Expensify: Tracked Expenses Not Showing For Merge - How To Fix

by Kenji Nakamura 63 views

Hey guys! Let's dive into this issue where expense tracking isn't showing up correctly when trying to merge expenses in Expensify. We'll break down the problem, look at the steps to reproduce it, and discuss potential solutions. If you're new to contributing, make sure to check out the contributing guidelines and feel free to reach out to [email protected] to join our Slack channel. Let's get started!

Issue Overview

Expense tracking is a crucial feature in Expensify, allowing users to monitor and manage their expenses effectively. The ability to merge expenses is equally important, streamlining the process of combining similar expenses for better organization and reporting. However, a bug has surfaced where tracked expenses aren't displaying as expected during the merge process, specifically affecting self direct messages (DMs). This issue disrupts the user experience and can lead to inaccuracies in expense management. When users cannot see tracked expenses in the merge list, they are unable to combine related expenses, defeating the purpose of the merge functionality. This not only adds extra steps to expense management but also increases the potential for errors.

To address this problem, it's essential to understand the context in which it occurs. The issue is reproducible in staging, which provides a safe environment for testing and debugging without affecting the live production environment. This allows developers to identify the root cause and implement a fix with confidence. Additionally, the bug was caught during regression testing, highlighting the importance of comprehensive testing in ensuring software quality. Regression testing specifically aims to detect unexpected side effects resulting from recent code changes, making it an effective method for catching such issues. To further illustrate the issue, screenshots and videos have been provided, offering a visual representation of the problem. This visual evidence is invaluable for developers, enabling them to see the issue firsthand and understand its impact on the user interface.

Key Technical Details

Here are the technical details of the issue:

  • Version Number: 9.1.91-0
  • Reproducible in staging?: Yes
  • Reproducible in production?: N/A - new feature, doesn't exist in prod
  • Regression Test: https://github.com/Expensify/App/pull/65596
  • Affected Tester: [email protected]
  • Reported by: Applause Internal Team
  • Device Used: Mac 15.5 / Chrome
  • App Component: Money Requests

Steps to Reproduce

To replicate the issue, follow these steps:

  1. Precondition: Ensure the account has a self DM (Direct Message).
  2. Go to staging.new.expensify.com
  3. Navigate to the self DM.
  4. Track two manual expenses. This involves creating and saving two separate expense entries.
  5. Open any tracked expense. This is the expense you want to potentially merge with another.
  6. Click More > Merge. This action initiates the merge process, where you would expect to see a list of expenses that can be merged.

Expected vs. Actual Result

  • Expected Result: The self DM tracked expenses should appear in the expense list, as per the original design (OD behavior). This means you should see the expenses you tracked in step 4 listed as potential merge candidates.
  • Actual Result: The self DM tracked expenses do not show up in the expense list when trying to merge. This is the core of the issue, as the expenses are not being displayed, making it impossible to merge them.

The discrepancy between the expected and actual results indicates a clear bug in the system. The merge functionality is not working as intended, which affects the user's ability to manage their expenses efficiently. This issue needs to be addressed to ensure a smooth and accurate expense tracking experience.

Impact and Workaround

Impact of the Issue

The main impact of this issue is that users cannot merge their self DM tracked expenses. This not only affects the user experience but also the efficiency of expense management. When expenses cannot be merged, users may have to deal with fragmented records, making it harder to reconcile and report expenses accurately. The inability to merge expenses also contradicts the intended functionality of Expensify, which aims to simplify and streamline expense management processes.

The overall user experience suffers when core features like expense merging do not function correctly. Users may become frustrated with the application and seek alternative solutions, which can negatively impact Expensify's reputation and user retention. Therefore, addressing this issue is crucial for maintaining user satisfaction and the integrity of the application.

Current Workaround

Unfortunately, at this time, there is no known workaround for this issue. This means that users are directly impacted and cannot use the merge functionality for their self DM tracked expenses. The absence of a workaround further emphasizes the need for a prompt resolution to restore the application's functionality and user experience.

Developers will need to investigate the root cause of the problem and implement a fix as quickly as possible. In the meantime, users will have to manage their expenses without the convenience of merging, which can be a time-consuming and error-prone process.

Affected Platforms

This issue affects multiple platforms, indicating a widespread problem that needs immediate attention. Here’s a breakdown of the affected platforms:

  • [x] Android: App
  • [x] Android: mWeb Chrome
  • [x] iOS: App
  • [ ] iOS: mWeb Safari
  • [x] iOS: mWeb Chrome
  • [ ] Windows: Chrome
  • [x] MacOS: Chrome / Safari
  • [x] MacOS: Desktop

The widespread nature of the issue suggests that the problem lies in the core logic of the application, rather than being specific to a particular platform or browser. This means that a comprehensive solution is required to address the issue across all affected platforms. Testing on various platforms is essential to ensure that the fix works correctly and does not introduce new issues.

Visual Evidence

To better understand the issue, a screenshot/video has been provided:

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/805f19c8-291d-4262-a9c6-ac6439711295

This visual evidence helps developers and other stakeholders to see the issue firsthand. It provides a clear and concise representation of the problem, making it easier to understand the impact on the user interface and the overall user experience. The video demonstration shows the exact steps taken to reproduce the issue and the resulting behavior, which is invaluable for troubleshooting and debugging.

Open Jobs on GitHub

If you’re interested in contributing to Expensify and helping to resolve issues like this, you can find a list of open jobs on GitHub:

View all open jobs on GitHub

This is a great opportunity to get involved in the Expensify community and make a positive impact. By contributing, you can help improve the application and ensure that users have a seamless experience. There are various roles and responsibilities available, so you can find a position that matches your skills and interests.

Conclusion

In summary, the issue of expense track expenses not showing for merge is a significant bug that affects multiple platforms and disrupts the user experience. The inability to merge expenses in self DMs makes expense management more difficult and time-consuming. With no current workaround available, it’s crucial to address this issue promptly. The steps to reproduce the bug are clear, and visual evidence is provided to aid in understanding the problem. If you’re looking to contribute to Expensify, check out the open jobs on GitHub and help us make Expensify even better! Let's work together to resolve this and ensure a smooth experience for all users.