[$250] Expense - First scan expense is created with a delay

[mitarachim]

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Version Number: 9.1.71-4
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: Yes
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from TestRail: #63848
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): N/A
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Device used: macOS Sequoia 15.5
App Component: Money Requests

Action Performed:

Preconditions: Location services are disabled for the app.

1. Open the app
2. Log in with a new account
3. Navigate to FAB - Create expense - Scan
4. Choose an image of a receipt
5. Select any Gmail account as the recipient
6. Click on the "Create expense" button

Expected Result:

The first scan expense should be created instantly.

Actual Result:

First expense is created with a delay (15-25 seconds). After clicking "Not now" on the location access modal, the second scan expense is created instantly. Affects Gmail and Expensifail accounts too.

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

Bug6869854_1750878591232.Screen_Recording_2025-06-25_At_11.50.58.mp4

View all open jobs on GitHub

Upwork Automation - Do Not Edit

• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021938278832228015809
• Upwork Job ID: 1938278832228015809
• Last Price Increase: 2025-07-24

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @allgandalf

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @isabelastisser (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.

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021938278832228015809

[melvin-bot]

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

[Eskalifer1]

I can describe the root of the problem, but I'm not sure if my suggestion will be valid, since I don't have any document describing how it should work.

On Desktop, there is no direct access to understand whether we have access to the geoposition, so we use the following function:

App/src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepScan/LocationPermission/index.desktop.ts

Lines 24 to 52 in 2934f0b

	function getLocationPermission(): Promise<PermissionStatus> {
	return new Promise((resolve) => {
	if (navigator.geolocation) {
	navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(
	() => resolve(RESULTS.GRANTED),
	(error) => {
	// If user denies permission, error.code will be 1 (PERMISSION_DENIED)
	if (error.code === 1) {
	resolve(RESULTS.BLOCKED);
	} else if (error.code === 2) {
	// POSITION_UNAVAILABLE
	resolve(RESULTS.BLOCKED);
	} else if (error.code === 3) {
	// TIMEOUT
	resolve(RESULTS.BLOCKED);
	} else {
	resolve(RESULTS.DENIED);
	}
	},
	{
	timeout: CONST.GPS.TIMEOUT,
	enableHighAccuracy: true,
	},
	);
	} else {
	resolve(RESULTS.UNAVAILABLE);
	}
	});
	}

It uses timeout to determine that the user has blocked access.

This function is used in this component:

App/src/components/LocationPermissionModal/index.desktop.tsx

Lines 55 to 70 in 2934f0b

	useEffect(() => {
	if (!startPermissionFlow) {
	return;
	}
	getLocationPermission().then((status) => {
	onInitialGetLocationCompleted?.();
	if (status === RESULTS.GRANTED || status === RESULTS.LIMITED) {
	return onGrant();
	}
	setShowModal(true);
	setHasError(status === RESULTS.BLOCKED);
	});
	// eslint-disable-next-line react-compiler/react-compiler, react-hooks/exhaustive-deps -- We only want to run this effect when startPermissionFlow changes
	}, [startPermissionFlow]);

And this modal window is visible if gps is required to create an expense:

App/src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepConfirmation.tsx

Line 187 in 2934f0b

const gpsRequired = transaction?.amount === 0 && iouType !== CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT && Object.values(receiptFiles).length && !isTestTransaction;

App/src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepConfirmation.tsx

Lines 984 to 998 in 2934f0b

	const onConfirm = (listOfParticipants: Participant[]) => {
	setIsConfirming(true);
	setSelectedParticipantList(listOfParticipants);
	if (gpsRequired) {
	const shouldStartLocationPermissionFlow =
	!lastLocationPermissionPrompt ||
	(DateUtils.isValidDateString(lastLocationPermissionPrompt ?? '') &&
	DateUtils.getDifferenceInDaysFromNow(new Date(lastLocationPermissionPrompt ?? '')) > CONST.IOU.LOCATION_PERMISSION_PROMPT_THRESHOLD_DAYS);
	if (shouldStartLocationPermissionFlow) {
	setStartLocationPermissionFlow(true);
	return;
	}
	}

But unfortunately, as I mentioned above, I don't know if the Scan report needs to have access to the geolocation, if not, we can add a check for gpsRequired:

const isScanRequestReport = requestType === CONST.IOU.REQUEST_TYPE.SCAN;

const gpsRequired = !isScanRequestReport && transaction?.amount === 0 && iouType !== CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT && Object.values(receiptFiles).length && !isTestTransaction;

In this case, there will be no request for geolocation for an expense with the scan type, since we get locationPermissionGranted for the createTransaction function:

