SPS2010 : Target audience cannot resolve SharePoint group name when multiple groups share a common string

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On a SPS2010 environment, after installing SP1+Aug Cumulative Update,  there seems to be an issue whenever you try to set certain Audiences for Navigation Links ( /_layouts/areanavigationsettings.aspx) -- several selected Sharepoint Groups can not be resolved by the Audience Picker.

The issue is reproducible for selected Sharepoint Groups that have at least a word/string in common.

Steps to Reproduce the Issue:

 1. Create a new site based on the team site template

 2. From the Site Actions, Site Permission, create 3 groups

      "Group "                                                                                                     
      "Group Asia"                                                                                                    
      "Group Europe"

 3. Browse to the Navigation Settings using the following URL: <site_URL>/_layouts/areanavigationsettings.aspx

 4. Under the section "Navigation Editing and Sorting" click on 'Add Link'

 5. In the Audience box type the group name "Group " and click on check name

 6. Notice how the name is underlined in red with the error message "No exact match was found. Click the item(s) that did not resolve for more options"

 7. If you click on "Group" you will notice 2 small arrows for navigation purposes however the choices for group names are not rendered properly 

 8. Select "Group" from the drop down, fill the title and URL click OK you will get again the same error message "No exact match was found. Click the item(s) that did not resolve for more options"

 

A possible Workaround would be:  to change all groups so there are no overlapping names. 

The above-mentioned Issue has already been analyzed  and the Product Group is aware of it. They are currently working on a possible solution.

We will engage into publishing any Updates concerning this Issue as soon as they become available. So please stay tuned! 

 

 References:

Updates for SharePoint 2010 Products  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/ff800847.aspx

* Currently we release hotfixes every two months in the form of a Cumulative Update.  If you would like to read more about the CU servicing program for SharePoint please read the following article - https://support.microsoft.com/kb/953878
and/or consult the following blog post - https://blogs.technet.com/b/office_sustained_engineering/archive/2008/07/01/office-hotfixes-to-be-delivered-on-a-defined-schedule-in-the-form-of-cumulative-updates.aspx