Providing fast trigger matching to support business rules that modify customer-support tickets

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for automatically updating a customer-support ticket in an online customer-support system, the method comprising:

• defining multiple triggers for customer-support tickets, wherein each trigger specifies one or more associated actions to perform when the trigger is fired;
• for each trigger, constructing an associated condition graph comprising condition nodes, wherein each condition node specifies conditions regarding one or more parameters associated with the ticket;
• and
• when the customer-support ticket is created or updated, applying a first set of triggers by, for each trigger in the set of triggers:
• evaluating the associated condition graph to determine whether a valid path exists through the condition graph, from a root node to a null node, wherein a valid path comprises a sequence of condition nodes whose specified conditions are satisfied;
• and
• if a valid path exists, firing the trigger and performing the one or more associated actions.

A system that automatically updates a customer-support ticket in an online customer-support system, comprising:

• at least one processor and at least one associated memory;
• and
• an updating mechanism, which executes on the at least one processor, wherein during operation, the updating mechanism does the following:
• defines multiple triggers for customer-support tickets, wherein each trigger specifies one or more associated actions to perform when the trigger is fired;
• for each trigger, constructs an associated condition graph comprising condition nodes, wherein each condition node specifies conditions regarding one or more parameters associated with the ticket;
• and
• when the customer-support ticket is created or updated, applies a first set of triggers by, for each trigger in the set of triggers:
• evaluating the associated condition graph to determine whether a valid path exists through the condition graph, from a root node to a null node, wherein a valid path comprises a sequence of condition nodes whose specified conditions are satisfied;
• and
• if a valid path exists, firing the trigger and performing the one or more associated actions.