[Due for payment 2025-12-04] [$250] LHN - Workspace chat remains bold after deleting an empty report with messages.

[jponikarchuk]

If you haven’t already, check out our contributing guidelines for onboarding and email contributors@expensify.com to request to join our Slack channel!

---

Version Number: 9.1.77-1
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: Yes
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from TestRail: https://expensify.testrail.io/index.php?/tests/view/6436085&group_by=cases:section_id&group_order=asc&group_id=389197
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): ibellicotest+1254@gmail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Device used: Motorola MotoG60 - Android 12 - Chrome (mWeb - Hybrid App) / Windows 10 - Chrome
App Component: Left Hand Navigation (LHN)

Action Performed:

1. Open the Expensify app.
2. Tap on FAB and create a new workspace.
3. Without opening workspace chat, tap on FAB and select "Create Report"
4. Once navigated to the empty report, send a message in it.
5. Tap on "More" and delete the report.
6. When redirected to inbox, note that workspace chat is still displayed bold, despite not having any unread message or expense in it.

Expected Result:

After deleting a new created report with messages in it, workspace chat shouldn´t remain displayed bold on LHN, as the chat does not have any unread message or new expense.

Actual Result:

After deleting a new created report with messages in it, workspace chat remains displayed bold in LHN, despite not having any unread message or new expense.
This issue reproduces if workspace chat is not opened before the creation of the report.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

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

Screenshots/Videos

1.mp4

View all open jobs on GitHub

Upwork Automation - Do Not Edit

• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021942716624183612068
• Upwork Job ID: 1942716624183612068
• Last Price Increase: 2025-07-08
• Automatic offers:
• linhvovan29546 | Contributor | 108051946

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @mallenexpensify

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @mallenexpensify (Bug), see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/14418 for more details. Please add this bug to a GH project, as outlined in the SO.

[linhvovan29546]

Proposal

Please re-state the problem that we are trying to solve in this issue.

LHN - Workspace chat remains bold after deleting an empty report with messages.

What is the root cause of that problem?

The unread logic is calculated here:

App/src/libs/SidebarUtils.ts

Line 590 in 30d781e

result.isUnread = isUnread(report, oneTransactionThreadReport) && !!report.lastActorAccountID;

When a report is created, we set optimistic data here:

App/src/libs/actions/Report.ts

Line 2834 in 30d781e

const {optimisticReportName, parentReportID, reportPreviewAction, optimisticData, successData, failureData} = buildNewReportOptimisticData(

App/src/libs/actions/Report.ts

Lines 2736 to 2740 in 30d781e

	{
	onyxMethod: Onyx.METHOD.MERGE,
	key: `${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT}${parentReport?.reportID}`,
	value: {lastVisibleActionCreated: optimisticReportPreview.created},
	},

Currently, we only optimistically update lastVisibleActionCreated. As a result, the logic inside isUnread returns true because lastReadTime < lastVisibleActionCreated, causing the unread in the LHN.
So the unread status in the LHN occurs before the empty report is deleted.

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

I don't think the workspace should appear as unread in the LHN when create a report.
We optimistically update lastVisibleActionCreated to handle auto-scrolling to the bottom when creating a report via attachment. However, we should only set this optimistic data when shouldNotifyNewAction is true:

App/src/libs/actions/Report.ts

Lines 2847 to 2849 in 30d781e

	if (shouldNotifyNewAction) {
	notifyNewAction(parentReportID, creatorPersonalDetails.accountID, reportPreviewAction);
	}

To achieve this, we can pass shouldNotifyNewAction to buildNewReportOptimisticData, and only update the optimistic data for the report when that value is true:

// Note: We will move this data outside of optimisticData and use if statement.
if (shouldNotifyNewAction) {
    optimisticData.push({
        onyxMethod: Onyx.METHOD.MERGE,
        key: `${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT}${parentReport?.reportID}`,
        value: {lastVisibleActionCreated: optimisticReportPreview.created},
    });
}

And handle similar case for failureData as well.

Alternatively, instead of using shouldNotifyNewAction, we could focus on fixing the case where a report is created from the global button.

What specific scenarios should we cover in automated tests to prevent reintroducing this issue in the future?

