Hyperlinks into SharePoint keep breaking

Question

I'm probably doing this the hard way (I haven't learned SharePoint lists yet).

I have a SharePoint Online site in a tenant of O365 ProPlus for business, and a document library with many folders and subfolders. I have constructed an Excel file at the top level of the document library to serve as sort of a collection of overview information, with a couple of fields holding links to files or folders further down in the library. These links keep breaking.

Is there a straightforward way of creating a link to save in an Excel worksheet that will continue to work for weeks or months to send someone directly into a file or folder within the same document library? All the people who will see and use this are members of the SharePoint site. I have even tried using the "Anyone" link share setting but the links eventually quit working--even for me, the creator of the whole shebang. Are the links timing out for some reason? I'm not moving the files or folders around, so I just need a permalink. One that stays perma.

Answer 1

Hi Melissa,

What you are doing is the correct way, copying the link instead of grabbing the URL from the browser.

First, regarding the Sharing options, no - only administrators can change the settings. We need to involve your Global Administrator to check the SharePoint Admin Center > Sharing settings and see if anonymous access links are disabled:

Second, regarding the main issue of the URL changes:

1. Are there anyone who had access to the document other than you, that might've changed the address?
2. Is there any difference between the two links that you created on Jan 4th?
3. Have you tried creating a new workbook and see if there is a similar issue? If not, please try to do so.

I'd also like to get the full SharePoint URLs and your workbook screenshots to see if it helps and look for clues. I will send you a private message to collect these information.

Also, I have created a sample workbook on my end with links to a folder in that same library and the URL is working, so please let me know what work you do on the workbook daily - it might help us narrow down what actions are done that might explain this behavior.

Regards,

Sheen

Answer 2

Hi Melissa,

When using the Copy Link feature, please check whether there is an expiry date.

By default it should be empty, but your organization's administrator may have set anonymous links to expire in the SharePoint Admin Center.

If you are a SharePoint Administrator, you can change this; if you are not, we suggest you contact your administrator to confirm.

If this is not the scenario you're having, please describe how the links are broken; what are you getting when trying to open the links?

Regards,

Sheen

Answer 3

Hi Melissa,

Hyperlinks should work on Excel Online. I'd like to confirm how you got the link and put it on Excel - please provide some screenshots of the process (you can mask the link partially).

I tested on my end and got a link that looks something like this:

https://tenantname.sharepoint.com/sites/teamsite5/\_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?folderid=1\*\*\*\*87123e4a77b0\*\*\*\*ce2fc2&authkey=AQs0e&\*\*\*\*\*\*4fYKTCmCqFXqrjCU&e=c6527fffada644\*\*\*\*\*\*3feed4

Then I pasted it into Excel Online, and just click on the hyperlink to open it.

Regards,

Sheen

Answer 4

OMG. I think I just stumbled onto the answer to my question. I blamed myself for probably making it too hard--no, I wasn't making it hard enough. I assumed too much from Excel on the Web.

It turns out I have to open the spreadsheet all the way in Excel in order to use the links. They work fine, just not in browser mode. Too bad I was envisioning this sheet as an easy in-browser index to the need-to-know reports buried below.

Is there any way to get links that will be usable within Excel on the Web? or is it time for me to throw in the towel and take SharePoint Lists training?

Answer 5

Here's what I get when I try to follow the link:

When I copy link, there is no indication of an expiration date--I don't even see the "set expiration date" option in there. I've spoken to the SharePoint administrator and she's not aware of having set any limits to link sharing.