Generate a URL for a content record

A WEB URL of a content record allows external users to access the record's content for a specific duration. You can send the Web URL to the recipient by email, browser address field, in a document or any other means available. The recipient clicks the link to open or download the content record. Depending on your permissions the user may have to login to download the record. You can use Web URLs to send content records to external users, not in your Qvidian system. These external users can access the records using the Web URL if the record is not checked out, expired, or disabled.

Example: You can generate the URL for a content record containing a sales data sheet created in Microsoft Word. You can then send the URL to a prospect who can access the Sales Data Sheet.

Web URLs allow two types of access. The URL generated depends on your settings and you cannot chose the access type.

  • Single Sign-On link: This takes SSO users directly to the content record.
  • Explicit login link : This takes users to a login page.

Generate a link

Note: You must be granted the Manage Generated URLs application permission to work with the Generate URL function.

  1. Locate the content record you want to create a URL for.
  2. Click the More Options More Options menu menu and select More Tools > Generate Web URL. The "Generate Web URL" dialog will display.
  3. Choose one of the following options:
    • Single Use Link: The URL can only be used one time by one user for the time period specified in the The length of time in hours that the Generated URL link to a piece of content will remain valid timeout setting.
    • Multi-Use Link: The URL can be used an unlimited number of times by an unlimited number of users for the time period specified. The multi-use type is useful when you want to send the content record to several external users.

    4. Note: The URL that is generated contains an authentication token that is active and valid for a fixed time period. This duration is set in The The length of time in hours that the Generated URL link to a piece of content will remain valid. Value of 0 indicates 'Never Expires'. Default value of 1,440 hours specifies 60 days Timeout setting. By default, the setting is 48 hours."

  4. Select the Download as PDF checkbox if you want to require Word and PowerPoint content to be downloaded as PDFs.
  5. Click Copy to copy the URL to the clipboard.

Note: You can clear all generated web links so they cannot be used even if they have yet to expire. For more information, see Clear Content URLs.

Control access to web links

Administrators can control access to records via Web URLs by setting the AuthenticateDownloadLink global setting to one of the following:

  • 0: No Qvidian authentication
  • 1: Qvidian authentication prompted when creating the link
  • 2: Always prompt Qvidian authentication

System administrators can monitor authentication usage. When one uses a Web URL to access a content record, an Event Audit log captures the user ID. And if an external user accesses a content record, then the ID of the user who generated the Web URL is captured. System administrators can specify the type of access to Web URLs generated by setting SpecifyDownloadLinkType to one of the following:

  • 0: One link that redirects to a QPA login page that includes a Single Sign-On button (Default)
  • 1:  Two separate links for Single Sign-On and Explicit Login
  • 2:  Single Sign-On only link