney]

This problem has nothing to do with the time zone differences, but has to do with a software issue. I am in two work week hustles, one in EST and one in CST, and the steps that are syncing are way off in each challenge. I am in EST, and my challenge in EST is updating just fine with the steps matching my dashboard. However, the challenge I am in that is hosted in CST does not accurately show my steps. I'm not walking from 12 AM - 1 AM, because I am sleeping and no steps are recorded during those hours according to my dashboard, so the time zone difference has no effect on this issue and shouldn't be off on the CST challenge by over 5,000 steps. No amount of waiting for data to show up, restarting my tracker, restarting the app, or restarting my phone fix this major step difference. I am not manually logging any activity, I am not using an outside running app, and I do have my fitibit connected in "live data mode". Please find a way to fix the broken challenges in different time zones.

[perryrhame]

I'm having the exact same issues as the above people. The challenges are only counting about 12% of my total steps. I'm also using a FLex. I've been competing across time zones for over a year now and never had this issue before. After going back and forth with support, I was told that they just don't work across time zones. Which isn't true because it works for most accross time zones except a select few people that have the flex. Fitbit is being dishonest and giving us all the run around.

[Nannycafe]

My dashboard shows 6000+ steps, my weekend challenge shows 4000+. Why is this

[RobertoME]

Hello @Nannycafe, welcome aboard to the Fitbit Community. Have you review my previous post about the possible reasons why your steps are not fully syncing with your challenges?

For more details about challenges please take a look at this post: iOS Challenges Explained.

Please let me know if the issue is related to any of the previous explanations from this thread.

[Jacquelynkeeney]

Your answer does not help. Please see my above comment and Fitbit needs to find a way to fix the software. 

[Sbelley]

Same issue here.