App/src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepConfirmation.tsx

Lines 722 to 944 in 3f9397f

	const createTransaction = useCallback(
	(selectedParticipants: Participant[], locationPermissionGranted = false) => {
	setIsConfirmed(true);
	let splitParticipants = selectedParticipants;
	// Filter out participants with an amount equal to O
	if (iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT && transaction?.splitShares) {
	const participantsWithAmount = Object.keys(transaction.splitShares ?? {})
	.filter((accountID: string): boolean => (transaction?.splitShares?.[Number(accountID)]?.amount ?? 0) > 0)
	.map((accountID) => Number(accountID));
	splitParticipants = selectedParticipants.filter((participant) =>
	participantsWithAmount.includes(
	participant.isPolicyExpenseChat ? (participant?.ownerAccountID ?? CONST.DEFAULT_NUMBER_ID) : (participant.accountID ?? CONST.DEFAULT_NUMBER_ID),
	),
	);
	}
	const trimmedComment = transaction?.comment?.comment?.trim() ?? '';
	// Don't let the form be submitted multiple times while the navigator is waiting to take the user to a different page
	if (formHasBeenSubmitted.current) {
	return;
	}
	formHasBeenSubmitted.current = true;
	if (iouType !== CONST.IOU.TYPE.TRACK && isDistanceRequest && !isMovingTransactionFromTrackExpense) {
	createDistanceRequest(iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT ? splitParticipants : selectedParticipants, trimmedComment);
	return;
	}
	const currentTransactionReceiptFile = transaction?.transactionID ? receiptFiles[transaction.transactionID] : undefined;
	// If we have a receipt let's start the split expense by creating only the action, the transaction, and the group DM if needed
	if (iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT && currentTransactionReceiptFile) {
	if (currentUserPersonalDetails.login && !!transaction) {
	startSplitBill({
	participants: selectedParticipants,
	currentUserLogin: currentUserPersonalDetails.login,
	currentUserAccountID: currentUserPersonalDetails.accountID,
	comment: trimmedComment,
	receipt: currentTransactionReceiptFile,
	existingSplitChatReportID: report?.reportID,
	billable: transaction.billable,
	category: transaction.category,
	tag: transaction.tag,
	currency: transaction.currency,
	taxCode: transactionTaxCode,
	taxAmount: transactionTaxAmount,
	});
	}
	return;
	}
	// IOUs created from a group report will have a reportID param in the route.
	// Since the user is already viewing the report, we don't need to navigate them to the report
	if (iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT && !transaction?.isFromGlobalCreate) {
	if (currentUserPersonalDetails.login && !!transaction) {
	splitBill({
	participants: splitParticipants,
	currentUserLogin: currentUserPersonalDetails.login,
	currentUserAccountID: currentUserPersonalDetails.accountID,
	amount: transaction.amount,
	comment: trimmedComment,
	currency: transaction.currency,
	merchant: transaction.merchant,
	created: transaction.created,
	category: transaction.category,
	tag: transaction.tag,
	existingSplitChatReportID: report?.reportID,
	billable: transaction.billable,
	iouRequestType: transaction.iouRequestType,
	splitShares: transaction.splitShares,
	splitPayerAccountIDs: transaction.splitPayerAccountIDs ?? [],
	taxCode: transactionTaxCode,
	taxAmount: transactionTaxAmount,
	});
	}
	return;
	}
	// If the split expense is created from the global create menu, we also navigate the user to the group report
	if (iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT) {
	if (currentUserPersonalDetails.login && !!transaction) {
	splitBillAndOpenReport({
	participants: splitParticipants,
	currentUserLogin: currentUserPersonalDetails.login,
	currentUserAccountID: currentUserPersonalDetails.accountID,
	amount: transaction.amount,
	comment: trimmedComment,
	currency: transaction.currency,
	merchant: transaction.merchant,
	created: transaction.created,
	category: transaction.category,
	tag: transaction.tag,
	billable: !!transaction.billable,
	iouRequestType: transaction.iouRequestType,
	splitShares: transaction.splitShares,
	splitPayerAccountIDs: transaction.splitPayerAccountIDs,
	taxCode: transactionTaxCode,
	taxAmount: transactionTaxAmount,
	});
	}
	return;
	}
	if (iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.INVOICE) {
	sendInvoice(currentUserPersonalDetails.accountID, transaction, report, currentTransactionReceiptFile, policy, policyTags, policyCategories);
	return;
	}
	if (iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.TRACK || isCategorizingTrackExpense || isSharingTrackExpense) {
	if (Object.values(receiptFiles).filter((receipt) => !!receipt).length && transaction) {
	// If the transaction amount is zero, then the money is being requested through the "Scan" flow and the GPS coordinates need to be included.
	if (transaction.amount === 0 && !isSharingTrackExpense && !isCategorizingTrackExpense && locationPermissionGranted) {
	if (userLocation) {
	trackExpense(selectedParticipants, {
	lat: userLocation.latitude,
	long: userLocation.longitude,
	});
	return;
	}
	getCurrentPosition(
	(successData) => {
	trackExpense(selectedParticipants, {
	lat: successData.coords.latitude,
	long: successData.coords.longitude,
	});
	},
	(errorData) => {
	Log.info('[IOURequestStepConfirmation] getCurrentPosition failed', false, errorData);
	// When there is an error, the money can still be requested, it just won't include the GPS coordinates
	trackExpense(selectedParticipants);
	},
	{
	maximumAge: CONST.GPS.MAX_AGE,
	timeout: CONST.GPS.TIMEOUT,
	},
	);
	return;
	}
	// Otherwise, the money is being requested through the "Manual" flow with an attached image and the GPS coordinates are not needed.
	trackExpense(selectedParticipants);
	return;
	}
	trackExpense(selectedParticipants);
	return;
	}
	if (isPerDiemRequest) {
	submitPerDiemExpense(selectedParticipants, trimmedComment);
	return;
	}
	if (Object.values(receiptFiles).filter((receipt) => !!receipt).length && !!transaction) {
	// If the transaction amount is zero, then the money is being requested through the "Scan" flow and the GPS coordinates need to be included.
	if (
	transaction.amount === 0 &&
	!isSharingTrackExpense &&
	!isCategorizingTrackExpense &&
	locationPermissionGranted &&
	!selectedParticipants.some((participant) => isSelectedManagerMcTest(participant.login))
	) {
	if (userLocation) {
	requestMoney(selectedParticipants, {
	lat: userLocation.latitude,
	long: userLocation.longitude,
	});
	return;
	}
	getCurrentPosition(
	(successData) => {
	requestMoney(selectedParticipants, {
	lat: successData.coords.latitude,
	long: successData.coords.longitude,
	});
	},
	(errorData) => {
	Log.info('[IOURequestStepConfirmation] getCurrentPosition failed', false, errorData);
	// When there is an error, the money can still be requested, it just won't include the GPS coordinates
	requestMoney(selectedParticipants);
	},
	{
	maximumAge: CONST.GPS.MAX_AGE,
	timeout: CONST.GPS.TIMEOUT,
	},
	);
	return;
	}
	// Otherwise, the money is being requested through the "Manual" flow with an attached image and the GPS coordinates are not needed.
	requestMoney(selectedParticipants);
	return;
	}
	requestMoney(selectedParticipants);
	},
	[
	iouType,
	transaction,
	isDistanceRequest,
	isMovingTransactionFromTrackExpense,
	receiptFiles,
	isCategorizingTrackExpense,
	isSharingTrackExpense,
	isPerDiemRequest,
	requestMoney,
	createDistanceRequest,
	currentUserPersonalDetails.login,
	currentUserPersonalDetails.accountID,
	report,
	transactionTaxCode,
	transactionTaxAmount,
	policy,
	policyTags,
	policyCategories,
	trackExpense,
	submitPerDiemExpense,
	userLocation,
	],
	);

