[Due for payment 2026-10-28] [$175] Report field - System message shows "set text to """ after clearing text report field

@mallenexpensify

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Version Number: 9.5.15-1
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: N/A - new feature, doesn't exist in prod
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from BrowserStack: #104124
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): [email protected]
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Bug source: Exploratory - Significant User Experience Deterioration
Device used: Mac 26.5 / Chrome
App Component: Money Requests

Action Performed:

Precondition:

Enable Report fields.
Create a text report field with initial value.

Go to staging.new.expensify.com
Go to workspace chat.
Create an expense.
Open the report.
Click on the text report field.
Clear the field and press Enter.
Scroll the system message.

Expected Result:

System message will show something similar to "clear text field".

Actual Result:

System message shows "set text to """ after clearing text report field.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

Screenshots/Videos

Bug7291362_1792527054291.1.mp4

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Applause Internal Information
Exported by: Mita Rachim
Bug ID: 7291362

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @mallenexpensify

While Applause doesn't embed attachments for this bug, here are the links for quick view:
https://platform.applause.com/services/links/v1/external/a5a8fbc57104a26468538b5fcb1cf99a266fa2f5a41f680120b98175842d8dbf

You have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you recently merged this PR: #104124

@AndrewGable

@AndrewGable @trjExpensify @daledah you have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you reviewed the offending PR: #104124

💬 A slack conversation has been started in #expensify-open-source

👋 Friendly reminder that deploy blockers are time-sensitive ⏱ issues! Check out the open `StagingDeployCash` deploy checklist to see the list of PRs included in this release, then work quickly to do one of the following:

Identify the pull request that introduced this issue and revert it.
Find someone who can quickly fix the issue.
Fix the issue yourself.

Deploy Blocker Analysis

Causing PR: Restore: Show up to three report fields per row and edit them inline (high confidence). The auto-assignment is correct.

Root cause: Clearing a text field that only shows its workspace initial value sends an empty oldValue. The message builder then falls through to the changeFieldEmpty wording, which renders set text to "".

This is the same bug as Report field - System message shows "set text to """ after clearing text report field, which caused the first revert. The PR fixed that issue only when the report already had a saved, non-empty value. It did not fix the issue's actual precondition: a field showing its initial value.

Recommendation: Roll forward with a small App-only fix. Revert again only if the fix can't land before the deploy.

In ReportActionsUtils.ts:2435-2440, check for an empty newValue before checking oldValue. Never return changeFieldEmpty when newValue is empty. With no oldValue, use a new "removed {field}" string (translate it in all locales).
In useSaveReportField.ts:67, pass the value the user saw as the previous value: reportField.value ?? reportField.defaultValue ?? ''.
Add a unit test for an empty or undefined oldValue with newValue: ''.

Investigation details

The inline input displays field.value ?? field.defaultValue ?? '' (MoneyRequestViewReportFields.tsx:163-165).
Workspace fields store only defaultValue (ReportField.ts:217-221). A new report copies them as is (ReportUtils.ts:8174), so reportField.value is empty.
The save hook passes the raw field as previousReportField (useSaveReportField.ts:64-67). The optimistic action sets oldValue: previousReportField.value (ReportUtils.ts:4887-4893).
if (oldValue && !newValue) is skipped, then if (!oldValue) returns changeFieldEmpty (ReportActionsUtils.ts:2435-2440, en.ts:10775-10777).
Production isn't affected because the old edit page never saved an empty value. This PR allows clearing text fields (useSaveReportField.ts:41-45).
The PR's tests cover only oldValue: 'Apollo', newValue: ''.
Not verified: whether the server's returned action also has an empty oldValue. If it does, only fix 1 corrects the message after the server responds. Fix 1 covers both cases, so no backend change is needed to clear the blocker.
History: first attempt was Restore: Show up to three report fields per row and edit them inline, reverted in Revert "Restore: Show up to three report fields per row and edit them inline".

Next Steps: Reply with @MelvinBot implement this to create a draft PR, or @MelvinBot <your feedback> to refine this analysis.

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Unable to auto-create job on Upwork. The BZ team member should create it manually for this issue.

Chrome / v9.5.15-2
System message is: removed [Text field name]

bandicam.2026-10-21.16-43-30-278.mp4

@daledah

@daledah

The solution for this issue has been 🚀 deployed to production 🚀 in version 9.5.15-3 and is now subject to a 7-day regression period 📆. Here is the list of pull requests that resolve this issue:

[CP Staging] Show "removed" instead of "set to """ when a text report field is cleared #104551

If no regressions arise, payment will be issued on 2026-10-28. 🎊

The following checklist (instructions) will need to be completed before the issue can be closed. Please copy/paste the Contributor+ Checklist from here into a new comment on this GH and complete it. If you have the K2 extension, you can simply click: [this button]. If no checklist is needed for this issue, you can click: [no checklist button]

I don’t think there should be a payment here since this issue is a deploy blocker

@mallenexpensify

Triggered auto assignment to @mallenexpensify (Awaiting Payment)

@daledah

Payment Summary

Resolving PRs:

[CP Staging] Show "removed" instead of "set to """ when a text report field is cleared #104551
Reviewer: @daledah owed $175 via NewDot

BugZero Checklist (@mallenexpensify)

I have confirmed assignees, roles, and Upwork contracts look correct
I have paid out Upwork contracts / manual NewDot requests
[BugZero Assignee] I have created a GH issue for creating/updating the regression test once above steps have been agreed upon

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[Due for payment 2026-10-28] [$175] Report field - System message shows "set text to """ after clearing text report field #104507

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[Due for payment 2026-10-28] [$175] Report field - System message shows "set text to """ after clearing text report field #104507

Description

Action Performed:

Expected Result:

Actual Result:

Workaround:

Platforms:

Screenshots/Videos

Activity

applause-bot commented on Oct 20, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 20, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 20, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 20, 2026

github-actions commented on Oct 20, 2026

MelvinBot commented on Oct 20, 2026

Deploy Blocker Analysis

3 remaining items

melvin-bot commented on Oct 21, 2026

m-natarajan commented on Oct 21, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 21, 2026

daledah commented on Oct 22, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 27, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 27, 2026

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