Expensify Report Link Bug: Pagination Problems

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Expensify Report Link Opens Report with Extra Total Pages

Hey guys! Ever stumbled upon a weird pagination issue in Expensify? Let's dive into a reported bug where a report link, when accessed through the Reports > Chats section, displays an incorrect total page count. This leads to a frustrating user experience, and we'll break down the issue, how to replicate it, and what's going on behind the scenes.

The Bug: Extra Pages in Expensify Reports

So, what's the deal? The core problem lies in how Expensify handles pagination when you access a report via a link within the Reports > Chats category. Specifically, when you follow a report link from a message like "moved this expense to...", the report incorrectly shows more pages than actually exist. For instance, instead of seeing "1 of 2" pages, you might see "2 of 15," with the extra pages being inaccessible. This discrepancy messes up the user's perception of the report's structure and can make navigation a pain.

Imagine this: You're happily using Expensify, creating reports, and keeping track of your expenses. Then, you see a notification in your chat about an expense being moved. You click the link, expecting to see the report, but bam - you're staring at pagination that suggests there's way more content than there actually is. This is not only confusing but also impacts the overall user experience. This issue has been identified across multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, and various web browsers like Chrome and Safari on both Windows and MacOS. It seems to be a widespread problem affecting users across different devices and operating systems. The bug is reproducible in both the staging and production environments, indicating that it's a persistent issue that needs immediate attention from the Expensify team.

This bug makes it harder for users to view and navigate their reports. Users might think that there are a lot more expenses than are really in the reports. This is frustrating and inefficient. A clear and concise pagination display is crucial for any application dealing with data, and Expensify needs to fix this for a better user experience. The issue highlights a need for better data handling and pagination logic within the application.

Steps to Reproduce the Expensify Report Issue

Alright, let's get into how you can reproduce this bug yourself. It's pretty straightforward, so you can see firsthand what's happening. Here's the step-by-step process:

  1. Get Started: Head over to the staging environment of Expensify (staging.new.expensify.com).
  2. Log In: Sign in with a fresh account. Make sure it's a new account to keep things clean and simple.
  3. Create a Workspace: Set up a workspace within your new account. This is where you'll be doing most of your testing.
  4. Enter the Workspace Chat: Navigate to the chat section within your newly created workspace.
  5. Create an Expense: Add an expense to kick things off. This could be anything; the details don't matter much for this bug.
  6. Open the Expense Report: Look at the expense report after you create an expense.
  7. Click the Report Field: Look for the report field in the application and click on it.
  8. Create a Report: Generate a new report. This will be the report you'll interact with.
  9. Go to Reports > Chats: Go to the reports section and then navigate to the chats. You'll see the history.
  10. Click the Report Link: Spot the message indicating your expense has been moved and click the report link within that message.

By following these steps, you should see the pagination issue where the total number of pages displayed is incorrect, with extra, inaccessible pages. This will help you understand and replicate the bug.

Expected vs. Actual Results

Let's clarify what's supposed to happen versus what actually happens. This contrast will highlight the core of the problem.

Expected Result

When you open the report link from Reports > Chats, the pagination should accurately reflect the number of reports in your account. In a fresh account with only a few reports, you should see something like "1 of 2" or similar, representing the total number of reports available.

Actual Result

Instead of the expected result, the pagination shows a higher, incorrect number. For example, you might see "2 of 15," even if you only have a couple of reports. The extra numbers indicate pages that don't exist, which leads to user confusion. This is the main point of the bug, and it makes it difficult for users to understand and navigate their reports.

Impact and Workaround

The impact of this bug might seem small, but it can create significant user experience issues, especially for those new to the platform or those who frequently rely on the report features. The inaccurate pagination makes it harder for users to view and navigate their reports, leading to confusion and frustration.

Unfortunately, there is no known workaround for this issue. Users are stuck with the incorrect page count, and there's no way to manually correct the pagination or navigate to the nonexistent pages. This makes it crucial for the Expensify team to address this promptly.

Platforms Affected and Technical Details

This issue isn't confined to a single platform, meaning it affects users across multiple devices and environments. Here’s a breakdown:

  • Android: Both the app and mWeb Chrome versions are affected.
  • iOS: This affects both the app and mWeb versions on Safari and Chrome.
  • Windows and MacOS: The issue is present on Chrome and Safari browsers.

The widespread nature of this bug suggests a core problem in the reporting and pagination system within Expensify. This system doesn't correctly calculate or display the total number of pages when reports are accessed via chat links, causing the extra pages to appear.

This broad impact on multiple platforms emphasizes the need for a comprehensive fix. The problem could stem from how the application handles data when loading reports from the chat interface. Fixing this bug requires a deeper dive into the backend processes, including the data fetching and the calculation of pagination parameters. This isn't just a simple UI issue; it affects the underlying data handling and presentation.

Conclusion: Addressing the Pagination Bug

This Expensify report link bug, with its pagination issues, is an example of an experience gap that can frustrate users and hamper their efficiency. The incorrect page counts and lack of a workaround highlight the importance of timely bug fixes in applications. The fact that the bug appears across several platforms points to a deeper issue in the application's reporting logic.

By understanding the steps to reproduce, the expected vs. actual results, and the impact, the Expensify team can now work to debug the root cause. This should include a review of the data handling and pagination logic. This will fix the bug, which is crucial for delivering a smooth and reliable user experience.

If you want to contribute, check out the contributing guidelines and reach out to contributors@expensify.com to join the Slack channel!