The MM\DD\YY v/s the DD\MM\YY debate

In my company * we have a web based leave application system. All planned leaves have to be applied through a web based system. The system then sends an automated email to the boss. The boss can the approve/reject the leave

It was late Dec 2007 and I applied for a 2 days off in early Jan 2008; within 2 mins the boss approved it.

Fast forward to 7th Jan 2008 (my day off from work)

Its 12:30 pm and the boss gives a call on my cell (he always calls me from his cell and never from the office line)
Dilbert: Hello
Boss: हल्लू हम boss बात कर रहे है |
Dilbert: (I know its you... I have your number saved in my phone book) Yes Boss tell me whats the matter.
Boss: Are you coming in late today ?
Dilbert: (Lost !!!) Late ??? I am on leave, I won't be coming to office today.
Boss: But you should have called me up to inform about this unplanned leave.
Dilbert: I have already applied for a leave.
Boss: हें Wait.. I will check हें .
Dilbert: (Shaking head in disgust)
Boss: No I can't see anything in the pending approval list
Dilbert: (By now almost gone red) Boss.. it won't be in pending list, you have already approved it.
Boss: Is it ? I will have a look हें
Boss: No I don't see todays date in the approved list !
Dilbert: (Cursing his fate for having such an idiot as his boss) Ok boss, I will check again and call you back.


Immediately Dilbert gives a call to Wally
Dilbert: Hi
Wally: Hi!
Dilbert: Can you do me a favor login to leave application system with X username and Y password and check if todays leave is approved
Wally: Sure. (Logs in to the system). Bingo !! Yes its applied and approved
Dilbert: Can you sow this to the boss ! he has gone blind. According to him, I have not applied for a leave.
Wally:Ok. I will do that
Dilbert: Thanks. Give me a call later.
Wally:Sure

In the mean time the boss went to Asok's desk.
Boss: See people should plan for leaves in advance हें . If they are not coming to work, they should inform their managers. If some one doesn't come to office by noon without intimation then HR will take action against that person
Asok: Gives a sarcastic smile

Wally sees the boss at Asok's desk and gives him a shout
Wally: Hey ! boss. Can you come here
Boss: Yes Wally.
Wally:Dilbert asked me to login to leave application system with his credentials. And the shows the leave as approved!
Boss: (Totally confused.) strange हें
Wally:(Whats so strange in this ?)

Boss goes back to his desk, re-checks the system and then comes smiling to Asok's desk again..

Boss: हें confusion हें mmddyy and ddmmyy हें
Asok: (He has already given up. Again gives up a sarcastic smile)


The leave application system shows 3 columns
Start date/End Date/Number of days

Now if the boss did get confused (which happens in every matter), then he should have also looked at the Number of days column.

Dilbert had applied for leave on 7th and 8 Jan (2 days). Boss interpreted the leave to start from 1 Jul and end on 1 Aug, however Number of days column still showed 1 !!

Boss calls Dilbert from his cell

Boss: हल्लू हम boss बात कर रहे है हें
Dilbert: (I know its you... idiot !!! I have your number saved in my phone book) Tell me...
Boss: Problem has been resolved हें
Dilbert:Ok (Was not at all interested in what was the problem and wanted to hang up). Ok. Bye
Boss: The problem was with mm/dd/yy
Dilbert: (Has no clue and is least interested)Ok. Thanks. Lets discuss this when I am in office
Boss: हे
Dilbert:Bye. (hangs up)

If you think that a normal person can get confused with date formats, then yes I do agree that 1st time you can get confused, however the boss has been using the system for over an year ! Also if you want to grant some one a leave you need to know the duration/start end date. The boss just approved/rejects leaves based on unknown parameters.

People learn through mistakes. However our boss just keeps doing the same mistakes over and over again.

If this episode was not enough, boss repeated this with Wally too.

To avoid causing confusion/trauma to our boss we (the engineers) have decided not to take leave from 1st to 12th of the month