Per diem - Per diem is created in self DM when it is created from workspace chat when submissions are OFF

[jponikarchuk]

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Version Number: 9.3.31-0
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: No
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from BrowserStack: #82230
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): josidjnosidjoidjiosj@gmail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Bug source: Exploratory - Significant User Experience Deterioration
Device used: Mac 26.2 / Chrome
App Component: Money Requests

Action Performed:

Precondition:

• Workspace has per diem rates.
• Disable submissions in Workflows.

1. Go to staging.new.expensify.com
2. Go to workspace chat.
3. Click + > Create expense > Per diem.
4. Create a per diem expense from workspace chat.

Expected Result:

The per diem will be created in workspace chat because it is created from workspace chat (similar to manual expense).

Actual Result:

The per diem is created in self DM when it is created from workspace chat.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

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

Screenshots/Videos

1.mp4

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[melvin-bot]

You have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you recently merged this PR: #82230

[melvin-bot]

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

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @jliexpensify (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.

[github-actions]

👋 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:

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

[OSBotify]

🔍 Investigation Summary

Classification: Frontend bug
Causing PR: #82230 - "Create per-diem in selfDM if auto reporting is disabled" by @s77rt (High confidence)
Related Issues: None identified

Recommendation: REVERT

PR #82230 introduced a new function getInitialPerDiemTargetReport() that determines where to create per diem expenses based on autoReporting settings. However, the logic does not respect the workspace context when the user creates a per diem directly from a workspace chat.

The issue is reproducible only on staging (not production), confirming this PR is the cause. Reverting will restore the expected behavior where per diems created from workspace chat remain in that chat, similar to how manual expenses behave.

Labels: This is a frontend bug requiring an App fix. Keeping DeployBlockerCash label as the causing PR is in the App repository.

📋 Detailed Analysis

Evidence

• The issue is reproducible in staging but not production
• Version 9.3.31-0 includes PR Create per-diem in selfDM if auto reporting is disabled #82230 (merged at position 84 in the chronological deploy list)
• melvin-bot correctly identified this PR as the likely cause
• The issue only occurs when autoReporting is disabled on the workspace

Verification

The PR modifies three files related to per diem creation:

1. src/libs/IOUUtils.ts - Added getInitialPerDiemTargetReport() function
2. src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepDestination.tsx - Uses the new function
3. src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepPerDiemWorkspace.tsx - Uses the new function

Root Cause

The new getInitialPerDiemTargetReport() function in IOUUtils.ts (lines 398-416) contains this logic:

const shouldAutoReport = !!defaultExpensePolicy?.autoReporting || !!personalPolicy?.autoReporting;
if (!shouldAutoReport || targetIouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.TRACK) {
    targetReport = selfDMReport;
}

The problem: When a user creates a per diem from a workspace chat context (by clicking + while in that specific chat), the code checks the defaultExpensePolicy or personalPolicy autoReporting settings instead of checking the CURRENT workspace's policy settings.

Expected behavior: When creating an expense directly from a workspace chat (not from the global FAB), the expense should remain in that workspace chat regardless of autoReporting settings, just like manual expenses do.

Actual behavior: The expense is redirected to self DM because the function checks the wrong policy's autoReporting setting.

This is why the issue specifically mentions "created from workspace chat" as a key part of the reproduction steps - the workspace context is being ignored.