But as you can see from this comment (if it is true), it is required here:

App/src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepConfirmation.tsx

Line 878 in 3f9397f

// If the transaction amount is zero, then the money is being requested through the "Scan" flow and the GPS coordinates need to be included.

So when we create it for the first time, we get a delay, because that's what the function is designed to check for, but when the user either accepts or rejects the geodata request, we don't execute that request for the next 7 days because of this if:

App/src/pages/iou/request/step/IOURequestStepConfirmation.tsx

Lines 989 to 997 in 3f9397f

	const shouldStartLocationPermissionFlow =
	!lastLocationPermissionPrompt ||
	(DateUtils.isValidDateString(lastLocationPermissionPrompt ?? '') &&
	DateUtils.getDifferenceInDaysFromNow(new Date(lastLocationPermissionPrompt ?? '')) > CONST.IOU.LOCATION_PERMISSION_PROMPT_THRESHOLD_DAYS);
	if (shouldStartLocationPermissionFlow) {
	setStartLocationPermissionFlow(true);
	return;
	}

Perhaps a description would help someone to solve the problem, if it is really a problem

[melvin-bot]

@allgandalf Whoops! This issue is 2 days overdue. Let's get this updated quick!

[melvin-bot]

@allgandalf Whoops! This issue is 2 days overdue. Let's get this updated quick!