Link Detection and Remediation
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Overview
Documents often contain embedded links that point to other documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. When migrating data, these links will continue pointing to the old locations, breaking cross-document navigation and critical references. DryvIQ’s Link Detection and Remediation feature prevents this by scanning supported files for links, identifying which will be impacted by migration, and providing a process to update eligible links to point to the correct destination location. This process ensures users remain productive throughout all phases of migration, reducing manual, post-migration cleanup and preserving content relationships.
Hyperlinks vs. Embedded Objects
DryvIQ supports the remediation of embedded links, meaning standard clickable hyperlinks (URLs) included in document text.
DryvIQ does not remediate embedded objects, such as inserted images, attachments, or OLE content, because they are stored as binary data rather than as URL-based links.
Link Remediation Outcomes
Not all detected links can be remediated. Refer to Link Detection and Remediation Technical Specifications for information about supported link types.
Understanding the Process
The feature operates in two phases:
Link Detection: When enabled for a job, link detection runs during simulation or transfer jobs and scans supported files for links. It then reports on the identified links as part of the job reports. Link detection is performed only during migration jobs and is not available in content scans.
Link Remediation: After the migration job completes (all content has successfully transferred to the destination), you manually trigger link remediation. When executed, DryvIQ rewrites eligible links to point to their destination items.
Performance Impact
Link detection requires DryvIQ to open and inspect file contents, which can affect job duration.
Link Detection for Simulation jobs: Enabling link detection increases job duration because files must be downloaded and scanned. Files are downloaded temporarily for inspection and are not stored at rest by DryvIQ; they are released as soon as the scan is complete. DryvIQ estimates an approximate 5–10% increase in simulation runtime, with larger files taking slightly longer to process.
Link Detection for Transfer jobs: The impact is typically minimal, since files are already being streamed into memory during the migration process. File size has a negligible effect unless files are extremely large.
Link remediation: This process runs after migration completes and does not affect migration throughput. However, it is a separate execution step that adds time to the overall project. From a processing standpoint, link remediation behaves like a delta run. DryvIQ processes only the subset of files that contain links requiring remediation, and each file is updated once to create a new version with corrected links. The total time required depends on how many files need to be updated, not on the total number of files in the job or the total number of links detected. Because remediation involves additional calls to the source and destination platforms, environments with API limits or usage-based billing should factor this into their planning.
Enabling the Feature
You can enable the Link Detection and Remediation feature for both simulation and transfer jobs when defining the job's behaviors during job creation. Ensure the Allow link detection and remediation on supported files toggle is enabled for the job you are creating. After configuring the remaining job settings, save and run the job.
Link Detection Scope
Job filters apply. If a file type is excluded from the job, links inside those files will not be scanned.
Only supported file types are inspected for links.
Only the latest version of each file is scanned.
Viewing Link Information
When the Link Detection and Link Remediation feature is enabled for a job, DryvIQ identifies links in files and makes the information available for review on individual Job reports and the roll-up reports. When link remediation runs for the job, DryvIQ updates the link status accordingly. Information is available on the Content Insights, Items, and Links pages.
Spreadsheet Link Counts
It is important to note that spreadsheet link counts will not always match, depending on how the link was added to a cell. If the links are added to multiple cells simultaneously, DryvIQ reads the link as one link shared across cells. In this instance, all shared links count as one link. If the links are added to multiple cells separately (one cell at a time), DryvIQ counts each cell separately, so it counts each link individually.
Content Insights
A Link remediation status overview section displays at the bottom of the Content Insights page for jobs with Link Detection and Link Remediation feature enabled. This section lists the number of files without links, the number of links identified requiring remediation, the number of links that have been remediated, the number of links where remediation failed and needs to be executed again, and the number of links for which remediation failed. You can view specific details about the individual links on the Items and Links pages.
