# How to prevent history and alarm duplication when using referenced tags (what's the best approach?)

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-prevent-history-and-alarm-duplication-when-using-referenced-tags-whats-the-best-approach/54894>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** perspective, ignition81\
**Created:** [January 11, 2022, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-prevent-history-and-alarm-duplication-when-using-referenced-tags-whats-the-best-approach/54894 "2022-01-11T19:18:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Daniel\_Calderon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@Daniel\_Calderon](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Daniel_Calderon)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-prevent-history-and-alarm-duplication-when-using-referenced-tags-whats-the-best-approach/54894/1 "2022-01-11T19:18:34Z")

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Continuing the discussion from [Purpose/Function of Reference Tags](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/purpose-function-of-reference-tags/23008/9):

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**Author:** ![jespinmartin1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jespinmartin1/32/57175_2.png) [@jespinmartin1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jespinmartin1)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-prevent-history-and-alarm-duplication-when-using-referenced-tags-whats-the-best-approach/54894/2 "2022-01-11T19:59:06Z")

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Well, by not enabling history and not configuring alarms for reference tags.

In the reference tags you could create a custom property, something like `parentpath`. Externally, you should ask for that property, and reference alarms and history from custom property. When this property is not found it means is the parent.

Not much else to say because a reference tag is a totally new object with its own properties and configurations.

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**Author:** ![Daniel\_Calderon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@Daniel\_Calderon](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Daniel_Calderon)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-prevent-history-and-alarm-duplication-when-using-referenced-tags-whats-the-best-approach/54894/3 "2022-01-11T21:49:24Z")

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Thanks J. This sounds like a clever approach for what I need. I will check it out and feed back.