[Due for payment 2026-10-16] Workspace owner of invited workspace shows fallback avatar without name when opened as guest

@nkdengineer

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Version Number: 9.5.6-0
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: #97644
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): jsdoinjsiosiiosdj@gmail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Bug source: Exploratory - Significant User Experience Deterioration
Device used: Mac 26.5 / Chrome
App Component: Workspace Settings

Action Performed:

Precondition:

Create a Control workspace.
Invite a member as guest.
Perform the steps below as guest:

Go to staging.new.expensify.com
Do not go to workspace chat.
Go to Workspaces tab.

Expected Result:

Workspace owner of the invited workspace will show avatar and name.

Actual Result:

Workspace owner of the invited workspace shows fallback avatar without name when opened as guest.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

Screenshots/Videos

Bug7281561_1791489860275.4.mp4

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Applause Internal Information
Exported by: Nathan Lemma
Bug ID: 7281561

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @nkdengineer

While Applause doesn't embed attachments for this bug, here are the links for quick view:
https://platform.applause.com/services/links/v1/external/de0f35624e7e015d1d762625f4bcb3f0a2618dfd22ec99dc0a5e3b2d04d466ae

You have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you recently merged this PR: #97644

@JmillsExpensify

@JmillsExpensify @flodnv @nkdengineer you have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you reviewed the offending PR: #97644

@ShridharGoel

@ShridharGoel you have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you authored the offending PR: #97644

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

🔍 Investigation Summary

Classification: Guest-role data gap. The App PR exposes it, but the proper fix is likely backend.
Causing PR: [Payment due @nkdengineer] Add Guest workspace role by ShridharGoel. Medium confidence that it triggers the bug. Low confidence that its code is wrong.

Recommendation: DEMOTE (don't revert)

The bug is cosmetic and only affects guests. The owner's name and avatar are blank on the Workspaces tab until the guest opens the workspace chat. #97644 doesn't change the Workspaces list code. Reverting the whole Guest feature would be out of proportion.

Fix options:

Backend (preferred): include the workspace owner's personal details in a guest's data.
App stopgap: pass policy.owner through the list selector. Then reuse the email and default-avatar fallback that join-request rows already use. This shows the owner's email, not their real name or avatar.

📋 Detailed analysis

Mechanism

The Workspaces tab reads the owner's name and avatar only from personal details, by owner accountID: WorkspacesListPage.tsx#L84-L91.
For normal workspace rows, a missing entry leaves the owner login, avatar, and name empty: WorkspacesListPage.tsx#L148 and #L167-L169.
The row then shows the default avatar with no name: WorkspaceTableRow.tsx#L196-L204.
Join-request rows already handle this case with an email and default-avatar fallback: WorkspacesListPage.tsx#L111-L120. Normal rows don't. The list selector also drops the policy owner email: selectors/Policy.ts#L164-L170.
Guests can't browse workspace members. So a guest's initial data most likely doesn't include the owner's personal details. They arrive only when the guest opens a chat the owner is in. That explains the "do not go to workspace chat" step. This step is inferred and not yet confirmed against backend data.

Why #97644 is the trigger, not the code at fault

It's the only way to reach this state, because it lets you assign the Guest role: WorkspaceMemberRoleList.tsx#L70-L74. That's why production is N/A.
None of its files touch the Workspaces list page, the list table, or the policy and personal-details selectors.
No other PR in Deploy Checklist: New Expensify 2026-10-08 touches these files.

Labels and assignment

I changed no labels and assigned no one. A human should decide whether to demote. I suggested no code review rule, because this is a data-visibility gap for a new role, not a pattern you can detect in code.

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

⚠️ Looks like this issue was linked to a Deploy Blocker here

If you are the assigned CME please investigate whether the linked PR caused a regression and leave a comment with the results.

If a regression has occurred and you are the assigned CM follow the instructions here.

If this regression could have been avoided please consider also proposing a recommendation to the PR checklist so that we can avoid it in the future.

Not repro on Mac build 9.5.6-5, no Invite guest option

Retest.Guest.mp4

@nkdengineer

@nkdengineer

The solution for this issue has been 🚀 deployed to production 🚀 in version 9.5.6-6 and is now subject to a 7-day regression period 📆. Here is the list of pull requests that resolve this issue:

[CP Staging] Temporarily remove the guest workspace role option #103597

If no regressions arise, payment will be issued on 2026-10-16. 🎊

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]

⚠️ Looks like this issue was linked to a Deploy Blocker here

If you are the assigned CME please investigate whether the linked PR caused a regression and leave a comment with the results.

If a regression has occurred and you are the assigned CM follow the instructions here.

If this regression could have been avoided please consider also proposing a recommendation to the PR checklist so that we can avoid it in the future.

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[Due for payment 2026-10-16] Workspace owner of invited workspace shows fallback avatar without name when opened as guest #103524

Action Performed:

Expected Result:

Actual Result:

Workaround:

Platforms:

Screenshots/Videos

1 remaining item

🔍 Investigation Summary

Recommendation: DEMOTE (don't revert)

Mechanism

Why #97644 is the trigger, not the code at fault

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[Due for payment 2026-10-16] Workspace owner of invited workspace shows fallback avatar without name when opened as guest #103524

Description

Action Performed:

Expected Result:

Actual Result:

Workaround:

Platforms:

Screenshots/Videos

Activity

applause-bot commented on Oct 8, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 8, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 8, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 8, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 8, 2026

1 remaining item

MelvinBot commented on Oct 8, 2026

🔍 Investigation Summary

Recommendation: DEMOTE (don't revert)

Mechanism

Why #97644 is the trigger, not the code at fault

Labels and assignment

melvin-bot commented on Oct 8, 2026

m-natarajan commented on Oct 9, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 9, 2026

melvin-bot commented on Oct 19, 2026

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