"Drawn By" drawing property is disappearing...???

We are experiencing an odd problem - through a certain set of actions we are clearing the "Drawn By" property in our drawings.  Our workflow has an automatic transition at the beginning of the process that applies the "%initials%" value to a variable "Drawn By" for files that have the extension "slddrw".  The field in the sheet format is set to \$PRP:"Drawn By".  When a part is saved, checked in to the vault, then a drawing is made, and checked into the vault, the field populates correctly.  If the drawing is checked out, and back in again the drawn by field in the drawing is cleared. The property remains in the drawing file, but it is blank???  This is the only place the variable "Drawn By" is used in the workflow, and a read only field "Drawn By" exists and references the drawn by variable on the drawing data card.  I don't understand how this variable is being cleared without passing through a transition - a check out/check in, clears the property???

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