How to create trackable redirect links

Redirect links turn a long third-party URL into a short link on your agency's portal domain, and you can change where that link points after the message has already gone out.

### Overview

Redirect links live under **Admin** > **Portals** on the **Redirects** tab. Each redirect stores a **Name** for internal reference, a **Redirect URL** (the destination), a **Portal**, and a **URL** (the short path at the end of the link). The address clients receive is your portal address followed by `/r/` and the **URL** value.

- Replace long external URLs in messages with a short link on your agency's own portal domain
- Update the **Redirect URL** at any time so anyone who clicks later reaches the new destination
- Let eCourtDate create a redirect for each link it replaces in an outbound message when **Auto Replace Links** is enabled
- Open the message a redirect belongs to, and see whether that message has been opened, from the redirect's edit screen

Use redirects whenever you send messages that contain external links and you want those links to stay on a domain your clients recognize.

### Prerequisites

- Access to **Admin** > **Portals** in the top navigation
- At least one portal, since **Portal** is required on the **Create Redirect** form
- The destination URL you want clients to reach

### How-To Steps

#### Create a redirect

1. Go to **Admin** > **Portals**.
2. Click the **Redirects** tab.
3. Enter a **Name** in the **Create Redirect** panel, for example "Payment Portal Link".
4. Enter the destination address in **Redirect URL**.
5. Select a **Portal**.
6. Click **Create**.

eCourtDate saves the redirect and opens its edit screen.

#### Finish and test the redirect

1. Confirm the **Portal** on the edit screen and change it if it is not the portal you want.
2. Edit **URL** to set the short path that appears at the end of the link.
3. Click **Save**.
4. Click **Portal Link** at the top of the screen to open the redirect in a new tab.
5. Verify that the link forwards you to the address in **Redirect URL**.

#### Replace links in messages automatically (optional)

1. Go to **Admin** > **Settings**.
2. Enter **Auto Replace Links** in the **Search Settings** field.
3. Select the **Auto Replace Links** checkbox in the **Automation** section.
4. Click **Save**.

The setting replaces links in messages with shortened versions so you can track when links are clicked and update a link after it has been sent.

### What to Expect

After you click **Create**, eCourtDate opens the edit screen for the new redirect so you can finish it. The redirect appears at the top of the **Redirects** table when you return to the tab. The table lists **Name**, **Portal URL**, **Redirect URL**, **Message**, **Created**, and **Creator**, with **Open Portal**, **Open Redirect**, and **Open Message** buttons in the matching columns.

Saving a new **Redirect URL** applies right away. The short link stays the same, so anyone who clicks it afterward reaches the new destination without a new message.

When a redirect was created for a message, that message appears beside the edit form. Once the message is opened, it shows an **OPENED** badge with the time of the most recent open.

### Best Practices

- Give every redirect a descriptive **Name**, since the **Search Redirects** panel searches by name.
- Keep the **URL** value short and readable, because it is the last part of the address clients see.
- Point redirects at destinations that may change, such as virtual hearing links, so you can update them later instead of resending messages.
- Click **Portal Link** and confirm the destination before you include a redirect in a message.
- Use **Tools** > **Archive** on the edit screen to retire redirects you no longer need, then select the **Archived** filter when you need to find them again.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I change where a redirect points after clients already have the link?**

A: Yes. Open the redirect, update **Redirect URL**, and click **Save**. The short link itself does not change.

**Q: How do I find a redirect I created earlier?**

A: Use the **Search Redirects** panel on the **Redirects** tab. You can use **Search by Name**, **Search by Redirect URL**, filter by **Portal**, and include **Archived** or **Trashed** records.

**Q: Where do redirects come from that nobody on my team created?**

A: When **Auto Replace Links** is enabled in **Admin** > **Settings**, eCourtDate creates a redirect for each link it replaces in an outbound message. Those rows show an **Open Message** button in the **Message** column.

**Q: Does the Redirects page show a click count?**

A: No. The table shows **Name**, **Portal URL**, **Redirect URL**, **Message**, **Created**, and **Creator**. For a redirect tied to a message, open the redirect and check the message beside the edit form for an **OPENED** badge.

**Q: Can I export my redirects?**

A: Yes. Click **PDF** or **CSV** above the results table on the **Redirects** tab.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The new redirect is attached to a different portal than the one you selected.

**Symptoms:** The **Portal** on the edit screen does not match the portal you chose in the **Create Redirect** form.

**Solution:**

1. Select the correct **Portal** on the edit screen.
2. Click **Save**.
3. Click **Portal Link** to confirm the address now uses that portal.

**Issue:** No **Portal Link** button appears on the edit screen.

**Symptoms:** The redirect opens, but the top of the screen shows no link to test.

**Solution:**

1. Select a **Portal** and click **Save**, since the button appears only once the redirect belongs to a portal.
2. Confirm **URL** has a value, because the link does not work until the address ends with that value.

**Issue:** A redirect is missing from the results table.

**Symptoms:** The **Redirects** tab shows "No Redirects found." after a search.

**Solution:**

1. Clear **Search by Name** and **Search by Redirect URL**.
2. Set the **Portal** filter to **Any**.
3. Select **Archived** or **Trashed** to look for retired redirects.
4. Click **Search**.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate, click the **Help** button, and select **New support ticket**.

### Related Articles

- [How to Create Redirect Links](/how-to-create-redirect-links)
- [How to Create Web Portals](/how-to-create-web-portals)
- [How to Create a Custom Domain](/how-to-create-a-custom-domain)
- [How to Send a One-off Message](/how-to-send-a-one-off-message)
- [How to Send a Mass Message using Bulk Actions](/how-to-send-a-mass-message-using-bulk-actions)