Items
A link remediation status is assigned to every file included in a migration, even if link detection isn’t enabled for a job. You can configure the Items page to display the status by changing the third or fourth column header to Link remediation status. You can also choose to set a column to display the number of links identified in a file, so you know how many links were detected and require remediation (as shown in the image below). You can also filter the Items page by a specific remediation status to narrow the results and display only files that need to be remediated, retried, etc.
Understanding Item Link Remediation Status
Each file included in the migration is assigned a link remediation status when the feature is enabled for the job. This helps you understand the link remediation processing status for the file, not the links within the file.
Status | Description | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Nothing to remediate | No links were detected in the file. This is the default status for files that don't contain any hyperlinks, or for file types that don't support link detection. | No action is required. |
Remediation needed | At least one link in the file has not been processed yet. This typically appears after link detection runs but before link remediation has been executed. | Run link remediation after all related jobs are complete. |
Complete | All links in the file have been processed. This does NOT mean all links were successfully updated; it means remediation has finished processing all links. Links that were marked as "Ignored" (target not found in migration) or "Unsupported" (unrecognized URL format) are considered processed and contribute to a "Complete" status. | No action is required. |
Retry | This is a user-initiated status. One or more links in this file have been manually marked for retry. A user has requested that DryvIQ attempt remediation for these links, typically after completing additional migration jobs or resolving an issue that prevented successful remediation. When link remediation runs again, these links will be reprocessed. | Run link remediation again. |
Failed | At least one link in the file failed to remediate due to an error. This is the highest priority status. If any link fails, the file shows as "Failed" regardless of other link statuses. If Link remediation fails, it is usually due to missing tracking information, URL generation failure, or unexpected errors caused by connectivity issues, API errors, or other runtime errors. | Review the file’s links on the Links page and manually fix or correct scope issues. |
The file link remediation status is assigned based on each status's priority level. This means the file status reflects what DryvIQ considers the most important link status among all the links in the file. For files with multiple links, the priority is assigned based on the following order:
No links exist = Nothing to remediate
Any link failed = Failed
Any link is unprocessed = Remediation needed
Any link needs to be retried = Retry
All links processed = Complete.
Links
The Links page provides information about each link identified. There will be an entry for each link identified; therefore, you will see the source item listed multiple times if multiple links were identified within the file. You can edit the second, third, and fourth columns to display the information most relevant to your review. You can also filter the Items page by a specific remediation status to narrow the results and display only links that need to be remediated, retried, etc.
Encoded URLs
Some detected links may appear URL-encoded (spaces shown as %20, for example). This is the raw value stored internally in Microsoft Office files. Office applications display a decoded, user-friendly version of the path in the UI, but Link Detection shows the underlying stored value. This is expected and does not affect detection or remediation.
Understanding Link-level statuses
Each link identified in the migration is assigned a link remediation status. This helps you understand the link remediation processing status for each link.
Status | Description | What to do |
|---|---|---|
None | The link has been detected but not yet processed for remediation. This is the initial status assigned when links are first discovered during link detection. | Run link remediation. |
Remediated | The link was successfully updated to point to the new destination location. The document has been modified with the corrected URL. | No action is required. |
Ignored | The link points to a recognized storage platform (such as SharePoint, Box, or Google Drive), but the target item was not found in any completed migration job. The link was detected but cannot be remediated because there is no matching destination to update it to. | Verify the link is correct and that the target is in scope if you expect it to be remediated. You can retry remediation. |
Unsupported | The link URL format could not be recognized by any connector. This typically applies to links pointing to external websites, unrecognized platforms, or malformed URLs that don't match any known pattern. | No automatic fix is possible. Manual remediation is required if the link must be changed. |
Retry | This is a user-initiated status. The link has been manually marked for retry. A user has requested that DryvIQ attempt remediation for the link, typically after completing additional migration jobs or resolving an issue that prevented successful remediation. When link remediation runs again, the link will be reprocessed. | Run link remediation again. |
Failed | An error occurred while attempting to remediate the link. If link remediation fails, it is usually due to missing tracking information, URL generation failure, or unexpected errors caused by connectivity issues, API errors, or other runtime errors. | Investigate the link and fix it manually or correct scope issues. |
Remediation Status Reasons
For failed and ignored links, DryvIQ reports a reason for the status. You can view this information by choosing Status reason as one of the columns on the Links page. This column identifies why link remediation failed or was skipped for the items.
