Read a Link-Check Report Beyond Its Pass Count

A link-check report can identify certain access or response problems, but a passing result does not prove that a destination still contains the resource the book describes. Review the tool's scope, redirects, and untested links, then inspect important destinations in context. Keep technical reachability separate from editorial suitability.

Identify what the report tested

Record the manuscript version, the extracted link list, and the checks the tool performed. Some reports inspect response behavior, while others only check URL structure or the presence of a clickable link. A pass count is difficult to interpret without knowing which question each check answered.

Compare the extracted list with representative places links appear in the book. Notes, captions, and text embedded in images may need separate inspection depending on the workflow. Do not assume the report covers every reader-facing reference merely because it describes the document as complete.

Follow the destination’s meaning

A reachable page can contain different information from the resource originally cited. Open important links and compare the destination with the surrounding manuscript sentence. If the book promises a particular worksheet, a general home page is not an equivalent result simply because it loads successfully.

Record the expected resource beside each important link. This gives the reviewer a specific acceptance question and makes later maintenance easier. A link inventory containing only addresses cannot explain whether a destination remains appropriate when the site changes its organization or replaces the original page.

Review redirects rather than treating them as neutral

A redirected address may still lead to the intended resource, or it may lead somewhere less useful. Inspect the final destination and decide whether the manuscript should use an updated address or a different reference. Do not classify every redirect as either a failure or a complete success without looking at its effect.

Keep the review focused on the reader's path. A chain that ends at an unrelated page leaves the original instruction unresolved. A well-maintained redirect to the same resource may preserve the intended experience, but the record should state what was inspected instead of relying only on a technical status.

Separate access conditions from missing resources

A page may require an account, a purchase, or another access step. Determine whether the book explains a material condition that readers need to know. A successful check made in one person's signed-in session does not establish that every reader can reach the same content without additional requirements.

Likewise, an automated request that fails does not always prove the resource has disappeared. Investigate the particular result using appropriate access methods and record the conclusion. The goal is to understand the destination, not to bypass restrictions or turn a tool's limited observation into an unsupported editorial claim.

Resolve untested and ambiguous results explicitly

Keep skipped links, timeouts, and uncertain findings visible. Assign a review action and preserve the reason a result remains unresolved. Do not silently count every item without a reported error as verified, especially when the report distinguishes between passed and not checked.

For nonessential references that cannot be established reliably, consider whether the book can explain the necessary information directly or identify a more durable resource. Make that editorial decision deliberately and update the surrounding text so the reader is not left with an instruction that depends on missing material.

Check the exported reader path

After corrections, inspect the publication output for clickable links where the format supports them and for readable addresses or references where needed. Verify the important destinations again from the actual release candidate. The source document and its extracted link report are intermediate evidence, not the whole reading experience.

Use relevant KDP formatting guidance for the publication file and keep the destination review dated. A working link today is not a guarantee of permanent availability. The useful handoff records what was checked, what the book expects the destination to provide, and which limitations readers need to understand.