Wow what a terrible journey ๐ to uncover the issue. Many thanks @Suvrutt_Gurjar one of the posts mentioned did help me find the culprit.
Thanks to this post: Un-representable Datetime Error (the added or subtracted value, I was finally able to identify the problem. However, waiting for 14 days for a response from the AppSheet Support Team proved futile and their only suggestion to check the initial values turned out to be incorrect.
After trying numerous optionsโblanking date fields, date-time and time fields and even deleting a recently added table (desperate times call for desperate measures) ๐ณโthe post pointed me to a virtual column. The issue stemmed from AppSheet's handling of virtual columns and date calculations, even when the formula is correct and works fine in an actual column. ๐ (Bug-1)
The problematic virtual column was calculating the LeaveByDate, ensuring compliance with the law that requires the exit day to be the day before the next payment is due, which must also be a workday. Hereโs the formula that caused the synchronization error that completely killed ๐ the app:
>>>
WORKDAY(
DATE( TEXT([TenancyDate], "dd-") & TEXT(EOMONTH(Today(), 2), "Mmm-YYYY")), -1)
<<<
This needs immediate attention from AppSheet for the following reasons:
1. **Server-Side Synchronization Error**: The error was captured on the server side, but there was no useful information in the Editor or Audit to identify the issue. Even the AppSheet support experts couldn't pinpoint the problem after 14 days. ๐ (Bug-1)
2. **Stable Version Issue**: Setting a user's account to use the stable version did not work because the synchronization cycle failed to pick up the change. Users could not revert to the stable version, which is a significant bug. ๐ (Bug-2)
3. **Rollback Failure**: Another major failure is reviewing previous versions before roll-back could not resolve the issue. The AppSheet editor reported the same synchronization error across multiple stable versions, making it impossible to revert to a working version. ๐ (Bug-3)
4. **Historical Stability**: This virtual column wasn't a recent addition. It was added to coincide with the Notice to Quit letter templates and had been functioning correctly for some time. Yet, it suddenly caused a catastrophic failure. ๐ (Bug-4)
5. **Need for Stronger Error Prompts**: I welcome @William_Robins 's comments on the need for stronger error prompts to guide users more effectively.
These bugs, triggered by an issue with a virtual column, led to a catastrophic failure of the app, halting development and impacting all users. This is a critical issue that needs immediate attention from the AppSheet team to prevent future occurrences.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope for a swift resolution so others can avoid these significant issues in the future.
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