[Due for payment 2025-06-24] [$250] Mobile - Private notes are not saved after killing & reopening the app.

[jponikarchuk]

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Version Number: V9.1.54-0
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: Yes
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from TestRail: N/a
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): slottwo1gcd1@gmail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Device used: Redminote 10s android 13
App Component: User Settings

Action Performed:

1. Launch app
2. Open 1:1 chat
3. Send a message
4. Tap header - private note
5. Send a multi line message and save it
6. Reopen and confirm message is saved
7. Kill the app
8. Reopen the app
9. Open 1:1 chat
10. Tap header - private notes

Expected Result:

Private notes must be saved after killing & reopening the app.

Actual Result:

Private notes are not saved after killing & reopening the app.

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

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Upwork Automation - Do Not Edit

• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021928497898613848125
• Upwork Job ID: 1928497898613848125
• Last Price Increase: 2025-06-06
• Automatic offers:
• truph01 | Contributor | 107608888

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @CortneyOfstad / @dylanexpensify

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @CortneyOfstad (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.

[MobileMage]

Proposal

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

Private notes are not being saved after killing and reopening the app. When users add private notes to a report, they are correctly saved initially but disappear after the app is restarted, requiring users to re-enter their notes each time they reopen the app.

What is the root cause of that problem?

The root cause is that private notes are not being properly fetched from the server when a report is reopened. While the notes are correctly saved to the server using the updatePrivateNotes function

App/src/libs/actions/Report.ts

Line 3955 in 9ebfac0

const updatePrivateNotes = (reportID: string, accountID: number, note: string) => {

, the getReportPrivateNote function

App/src/libs/actions/Report.ts

Line 4007 in 9ebfac0

function getReportPrivateNote(reportID: string | undefined) {

is not being called at the appropriate time during report initialization. This results in the notes being lost from the local state (Onyx) after app restarts, even though they exist on the server.

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

We should modify the openReport function to ensure that private notes are fetched from the server whenever a report is opened. Specifically, we should add the call to getReportPrivateNote right after the API pagination call in

App/src/libs/actions/Report.ts

Lines 1313 to 1319 in 9ebfac0

	} else {
	// eslint-disable-next-line rulesdir/no-multiple-api-calls
	API.paginate(CONST.API_REQUEST_TYPE.WRITE, WRITE_COMMANDS.OPEN_REPORT, parameters, {optimisticData, successData, failureData, finallyData}, paginationConfig, {
	checkAndFixConflictingRequest: (persistedRequests) => resolveOpenReportDuplicationConflictAction(persistedRequests, parameters),
	});
	}
	}

, where the report data is initially loaded. This will ensure that private notes are properly retrieved and stored in Onyx whenever a report is accessed, maintaining consistency between app sessions.

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

We should add tests that verify private notes persistence across app restarts, including scenarios where notes are added, the app is killed, and then reopened to confirm the notes are still present.

What alternative solutions did you explore? (Optional)

We considered implementing a local caching mechanism for private notes, but this would have required significant changes to the existing architecture and could have led to synchronization issues. We also explored modifying the Onyx storage structure to persist notes differently, but this would have been more complex and potentially introduced new bugs. The chosen solution of properly fetching notes during report initialization is the most straightforward and maintains consistency with the existing architecture.

[truph01]

Proposal

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

• Private notes are not preserved after killing and reopening the app.

What is the root cause of that problem?

• We already have logic in place to fetch a report's private notes:
  

  App/src/pages/home/report/withReportAndPrivateNotesOrNotFound.tsx

  Lines 49 to 57 in 7338f19

  	useEffect(() => {
  	// Do not fetch private notes if isLoadingPrivateNotes is already defined, or if network is offline.
  	if ((isPrivateNotesFetchTriggered && !isReconnecting) || isOffline) {
  	return;
  	}
  	getReportPrivateNote(report?.reportID);
  	// eslint-disable-next-line react-compiler/react-compiler, react-hooks/exhaustive-deps -- do not add report.isLoadingPrivateNotes to dependencies
  	}, [report?.reportID, isOffline, isPrivateNotesFetchTriggered, isReconnecting]);

• However, the fetch only occurs if reportMetadata?.isLoadingPrivateNotes === undefined. (We can ignore other conditions like isReconnecting or isOffline in the scope of this bug.)

• In the problematic scenario:

  • Before killing the app, the private note is successfully fetched, so reportMetadata?.isLoadingPrivateNotes !== undefined.
  • When the app is reopened, the OpenApp API is triggered.
  • The API response overwrites the report data, removes the report.privateNotes we fetched previously, but leaves reportMetadata?.isLoadingPrivateNotes still defined.
  • Because isLoadingPrivateNotes remains defined, the getReportPrivateNote function does not run again, and private notes isn't fetched.

• Why is OpenApp triggered only on Android and not Web?

  • When the app opens, we call:
    

    App/src/libs/Navigation/AppNavigator/AuthScreens.tsx

    Line 329 in 7338f19

    App.reconnectApp(initialLastUpdateIDAppliedToClient);

  • This triggers OpenApp only if hasLoadedApp is false:
    

    App/src/libs/actions/App.ts

    Lines 335 to 338 in 7338f19

    	if (!hasLoadedApp) {
    	openApp();
    	return;
    	}

  • At that point, hasLoadedApp is still undefined since it hasn't loaded yet—hence the OpenApp call proceeds.

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

• Ensure that hasLoadedApp is fetched before continuing with the rest of the logic:
  

  App/src/libs/actions/App.ts

  Line 334 in 7338f19

  function reconnectApp(updateIDFrom: OnyxEntry<number> = 0) {

• We can achieve this using a Promise-based approach:

let resolveHasLoadedAppPromise: () => void;
const hasLoadedAppPromise = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
    resolveHasLoadedAppPromise = resolve;
});

let hasLoadedApp: boolean | undefined;
Onyx.connect({
    key: ONYXKEYS.HAS_LOADED_APP,
    callback: (value) => {
        hasLoadedApp = value;
        resolveHasLoadedAppPromise?.();
    },
});

• Then update the reconnectApp function:

function reconnectApp(updateIDFrom: OnyxEntry<number> = 0) {
    hasLoadedAppPromise.then(() => {
        // Proceed with the rest of the function
    });
}

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

• None for now.

What alternative solutions did you explore? (Optional)

• Modify the logic here:
  

  App/src/pages/home/report/withReportAndPrivateNotesOrNotFound.tsx

  Line 42 in 7338f19

  const isPrivateNotesFetchTriggered = reportMetadata?.isLoadingPrivateNotes !== undefined;

  
  

  App/src/pages/ReportDetailsPage.tsx

  Line 244 in 7338f19

  const isPrivateNotesFetchTriggered = reportMetadata?.isLoadingPrivateNotes !== undefined;

By checking if the private notes have already been fetched:

const isPrivateNotesFetchTriggered = report.privateNotes !== undefined

[CortneyOfstad]

Checking with Stevie to see if she can test this for me with her Android!

In the meantime, going to test on iPhone as well 👍

[CortneyOfstad]

Was able to recreate on iPhone!

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021928497898613848125

[melvin-bot]

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