Redirect URLs

There may be times when you want a URL to re-direct and open a different URL. You are able to re-direct any URL within the same domain.

Scenarios for creating re-directs:

  • Perhaps the site navigation is changing and the URL for given information has shifted.  A re-direct can be created so users typing in the original URL still get to the content on the updated URL.
     
  • If you have a campaign to promote a page on the site, you can create whatever snappy URL name you want and then re-direct it to the correct page.
     
  • If a website splinters off from a larger website redirects can be created so created pages of the original site redirect to the new site.

IMPORTANT:

  • You can only set re-directs originating from YOUR site

  • THE PAGE YOU WANT RE-DIRECTED CANNOT EXIST ON YOUR SITE.

Instructions

1. Click Shortcuts > Redirects

2. Click the button +Add redirect

click button +Add redirect

3. Enter the path for the URL you want to re-direct.  This is the link that users click or type into the URL bar.

enter in path field

4. Enter in the page you want the user to land on when they click the link above.

enter in "To" link

IMPORTANT:

  • THE URL YOU WANT RE-DIRECTED CANNOT EXIST ON YOUR SITE. For example, if you want https://sites.columbia.edu/instructions to redirect https://sites.columbia.edu/content/redirect-urls there cannot be a page created for https://sites.columbia.edu/instructions

  • Setting redirects to a different website: type in the full URL for the external site you want to redirect the page
     
  • Setting redirects to internal pages: type in the name of the page in the To field and select the list of pages suggested from the system. Do not manually type in anything to prevent error.
     
  • Setting redirects for a document: the To field must contain the machine name.  To find the machine name for a document do to the document page and go into edit mode. The URL now displays the machine name for you to copy and paste into the To field. (do not include the /edit text)
machine name for URL

Setting redirects for pages of one website to redirect to another website

This example demonstrates redirecting https://provost.columbia.edu/content/office-planning-and-institutional-research TO https://opir.columbia.edu

  • Go to EDIT the webpage you need redirected

    For this example, go to https://provost.columbia.edu/content/office-planning-and-institutional-research

  • Uncheck the publish box to this page is UNPUBLISHED

    interface for unpublished checkbox

  • Change the URL Alias

    Roll over the right side of the content entry screen for the webpage and expand the URL Alias information

    interface to access URL alias info

    Uncheck the Generate automatic URL alias box and edit the URL Alias field.

    NOTE: what you change the URL Alias to does not matter. In this example, the alias is changed to /content/office-planning-and-institutional-research2

    interface to change alias

  • Remove the new alias just created

    Go to Redirects and find the alias just created (it should be at the top of the list) and DELETE it.

    interface to find alias

  • Create the Redirect

    Within the Redirects tab, Click +Add redirect

    interface for add redirect button

    Enter in the original path to the new one you want the redirect to target

    interface to add redirect information