Enatega Customer App: Phone Number Input Error & How To Fix It

This article delves into a frustrating bug found in the Enatega Customer Application, specifically focusing on the phone number input field during the new user login and verification process. We'll explore the issue, how to replicate it, the expected behavior, and potential solutions. The core problem lies in the fact that the phone number field accepts alphabetic characters, which is clearly incorrect and can lead to significant usability and data integrity problems. This flaw undermines the user experience and could potentially cause issues with account verification and communication. Let's break down the details.

The Bug: Alphabets Allowed in Phone Number Field

The central issue is that the phone number input field within the Enatega Customer Application doesn't properly validate the input. When a new user attempts to log in or register, they are prompted to enter their phone number. The current implementation fails to restrict the input, allowing users to type in letters, symbols, and other non-numeric characters. This is a critical bug because phone numbers are, by their very nature, composed of digits. Allowing any other characters to be entered is a fundamental flaw that needs immediate attention.

Why is this a problem? Imagine a user accidentally types their name or a symbol into the phone number field. The application might accept this as valid input, leading to a variety of issues:

• Failed Verification: The system won't be able to verify the phone number, preventing the user from completing registration or logging in. This causes frustration and likely leads to the user abandoning the process.
• Data Integrity: The application’s database could be filled with incorrect and unusable phone numbers. This can lead to issues with marketing campaigns, customer support, and other phone-based communications.
• User Experience: The lack of input validation makes the application feel unprofessional and poorly designed. Users expect a seamless and error-free experience. This bug undermines that expectation.
• Security Risks: It might allow attackers to bypass security measures like two-factor authentication if the entered data isn't validated properly. This could expose customer accounts to significant risk.

It’s clear that this bug has a negative impact on users and the application. This is a classic example of a need for careful attention to detail during software development and testing. Let's look at how to replicate this bug to understand the problem fully.

Reproducing the Issue: Step-by-Step Guide

To effectively illustrate this bug, let's look at a clear step-by-step guide to reproduce the issue. This allows developers and testers to confirm the issue and work toward a solution. The following steps should help anyone reproduce the problem and witness the bug firsthand.

1. Launch the Enatega Customer Application: Start by opening the Enatega Customer Application on your device (as specified: Android, using the app). This could be on a smartphone or tablet.
2. Select 'Continue with Email': On the initial screen, select the option to continue with your email. This selection typically initiates the registration or login process, which will eventually lead to the phone number input screen.
3. Enter your email and proceed: Input your email address when prompted and continue following the on-screen instructions. This step could involve entering a password or following email verification prompts. This process takes you closer to the phone number entry.
4. Navigate to the phone number input screen: Once prompted, the app will request your phone number. This is where the bug manifests. You may be presented with a country code selection, or the app might detect your location automatically, followed by the phone number input field.
5. Enter Alphabets: In the phone number field, start typing. Try entering alphabets (A, B, C, etc.), special characters (@, #, $, etc.), or any other non-numeric characters.
6. Observe the result: The key observation here is that the application should not accept alphabetic or other non-numeric characters. However, due to the bug, it likely allows these characters to be entered without any error message or restriction. The absence of validation is evident.

By following these simple steps, anyone can quickly and easily reproduce this bug. It should be readily apparent that the application's phone number input field does not validate input correctly, allowing the user to enter invalid information. This confirms the initial report and highlights the urgent need for a fix.

Expected Behavior vs. Actual Behavior

To fully understand the impact of the bug, it’s critical to compare the expected behavior of the application with what actually occurs. This comparison highlights the difference between how the application should function and how it does function, clarifying the negative impact of the bug and the urgent need for a fix.

Expected Behavior:

When a user enters their phone number, the input field should only allow digits (0-9). The field should reject any other characters that are not digits. This is a basic form of input validation and is crucial for maintaining data accuracy and user experience. Specifically:

• Digit-Only Input: The field must restrict the input to accept only numeric characters (0 through 9).
• Real-time Validation: As the user types, the application should immediately check each character. If a non-numeric character is entered, it should be rejected. The user should not be able to type those characters in the first place.
• Error Indication: If the user attempts to enter an invalid character, the application should provide clear and immediate feedback. This could include a visual cue, such as the field turning red, or an explanatory message like “Please enter digits only.”
• Format Consideration: Depending on the application's design, the phone number field may also enforce a specific format (e.g., number of digits, country code). This is not the primary issue here but is an important aspect of proper phone number validation.

Actual Behavior:

In the Enatega Customer Application, the current behavior deviates significantly from the expected behavior. The application fails to restrict the user from entering non-numeric characters, meaning that the user can type anything into the phone number field. There are no restrictions, validations, or error messages to prevent this. As a result:

• Alphabets Allowed: The user can freely enter alphabets, symbols, or any other characters into the field.
• No Feedback: The application provides no immediate feedback to the user regarding the invalid input.
• Invalid Data: The application may accept and store this invalid data, which can compromise the integrity of the data.

This discrepancy between the expected and actual behavior creates significant usability and data integrity problems. The current implementation creates a negative user experience and poses risks to the application’s functionality and overall quality. This is a major issue.

Potential Solutions and Recommendations

Addressing the phone number input bug requires a combination of client-side and, potentially, server-side solutions. Here's a breakdown of the suggested methods:

1. Client-Side Input Validation

• Character Restriction: The most immediate solution is to implement character restriction within the phone number input field. This means preventing users from entering anything that is not a digit. This can be achieved through:
  • Input Masks: Use an input mask to pre-define the accepted format (e.g., only numbers, specific character lengths). Input masks provide a visual guide for the user and help to reduce errors.
  • Regular Expressions: Implement regular expressions to validate the input. Regular expressions (RegEx) can specify the exact patterns of characters to be accepted, ensuring that only digits are allowed.
  • JavaScript Validation: Use JavaScript to monitor the input field in real time. For each key press, check if the character is a digit. If not, prevent it from being entered. Provide immediate feedback to the user.
• Error Handling: If the user tries to enter a non-numeric character, display a clear and helpful error message. This could be a message such as