Use metric units
The metric system is the world standard for measurement. If the main audience for your communication is an international audience, use metric units first, followed by the US equivalent shown in parentheses. In the few cases where the US system is the world standard, those units can be shown first, followed by metric equivalents, if they also apply.
Example: Our office and factory complex is 28 km (17 miles) west of Newark International Airport.
Define dates and time precisely
The Gregorian calendar is used in business throughout most of the world today but the ways of expressing dates and times vary greatly. Misunderstandings about dates are easily avoided by simply spelling the month whenever possible. March 8, 1998 or 8 March 1998 instead of 3/8/98. Most Europeans would understand 3/8/98 as August 3, 1998.
How to express the time of day can also present a problem. The twenty-four hour (or UTC) clock is a good convention. If you prefer the twelve-hour clock, then be sure to use AM or PM as well.
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