PerformedAt

PerformedAt is a field name commonly used in data models, logs, and APIs to record the exact time an action was executed. It represents the moment at which an operation actually occurred, as opposed to when the request was created or queued. In practice, performedAt is typically implemented as a timestamp.

In most systems, performedAt is stored as a datetime value with a time zone, usually in UTC to avoid ambiguity. Representations include ISO 8601 strings (for example, 2024-12-01T15:30:00Z) or Unix epoch timestamps. The naming convention varies by language and database: camelCase performedAt in JavaScript contexts and snake_case performed_at in many databases or JSON payloads.

Semantics matters: performedAt should reflect the true execution time of the action. It may be null or omitted if the action has not yet occurred, is scheduled for a future time, or cannot be determined. It is distinct from related fields such as createdAt (when the record was created), startedAt (when processing began), or completedAt (when processing finished).

Common considerations include consistency in naming, appropriate indexing for query performance, and consistent timezone handling. Validation should ensure the value is a valid timestamp when present. When designing APIs or schemas, decide whether performedAt is required or optional and document its meaning to avoid confusion.

Example:

{

"id": "evt_123",

"action": "payment",

"performedAt": "2024-12-01T15:30:00Z"

}