Link All Duplicate Tickets Together and Close New Duplicates Using Automation

[#1]

Summary

Sometimes tickets with the same summary or same summary and description are created in your Project, which can make a mess of all of the tickets in your queue and knowing which "Password Reset" ticket (for example) to work on.

As an alternative to this you could use an Automation For Jira Rule to link all duplicate tickets together moving forward and close new duplicated tickets as well. This will ensure that all tickets with the same summary or same description - or - same summary and description are linked together.

Please note that in this example we are only looking at linking/closing duplicate tickets that have the same summary. You can also add a Description equals Description from the Trigger Issue Field Condition or switch that out with the Summary Condition as you see fit.

Basically you will need to configure a Rule with the Issue Created Trigger, using a Branch Rule/Related Issues action for JQL for that particular Project.

Please know that you will need to refine the JQL for the Branch Rule a bit further to avoid causing Performance Issues and Automation Rule Throttling, this setup is just an example to link all tickets on that project with the same Summary together.

Ultimately the first JQL Branch Rule/ Related Issues action will look like the following, where the Link Issues to Trigger Issue Action uses the Duplicates Issue Link Type:

Then we will have a Current Issues Branch Rule which will essentially look at the Trigger Issue and Close (Status) that new "Duplicate" Issue as a Duplicate (Resolution Field), and add an Internal Comment to that Trigger Issue that it is a Duplicate issue. 

You can also use more Conditions for these Branch Rules as you would like too, such as the Reporter is the same, as well as the Summary/Description fields:

After that you will configure a second rule that has the Allow rule trigger checkbox checked to ensure it runs when we link the Issues together. This will use a Issue Linked Trigger with a Destination Issue Branch Rule that will look back at the Trigger issue and essentially link all tickets that have the same Summary together and ensure all of these cases have the same amount of Linked Issues:

Once this is all setup, its smooth sailing from here!

Get this person some tater tots!!  :) 

Cheers,

Christian B.