We should write unit tests for createNewReport then assert isUnread

What alternative solutions did you consider? (Optional)

Another approach is to optimistically set both lastReadTime and lastVisibleActionCreated, and revert them in failureData

{
    onyxMethod: Onyx.METHOD.MERGE,
    key: `${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT}${parentReport?.reportID}`,
    value: {lastVisibleActionCreated: optimisticReportPreview.created, lastReadTime: optimisticReportPreview.created},
},

Or we can apply both primary and alternative solutions

Note

Both solutions will work for offline mode, but since the BE does not return the lastReadTime (only return lastVisibleActionCreated and this is different with FE), this issue still exists and require BE fix.

[bernhardoj]

Proposal

Please re-state the problem that we are trying to solve in this issue.

WS chat LHN still in bold after the report is deleted.

What is the root cause of that problem?

The LHN becomes bold when it's unread, which means the lastVisibleActionCreated is later than the lastReadTime.

App/src/libs/ReportUtils.ts

Line 7834 in 30d781e

return lastReadTime < (lastVisibleActionCreated ?? '') || lastReadTime < lastMentionedTime;

When we delete the report, we don't optimistically update the lastVisibleActionCreated to the previous action (which is CREATED), so it stays in bold.

App/src/libs/actions/Report.ts

Lines 4938 to 4948 in 30d781e

	optimisticData.push({
	onyxMethod: Onyx.METHOD.MERGE,
	key: `${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT}${report?.parentReportID}`,
	value: {hasOutstandingChildRequest: false},
	});
	failureData.push({
	onyxMethod: Onyx.METHOD.MERGE,
	key: `${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT}${report?.parentReportID}`,
	value: {hasOutstandingChildRequest: report?.hasOutstandingChildRequest},
	});

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

We can follow the approach when deleting a message or task by updating the lastVisibleActionCreated to the previous action.

App/src/libs/actions/Task.ts

Lines 1113 to 1118 in 30d781e

	lastMessageText:
	ReportActionsUtils.getLastVisibleMessage(parentReport?.reportID, canUserPerformWriteAction, optimisticReportActions as OnyxTypes.ReportActions).lastMessageText ?? '',
	lastVisibleActionCreated: ReportActionsUtils.getLastVisibleAction(parentReport?.reportID, canUserPerformWriteAction, optimisticReportActions as OnyxTypes.ReportActions)
	?.created,
	hasOutstandingChildTask,
	},

const optimsiticParentReportActions = reportActionID ? {[reportActionID]: null} : {};
if (reportActionID) {
    optimisticData.push({
        onyxMethod: Onyx.METHOD.MERGE,
        key: `${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT_ACTIONS}${parentReportID}`,
        value: optimsiticParentReportActions,
    });
...

const parentReport = allReports?.[`${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT}${parentReportID}`];
const lastVisibleAction = ReportActionsUtils.getLastVisibleAction(parentReportID, canUserPerformWriteActionReportUtils(parentReport), optimsiticParentReportActions);

optimisticData.push({
    onyxMethod: Onyx.METHOD.MERGE,
    key: `${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.REPORT}${report?.parentReportID}`,
    value: {
        lastMessageText: getLastVisibleMessage(parentReportID, optimsiticParentReportActions, true)?.lastMessageText ?? '',
        lastVisibleActionCreated: lastVisibleAction?.created,
        lastActorAccountID: lastVisibleAction?.actorAccountID,
        hasOutstandingChildRequest: false,
    },
});

(and revert it in failure data)

What specific scenarios should we cover in automated tests to prevent reintroducing this issue in the future?

Test deleteAppReport and verify that the lastVisibleActionCreated, etc, is updated to the previous action data.

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021942716624183612068

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to Contributor-plus team member for initial proposal review - @getusha (External)

[mallenexpensify]

Was unable to reproduce with a quick-test

2025-07-08_15-43-42.mp4

@getusha , will you attempt reproduction then review the proposals above.
If this is occurring elsewhere, it'd be best to fix those instances too.

[getusha]

I was able to reproduce on mWeb

Simulator.Screen.Recording.-.iPhone.15.Pro.-.2025-07-09.at.18.26.53.mp4

[melvin-bot]

@getusha Eep! 4 days overdue now. Issues have feelings too...