Make previous findings check from scheduled audit configurable

[strawgate]

let's also make close-older-issues configurable so that you can control whether the old report replaces the new one.

maybe if you set close-older-issues to false we use the previous findings check?

## Previous Findings

Before filing a new issue, check `/tmp/previous-findings.json` for issues this agent has already filed.

- Run `cat /tmp/previous-findings.json` to read the list of previously filed issue numbers and titles.
- If your finding closely matches an open or recently-closed issue in that list, call `noop` instead of filing a duplicate.
- Only file a new issue when the finding is genuinely distinct from all previous findings.

[github-actions]

TL;DR: gh-aw-scheduled-audit currently hardcodes close-older-issues: false and always runs the previous-findings dedupe check, so #444 is valid and the best fix is to make these behaviors explicitly configurable (or at least conditionally linked).

Recommendation

Add a boolean workflow input to .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.md for close-older-issues (default false, preserving current behavior), wire it into safe-outputs.create-issue.close-older-issues, and gate the previous-findings check/instructions when replacement mode is enabled.

Findings

1. In source, close-older-issues is hardcoded and not caller-configurable:
   • .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.md:80
2. The previous-findings logic always runs in scheduled-audit:
   • Step writing /tmp/previous-findings.json: .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.md:84-96
   • Prompt instructions: .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.md:104-110
3. Compiled lock file confirms the same runtime behavior:
   • Previous Findings prompt text: .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.lock.yml:348-354
   • Handler config contains "close_older_issues":false: .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.lock.yml:1387
4. Documentation currently says auto-close behavior in this workflow:
   • gh-agent-workflows/scheduled-audit/README.md:44
5. Related history:
   • Make the close older issue option for scheduled reports configurable #354 (open): original “make close-older configurable” ask
   • Improve defaults for close older issues #357 + merged PR Improve close-older-issues defaults for auditor/detector workflows #358: changed defaults by workflow type
   • Do not repeat previous findings #405 + merged PR Update to 0.50.4 and improve workflows #406: introduced shared previous-findings dedupe flow
   • closed PR Make close-older-issues configurable for scheduled report workflows #355 attempted broad configurability but was not merged

Verification

I validated current behavior with repository commands:

$ grep -nE "close-older-issues|Previous Findings|previous-findings\.json" .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.md
80:    close-older-issues: false
96:        > /tmp/previous-findings.json || { echo "::warning::Failed to fetch previous findings — dedup will be skipped"; echo "[]" > /tmp/previous-findings.json; }
104:## Previous Findings
106:Before filing a new issue, check `/tmp/previous-findings.json` for issues this agent has already filed.
108:- Run `cat /tmp/previous-findings.json` to read the list of previously filed issue numbers and titles.

$ grep -nE "close_older_issues|Previous Findings|previous-findings\.json" .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.lock.yml | head -n 10
348:          ## Previous Findings
350:          Before filing a new issue, check `/tmp/previous-findings.json` for issues this agent has already filed.
352:          - Run `cat /tmp/previous-findings.json` to read the list of previously filed issue numbers and titles.
517:        run: "set -euo pipefail\ngh issue list ... > /tmp/previous-findings.json ..."
1387:          GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_HANDLER_CONFIG: "{\"create_issue\":{\"close_older_issues\":false,...}}"

$ grep -nE "Safe Outputs|auto-closes older reports" gh-agent-workflows/scheduled-audit/README.md
42:## Safe Outputs
44:- `create-issue` — file an audit report (max 1, auto-closes older reports)

Detailed Action Plan

1. Add new workflow input in .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.md under on.workflow_call.inputs:
   • close-older-issues (type boolean, required false, default false).
2. Wire safe output behavior:
   • Replace hardcoded safe-outputs.create-issue.close-older-issues: false with the new input expression/pattern used in this repo’s compiled workflow strategy.
3. Make previous-findings behavior explicit:
   • Either gate the “List previous findings” step and ## Previous Findings prompt section on close-older-issues == false, or add a dedicated use-previous-findings-check input and document precedence.
4. Update consumer docs/examples:
   • gh-agent-workflows/scheduled-audit/README.md input table + Safe Outputs note.
   • gh-agent-workflows/scheduled-audit/example.yml showing optional override.
5. Regenerate/validate:
   • Run make compile then make lint, and verify .github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.lock.yml reflects expected runtime config and prompt content.

Related Items

Type	Link	Relevance
Issue	#444	Current request
Issue	#354	Prior request to make close-older configurable
Issue	#357	Defaults discussion that led to current hardcoded values
Issue	#405	Added previous-findings dedupe mechanism
PR	#358 (merged)	Set close-older-issues defaults including scheduled-audit=false
PR	#406 (merged)	Added previous-findings fragment/pattern
PR	#355 (closed)	Prior unmerged attempt at broader configurability
File	.github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.md	Main source to change
File	.github/workflows/gh-aw-scheduled-audit.lock.yml	Generated runtime output to verify
File	gh-agent-workflows/scheduled-audit/README.md	User-facing behavior/docs

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What is this? | From workflow: Issue Triage

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