Staus | Reason | Description |
|---|---|---|
Failed | Failed to match item | DryvIQ could not match the source item from the detected link to a known destination item. This could happen if the link is outside the scope of the job. |
Unsupported | Failed to parse identifier | DryvIQ could not parse a source item for the detected link. The item links to another item on the source, but the link is in an invalid format. Review the supported link formats for the platform and verify the link is valid. |
Failed | Failed to resolve URL | DryvIQ could not match the source item to a known destination item and was unable to generate a URL for the destination item. |
Failed | Invalid source item | The source item was not provided or was not valid. |
Failed | Invalid destination item | The destination item was not provided or was not valid. |
Failed | Unknown | DryvIQ encountered miscellaneous uncategorized errors. |
Exporting Results
The Content Insights, Items, and Links pages each include an Export this report option that lets you save the current view as a CSV file for further review or offline analysis.
Each export contains different information based on the page it is generated from and reflects the data currently shown in the report, including any filters you have applied. For example, the Items export focuses on file-level results, while the Links export provides link-level details, including the source file, link value, and remediation status.
These exports are especially useful for:
Reviewing results outside the DryvIQ UI
Sharing results with other teams or stakeholders
Filtering, sorting, or analyzing results in tools such as Microsoft Excel
Identifying links or files that require manual follow-up or remediation.
Link Remediation
Link remediation is a separate, post-migration process that updates eligible links in migrated files to point to their new destination locations. It should be run only after all content for the migration job has been successfully transferred to the destination. This ensures that DryvIQ can correctly resolve both the source files containing links and the destination files they should point to.
After you review the detected links from a completed migration job, you can run link remediation to automatically fix the links that DryvIQ can safely update. This process does not rerun the migration; instead, it updates only the subset of files that contain links that need correction.
A Practical Workflow for Link Remediation
Link remediation should be treated as a job-level completion step, not an open-ended or ongoing process.
Complete the migration for the job: Before running link remediation, ensure that all content in the current migration job has been successfully migrated to the destination.
Run link remediation for the job: This updates all eligible links in the job's files.
Review results on the Links page: Use the Links page to review remediation results per link and filter by remediation status to focus on links that were not remediated.
Export unresolved links for follow-up: Export the Links report (optionally using filters) to create a worklist of links that must be manually remediated and those that could not be remediated because the target content is not yet in scope and will require follow-up after it is migrated. The export serves as both a cleanup checklist and a tracking record for any remaining link work after the job is complete.
Running Link remediation for a Job
Choose the job(s) by selecting the box before the job name.
Click More options and select Execute link remediation in the menu that displays.
DryvIQ adds the job to the job queue.
Monitor progress and review results in the UI.
Missing or Disabled Execute Link Remediation Option
If you select a single job that does not have link detection enabled, the Execute link remediation option does not display in the More options menu. If you select multiple jobs and one does not have link detection enabled, the Execute link remediation option is disabled in the menu.
Timestamp Preservation
When DryvIQ remediates a link, the file must be updated, which would normally change the Last Modified timestamp. To prevent this, DryvIQ preserves the original Last Modified date whenever the destination platform allows it. For all connectors that currently support link remediation, DryvIQ preserves the original Last Modified timestamp after the remediation is completed.
Next Steps
Refer to Link Detection and Remediation Technical Specifications for information about which file types and link formats are supported, platform-specific behavior and limitations, and why certain link patterns cannot be remediated.