Multiple Lines of Text field set to Append Changes to Existing Text is duplicating its changes

Question

We're using a Multiple Lines of Text type field with the Append Changes to Existing Text option enabled as a Comment field on a table on a SharePoint 2013 site. Ideally, key changes to the record would be noted with a comment that can be viewed in reverse chronological order. Viewing these comments works fine. The issue is that the field randomly duplicates its last entry (sometimes multiple times). This is confusing because the same comment can appear to come from multiple different people on different days. I haven't been able to find a pattern to this behavior, I don't even know how to duplicate it, it just happens seemingly at random. Efforts to deliberately duplicate the issue have been fruitless.

This is an irritating experience for users and looks very sloppy.

We're on SharePoint 2013.

I've provided as much information about this issue as I can think of, if you need more information to help me figure this out, please ask.

Thanks, RahulP

Answer 1

This seems to be by design.

In my experience, a duplicate is introduced every time someone updates the item.

I assume the duplicate is shown because the system retrieves exactly one entry per item version, even if the value of the field in question did not change amongst versions.

So I'm guessing the nasty UX reflects some expedient programming and we'll have to suck it up or speak up on UserVoice.