[rt-users] Duplicate ticket creation from CC's

[Ken Crocker]

Kevin,

We had that problem at first as well. Those using RT had forgotten that 
if their Queues were set up to notify the appropriate persons, then they 
didn't need to add them as a CC. Add to that the fact that many would 
continue to click "Reply All", instead of just "Reply". we had to train 
them to remember about just having RT in the CC or BCC field (and the 
ticket reference in the subject line). We also put that information 
intoto EVERY template we use. Like this:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

To ensure that any communication is kept with the ticket history,
   Please include the string:

         [{$rtname} #{$Ticket->id}]

   in the subject line of all future correspondence about this issue.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To view this ticket, enter URL:

   {$RT::WebURL}Ticket/Display.html?id={$Ticket->id}



                        Thank you,
                        {$Ticket->QueueObj->CorrespondAddress()}

This is n the bottom of EVERY single template we use. Additionally, we 
had a "RT Support" link on ALL our screens that allows thm access to an 
FAQ page.

 

*Question*:**

	

I frequently forward email requests to my RT queue and "cc:" other users 
in the same email. Sometimes one of the cc recipients will "Reply All" 
to the message and a new ticket is generated in RT? How do I stop this 
from happening?**

*Answer:***

	

Actually, it is simpler than you would think. When RT gets a message 
that does *NOT* have a ticket number, it will always create a new one at 
the Queue address you sent the message to (i.e [*/Queue alias)@(email 
URL/*] in any "CC" field). Whether you are sending email *OUTSIDE* of 
the RT system *or inside*, you can keep RT informed (ticker history) 
without risking the creation of an extra ticket by doing the following:

1.      Putting the RT ticket info into the subject line somewhere. It 
should look like this "*re: [lbl.gov #99999]*" where 99999 is the ticket 
number. RT will never create a new ticket if the email is already 
referring to one.

But, if failing to put the ticket info into the subject line, then:

*2.      *Place the RT queue email address in the BCC portion of your 
email message, especially if you are going to cc other users in the same 
message. This way if users Reply All to your message, RT will not 
trigger a new ticket. Also, it is *VERY IMPORTANT *to be aware if any of 
those users that you "cc:" are *already* listed as "cc's" or the 
requestor of the referred ticket. RT will *automatically *include them 
with a copy of the correspondence due to global notifications already 
set up (see "Standards->Notifications), so they end up getting *TWO* 
emails.**


Anyway, that's how we handles it. Hope this helps.

Kenn
LBNL

On 10/7/2009 11:20 AM, Kevin Freels wrote:
> Greetings!
>
> Errata: RT 3.6.5 on FC8
>
> I have a user who is the admin of one of the queues. He is asking about
> a problem he is having with duplicate tickets being created, and here is
> the scenario:
>
> 1) User Adam sends email to RT to create ticket, CC's Bill and Carl.
> Email subject is "PROBLEM".
> -- RT, Bill, and Carl all get the email.
>
> 2) RT generates ticket #1 with Subject "RT #1: PROBLEM", sends
> notification to Adam.
>
> 3) Bill "RepliesAll" to Adam's email *original* email, so email is sent
> to RT and Carl from Bill. Email Subject is now "Re: PROBLEM".
> -- RT, Adam, and Carl get the email.
>
> 4) RT generates ticket #2 with Subject "RT #2: Re:PROBLEM", sends
> notification to Bill.
>
> 5) Carl "RepliesAll" to Bill's email, which is a reply to Adam's first
> email (Subj" Re: PROBLEM"). Email Subject is now "Re: PROBLEM".
> -- RT, Adam, and Bill get the email
>
> 6) RT generates ticket #3 with Subject "RT #3: Re:PROBLEM", sends
> notification to Carl.
>
>
> Do you see where this is going?
>
> Now there are three tickets in the RT queue:
>
> #1: PROBLEM (from Adam)
> #2: Re: PROBLEM (from Bill)
> #3: Re: PROBLEM (from Carl)
>
> I understand that if you merge these, all the people will get all the
> replies to the merged ticket. However, this could be problematic (and
> painful) if the CC list is big and people are energetic. But it is a
> pain to have to keep merging new tickets into the original, and my user
> says this is not the way RT should handle it. I explain that a unique
> ticket is created by each user/subject combination sent to RT, but he
> believes this is "kludge" behavior (his word, not mine). 
>
> So, what's the best way to avoid the duplicates?
>
> My answer was "Don't CC them on the original email, but rather create
> the ticket, then add them as CC's *on* thie ticket. But due to the
> constraints of the environment, users do not always have access to the
> RT GUI to do this when/after they create a ticket; most of our tickets
> are created via email.
>
> As always, any help is *greatly* appreciated!!!
>
>
> ....k 
> -=-=-=- 
> Kevin Freels
> Director of Information Technology
> Sendmail, Inc.
> kfreels at sendmail.com  510/594.5572 
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