Threads getting mixed up

[NCCariaga]

PHP version: 8.3.6
FreeScout version: 1.8.217
Database: MySQL / PostgreSQL: MySQL 8.0.44
Are you using CloudFlare: No
Are you using non-official modules: No
Are you using Cloudron: Yes

Summary:

Conversations sent between two FreeScout instances are getting mixed up intermittently in recipient threads. New messages added to thread is not related to the original message in conversation.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Two mailboxes managed in Single FreeScout instance
2. Backup and Clone to a new instance (new URL)
3. Update conversation start number in new instance,
4. Delete other mailbox within the instance (keeping 1 mailbox per instance)
5. Send (or forward ), or reply to an existing thread in one of the conversations where the other mailbox (in the other instance) is an recipient
6. Notice that incoming messages are intermittently getting mixed to existing conversations that is not related to the original thread

Current Behavior:
Emails are getting mixed up when rendered by FreeScout in spite of different conversation numbers indicated in the subject.

Expected Behavior:
Each FreeScout instance should be able to discern the incoming messages based on thread numbers indicated in subject and should create a new conversation if the thread number is not found in the system / instance

Root Cause Analysis:
The issue appears to be related to tag as shown in email header where Freescout provides higher weight on identifying which conversation the incoming message belongs to.

[freescout-help]

Backup and Clone to a new instance (new URL)

This is the reason. FreeScout is not designed for such scenarios. Each FreeScout instance should have a unique APP_KEY in the .env file. You can clone the instance but stop using the previous one.

[NCCariaga]

Greatly appreciated the guidance on this.

Will it work if I update the APP_Key value in one of the two instances? How will this affect any current or past conversations already stored in the database? We also have purchased modules to work with both instances. Will updating the key affect the modules that already been activated?

[freescout-help]

APP_KEY should never change. Encrypted and hashed values will not work anymore.

[NCCariaga]

Thank you again on your guidance on this topic.