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Rule Priority and Conflict Resolution

Overview

Out of Office Assistant provides sophisticated rule prioritization and conflict resolution mechanisms to ensure the right absence rules apply when multiple rules could affect the same issue. This feature becomes essential when using multiple integration sources (Manual, Slack, Outlook, Tempo) or when rules have overlapping scopes, preventing confusion and ensuring predictable behavior in your absence management.

Understanding Rule Priorities and Conflicts

What are Rule Conflicts?

Rule conflicts occur when multiple Out of Office rules could potentially apply to the same issue at the same time. This typically happens when:

  • Multiple rules are active for the same user simultaneously

  • Rule scopes overlap (e.g., an "All Projects" rule and a specific project rule)

  • Different integration sources create rules with conflicting settings

  • Date ranges intersect between different rules

How Priority Resolution Works

Out of Office Assistant uses a hierarchical decision-making process to determine which rule takes precedence:

  1. Priority Decision Flow:
  2. 1. Status Check → Active rules always supersede scheduled rules
  3. 2. Scope Evaluation → More specific scopes override general ones
  4. 3. Date Comparison → Earlier or shorter rules take priority
  5. 4. Source Priority → User-defined source hierarchy applies

Managing Source Priorities

Accessing Source Priority Settings

When multiple integrations create Out of Office rules, you can define which source should prevail in case of conflicts.

Available Integration Sources:

  • ✅ Manual entries (user-created rules)

  • 📧 Microsoft Outlook integration

  • 💬 Slack integration

  • ⏰ Tempo Timesheets integration

  • 📅 Google Calendar integration (if configured)

How to Adjust Source Priorities

  1. Navigate to the Rules List

    • Path: Apps → Out-Of-Office Assistant → Rules

    • Look for multiple source indicators in your rules table

  2. Click the Source Priority Button

    • Located in the top toolbar: [Source Priority]

    • Only appears when multiple sources are active

  3. View Connected Sources

    • The dialog displays all currently connected integration sources

    • Each source shows its current priority position

  4. Drag and Drop to Reorder

    • Click and hold on any source

    • Drag to the desired priority position

    • Higher position = Higher priority

  5. Save Your Changes

    • Click [Save] to apply the new priority order

    • Changes take effect immediately for all future conflicts

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Criteria for Rule Prioritization

Priority Resolution Hierarchy

Out of Office Assistant applies the following criteria in order when determining which rule to use:

1. Status-Based Priority

  1. Active Rules → Always processed first
  2. Scheduled Rules → Only considered if no active rules apply
  3. Inactive Rules → Never processed

2. Scope-Based Priority (Same Dates)

When rules have identical date ranges, priority follows scope specificity:

Priority Level

Scope Type

Example

1st Priority

JQL-based rules

project = ABC AND priority = High

2nd Priority

Single project rules

"Marketing Project only"

3rd Priority

All Projects rules

"All projects in Jira"

Important: Active "All Projects" rules stop processing subsequent active rules in the list.

3. Date-Based Priority (Same Scope)

When rules have identical scopes but different dates:

Scenario

Priority Rule

Example

Different start dates

Earlier start date wins

Jan 1 rule beats Jan 15 rule

Same start date

Shorter duration wins

3-day rule beats 2-week rule

Overlapping periods

First rule by start date

Existing rule maintains priority

4. Source-Based Priority

When rules from different sources conflict:

  • User-defined source priority order applies

  • Manual rules often set as highest priority by default

  • Integration rules follow configured hierarchy

Practical Example

Consider this scenario:

  1. User: John Doe
  2. Date: July 15, 2025
  3. Active Rules:
  4. 1. Manual Rule: All Projects (July 1-31)
  5. 2. Outlook Rule: Marketing Project (July 15-20)
  6. 3. Tempo Rule: JQL filter "priority = High" (July 15-16)
  7. Issue Assignment: High-priority issue in Marketing Project
  8. Result: Tempo rule applies (JQL filter has highest scope specificity)

Advanced Configuration

Creating Exception Rules

Use scope specificity to create exceptions to general rules:

Base Rule: All Projects → Coverer: Team Lead
Exception: Project X → Coverer: Senior Developer

This ensures Project X issues go to the Senior Developer while everything else goes to the Team Lead.

Managing Integration Conflicts

Best Practice Priority Order:

  1. Manual Rules - Direct user control

  2. Tempo/Calendar - Planned absences

  3. Slack - Quick status updates

  4. Outlook - General availability

JQL Filter Precision

Create precise JQL filters to avoid conflicts:

  1. // Instead of broad filters
  2. project = ABC
  3. // Use specific conditions
  4. project = ABC AND (
  5. assignee = currentUser() OR
  6. reporter = currentUser()
  7. ) AND status != Closed

Best Practices

Rule Design Strategies

  1. Minimize Overlapping Scopes

  • Use specific project rules instead of "All Projects" when possible

  • Create targeted JQL filters for special scenarios

  • Avoid duplicate rules from different sources

  1. Source Priority Configuration

  • Place most reliable sources at the top

  • Consider integration update frequency

  • Manual rules typically get highest priority

  1. Regular Maintenance

  • Review active rules periodically

  • Clean up expired or redundant rules

  • Update source priorities as integrations change

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Vacation with Exceptions

  1. Primary Rule: All Projects → General Coverer
  2. Exception Rules:
  3. - Critical Project → Senior Expert
  4. - Support Queue → Support Lead

Pattern 2: Integration Hierarchy

  1. 1. Manual (Emergency overrides)
  2. 2. Tempo (Approved time off)
  3. 3. Calendar (Tentative plans)
  4. 4. Slack (Day-to-day status)

Pattern 3: Department-Specific Coverage

  1. JQL Rules by Department:
  2. - labels = "engineering" → Engineering Lead
  3. - labels = "design" → Design Lead
  4. - Default: All Projects → Department Manager

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: Wrong Rule Applied

  1. Symptoms:
  2. - Issues assigned to unexpected coverer
  3. - Integration rule overriding manual rule
  4. Diagnosis:
  5. 1. Check Rules Management Interface
  6. 2. Review active rules for the date
  7. 3. Verify source priority settings
  8. 4. Examine rule scopes for overlaps
  9. Resolution:
  10. - Adjust source priorities
  11. - Make rule scopes more specific
  12. - Deactivate conflicting rules

Issue: All Projects Rule Blocking Others

  1. Symptoms:
  2. - Specific project rules not working
  3. - Only first "All Projects" rule applies
  4. Diagnosis:
  5. 1. Check rule order in the list
  6. 2. Verify "All Projects" rule position
  7. Resolution:
  8. - Move specific rules above "All Projects"
  9. - Use JQL filters instead of "All Projects"
  10. - Split into multiple targeted rules

Issue: Integration Creating Duplicate Rules

  1. Symptoms:
  2. - Multiple similar rules from same source
  3. - Conflicting rules with same dates
  4. Diagnosis:
  5. 1. Check integration sync settings
  6. 2. Review rule creation logs
  7. 3. Verify integration configuration
  8. Resolution:
  9. - Disable and re-enable integration
  10. - Clear duplicate rules manually
  11. - Adjust integration sync frequency

Priority Verification Checklist

Before activating complex rule sets:

  • Review all active rules for the period
  • Check scope overlaps using preview
  • Verify source priority configuration
  • Test with sample issue assignment


Rule Priority Status: ✅ COMPLETE
Next Step: Integrations