Expensify: Fixing Cut-Off Report Titles In Expense Preview

Have you ever noticed that long report titles in Expensify's expense preview get cut off, displaying only a portion of the title? This issue, reported on version 9.2.72-0, affects the readability and clarity of expense reports, especially when dealing with lengthy or detailed titles. Let's dive into the specifics of this issue, the steps to reproduce it, and potential workarounds.

Understanding the Issue: Expense Preview Title Cut-Off

When using Expensify, particularly in a Direct Message (DM) context or with long workspace report titles, the expense preview is designed to give a quick snapshot of the report. However, the expense preview sometimes falls short when the report title is too long. Instead of wrapping the title to a second line or employing another method to display the full title, it simply cuts off the title, which can lead to confusion and misinterpretation. The core problem is that the long report titles are not fully visible within the expense preview, hindering the user's ability to quickly identify and understand the report's context. This issue was observed on the Windows Chrome platform, highlighting a need for a fix to ensure titles are displayed correctly across all platforms.

Why This Matters

The clarity of expense report titles is crucial for efficient expense management. When titles are cut off, users have to take extra steps to view the full title, which can be time-consuming and frustrating. This issue impacts user experience and the overall efficiency of using Expensify, especially for those who frequently deal with numerous expense reports and need to quickly differentiate between them. Ensuring titles are fully displayed makes the system more user-friendly and reduces the chances of errors in expense tracking and management.

Reproducing the Issue: A Step-by-Step Guide

To better understand this issue, here are the steps to reproduce it. By following these steps, you can see firsthand how the long report titles are cut off in the expense preview, confirming the problem's existence and impact.

1. Access the Staging Environment: First, navigate to staging.new.expensify.com. Staging environments are used for testing new features and changes before they are rolled out to the production environment, allowing for the identification and resolution of issues like this one.
2. Initiate a Direct Message: Open a 1:1 Direct Message (DM) with a user who has a long email address. This is a common scenario where long report titles might be encountered, making it a good test case.
3. Submit an Expense: Submit an expense to the user within the DM. This action will generate an expense preview, which is where the title cut-off issue occurs.

Observing the Expected vs. Actual Result

Expected Result: The expense preview should display the report title in two lines when the title is too long to fit on a single line. This ensures that the full title is visible without being truncated.

Actual Result: The expense preview shows the report title in one line, and it is cut off, making it difficult to read the full title. This is the core issue we are addressing. The same issue occurs with long workspace report titles, indicating a consistent problem across different contexts within Expensify.

The Impact Across Platforms

This issue has been reproduced on Windows Chrome, but it's essential to consider its impact across other platforms as well. While the initial report highlighted the problem on Windows, it's possible that similar issues exist on other operating systems and browsers. Testing on various platforms is crucial to ensure a consistent user experience across the board. The platforms where the issue needs to be checked include:

• Android: App and mWeb Chrome
• iOS: App, mWeb Safari, and mWeb Chrome
• MacOS: Chrome and Safari, as well as the desktop application

Importance of Cross-Platform Testing

By testing on all officially supported platforms, Expensify can identify any platform-specific nuances and ensure that the fix addresses the issue comprehensively. This approach helps maintain a high standard of usability and reliability, regardless of the user's preferred device or browser.

Workarounds and Solutions

Currently, there is no known workaround for this issue. Users encountering this problem have no immediate way to view the full report title within the expense preview. This lack of a workaround underscores the importance of finding a permanent solution to ensure titles are displayed correctly.

Potential Solutions

1. Title Wrapping: Implement a feature that automatically wraps long titles onto a second line within the expense preview. This is a straightforward solution that addresses the core issue of titles being cut off.
2. Tooltip Display: Use a tooltip that displays the full title when the user hovers over the truncated title in the expense preview. This allows users to see the complete title without altering the preview's layout.
3. Character Limit and Ellipsis: Set a character limit for titles displayed in the preview and add an ellipsis (...) to indicate that the title continues. When the user clicks on the preview, the full title can be displayed.

Screenshots and Videos

Visual evidence, such as screenshots and videos, can provide a clearer understanding of the issue. These visuals help developers and stakeholders see the problem firsthand and guide the development of an effective solution. Sharing screenshots or videos of the cut-off titles can significantly aid in the troubleshooting and resolution process.

Importance of Visual Evidence

When reporting issues, including visual evidence can expedite the resolution process. Screenshots and videos offer a direct view of the problem, reducing ambiguity and ensuring that the issue is understood correctly. This, in turn, leads to faster and more accurate fixes.

Conclusion: Addressing the Expense Preview Title Cut-Off

The issue of expense previews cutting off long report titles in Expensify is a notable usability concern. While it might seem like a minor issue, the impact on user experience and efficiency can be significant, particularly for users dealing with numerous reports. By understanding the steps to reproduce the issue, its impact across platforms, and potential solutions, Expensify can take the necessary steps to address this problem and enhance the overall user experience. Implementing a fix, such as title wrapping or a tooltip display, will ensure that users can easily read and understand report titles, making expense management more efficient and less prone to errors.

For more information on contributing to Expensify and other related topics, you can check out the Expensify's GitHub repository.