Expensify Scan-Split Issue: Multiple Expenses Confirmation

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Expensify Scan-Split Expense with Scan Bug: Multiple Expenses on Confirmation Page

Hey Expensify users, have you encountered a frustrating issue with the scan-split expense feature? It seems like a bug is causing multiple expenses to appear on the confirmation page after scanning and splitting an expense within a group chat. Let's dive into the details of this problem, how to reproduce it, and what to expect.

Understanding the Expensify Scan-Split Bug

This bug primarily affects the scan-split expense feature within group chats on the Expensify platform. The core problem is that instead of creating a single split expense, the system generates multiple entries on the confirmation page. This can lead to confusion and incorrect expense tracking, making it a significant issue for users relying on Expensify for accurate financial management. The bug appears to be triggered by specific actions taken during the split expense creation process, specifically when using the 'Create 3 expense' option.

To give you a better grasp of this issue, let's break it down further. When users scan a receipt and choose to split the expense among multiple participants, they typically expect a single, consolidated expense report. However, the bug causes the system to generate three separate expense entries, leading to inflated numbers and a messy interface. It's like the system is multiplying the intended expense entries, rather than creating the desired split. This is definitely not the experience we want, right? Nobody wants to spend extra time fixing errors or clarifying expenses. The user experience is heavily impacted by this bug, and needs fixing.

Now, let's get into the specifics of how this problem comes about. The steps in the 'Action Performed' section provides a very clear path to trigger the bug. In this scenario, users are creating a group chat and splitting an expense using the scan function. This involves uploading a receipt, selecting the split options, and then attempting to create multiple expenses.

The implications of this bug are considerable. Besides the obvious annoyance of duplicate entries, it compromises the integrity of financial reports. This could potentially affect budgeting, reconciliation, and other critical financial tasks. If your expenses are all over the place, it is difficult to keep track of where the money is going.

Steps to Reproduce the Expensify Scan-Split Bug

To fully understand and replicate the issue, follow these steps. Remember, the details are super important for troubleshooting and helping the Expensify team fix the bug.

Preconditions

  • Make sure you've already created a group chat within the Expensify app.
  • Have the SmartScan functionality available for splitting expenses.

Action Steps

  1. Open Expensify: Start by logging into your Expensify account through either the web application (staging.new.expensify.com) or the mobile app.
  2. Navigate to Group Chat: Access the group chat where you want to split the expense. This is where the magic (or the bug) happens!
  3. Open a Split Expense Report: Find a previously split expense report in the group chat. This helps to establish the context for the bug.
  4. Return to the Group Chat: Go back to the main chat interface within the group.
  5. Start a Split Expense with Scan: Initiate the process to split an expense using the scan feature. This is where you upload a receipt and set up the split.
  6. Upload a Receipt: Upload a receipt to be scanned using the built-in scanner. This will extract the necessary information for the expense.
  7. Create Multiple Expenses (Step 1): At the 2/3 stage of the splitting process, click the 'Create 3 expenses' button. This should ideally create one split expense, but due to the bug, it causes issues.
  8. Create Multiple Expenses (Step 2): Swipe to the 1/3 stage, and click 'Create 3 expenses'. No actions happen here, this is one of the behaviors of the bug.
  9. Create Multiple Expenses (Step 3): Swipe to the 3/3 stage, and click 'Create 3 expenses'. This should finalize the expense splitting, but in reality, duplicates the entries.

By following these steps, you should be able to reproduce the bug and witness the multiple expenses on the confirmation page. It's crucial to document these steps accurately so that the development team can find and squash the bug for good.

Expected vs. Actual Results

Understanding the difference between what's supposed to happen and what actually happens is key to understanding the severity of the bug.

Expected Result

When you complete the steps, the expected result is straightforward: there should only be one split expense created and displayed on the confirmation page. This is the desired outcome where the expense is accurately split among the selected participants, with no extra entries cluttering the view. This maintains the integrity of expense reports and makes it easy to track and manage finances efficiently. The goal is a clear, concise, and accurate representation of the shared expense.

Actual Result

Unfortunately, the actual result deviates from the expected outcome. Instead of a single split expense, the confirmation page shows three separate expense entries. This is where the problem lies. The system isn't functioning as intended. The duplicated entries create confusion. The user might think they've made a mistake or that the system has glitches. This discrepancy highlights the severity of the bug and the need for a resolution.

When you click the 'Create 3 expenses' button at different stages, unexpected behavior occurs. At step 7, you might encounter an error message saying, 'Please select a participant.' At step 8, nothing seems to happen. Then, at step 9, the expense is successfully created, but with duplicate entries. This broken flow disrupts the user experience and impacts the usability of the app.

Workarounds and Impact

Since this issue is impacting users' ability to accurately record expenses, a workaround is crucial to help people manage their expenses. Currently, there is no known workaround for this bug. Users must take extra steps to fix this issue.

The absence of a workaround means users have to manually correct the errors, leading to more time and effort to use the app. This is not ideal because people don't want to spend extra time fixing errors or clarifying expenses. The user experience is heavily impacted by this bug and needs to be fixed. The impact of this bug can be huge for teams and individuals managing shared expenses. It can cause inaccurate financial reports, delays in expense reconciliation, and overall reduced efficiency.

Technical Details and Platforms Affected

  • Version Number: v9.2.57-0
  • Reproducible in staging?: Yes
  • Reproducible in production?: Yes

The bug has been identified in both the staging and production environments, making it a high-priority issue. The bug has been confirmed on the following platforms:

  • Android App and mWeb Chrome
  • iOS App, mWeb Safari, and mWeb Chrome
  • Windows Chrome

This means that the problem is not limited to a specific operating system or browser, further emphasizing the widespread impact of the bug. It affects users across multiple platforms, making it a critical issue to address.

Conclusion and Next Steps

In conclusion, the Expensify scan-split expense bug is a significant issue that needs immediate attention. The bug causes multiple expenses to appear on the confirmation page, which leads to inaccurate financial reporting and a frustrating user experience. The bug has been reproduced in both staging and production environments across multiple platforms, highlighting its widespread impact.

To resolve this problem, the Expensify development team must investigate the root cause of the bug and implement a fix. The detailed steps to reproduce the bug, along with the expected and actual results, should help the team quickly identify the problem. It would also be great to find out why the 'Please select a participant' message is triggered during the process.

For the users, keeping an eye on updates, and reporting any additional issues are the best next steps. Your reports can help the Expensify team stay on top of issues and improve the overall app experience. The community plays a vital role in identifying, reporting, and helping to fix the bugs. Together, the users and the developers, can create a smoother and more reliable expense tracking system.

By following these steps, we can hopefully see a fix and a smoother experience in the future!