Decision tree · Do not guess replacements

How to check LitBuy Spreadsheet dead links step by step

The goal is not to force every old row into a new link. The goal is to leave a dated, evidence-based decision that distinguishes a safe update from a temporary failure or unresolved match.

Start on LitBuy Spreadsheet Read dead-link FAQ

Preserve the starting point

Save the original context before testing the link

  • Old URL or row reference
  • Intended item, topic, and exact saved option
  • Existing note or reason the link was saved
  • Date and approximate time of the recheck
  • A place to record the final destination or error
  • One next-action field: keep, revise, retry, archive, or research

Six-step decision tree

Classify first, compare context, then choose the next action

A failed observation can remain unresolved. A professional check records uncertainty instead of converting it into a guessed replacement.

  1. 1. Preserve the old row

    Copy the original URL, intended context, saved selection, and existing note before changing anything. This creates a stable baseline for the comparison.

  2. 2. Open the URL and let redirects finish

    Record the final destination, missing-page result, timeout, service error, or access challenge. Do not judge relevance until the navigation result is clear.

  3. 3. Classify the observable state

    Use relevant redirect, changed page, temporary failure, removed page, or unresolved match. Choose the narrowest label supported by the observation.

  4. 4. Compare current context with the old row

    When content is visible, compare the brand, item purpose, title, exact option text, and image context. A live page is not automatically the same page the row originally described.

  5. 5. Record the evidence and check date

    Save the final URL or error, the visible detail that supports the classification, the date, and any uncertainty. Avoid current price, stock, quantity, or QC claims unless the destination visibly supports them.

  6. 6. Choose one traceable next action

    Keep a still-relevant row, revise only supported details, retry a temporary failure later, archive a removed path, or research again from the current LitBuy resource.

Decision outcomes

Match the action to the evidence

The final action should follow directly from the classification. If the evidence does not support a replacement, the correct result may be a scheduled retry or a fresh research task.

Keep

Use when the destination and saved context remain relevant. Add the check date so the row shows when it was last reviewed.

Revise

Use when a relevant current page supports updated text. Change only the fields that are visible and preserve the old reference in history.

Retry later

Use for a timeout, service error, challenge, or other temporary access limitation. Record the failure and a practical future recheck.

Research again

Use when the old destination is removed, irrelevant, or unable to support the saved context. Begin from the live LitBuy resource rather than guessing a new URL.

Stop conditions

Stop the replacement process when the evidence is incomplete

These signals mean the row needs uncertainty or fresh research, not a confident replacement.

  • The final page belongs to a different brand or a different item purpose.
  • The exact saved option is no longer visible and equivalence cannot be confirmed.
  • Only a challenge page, timeout, or temporary service error is observable.
  • A similar image or title is the only connection between the old and proposed pages.
  • The proposed replacement requires unverified price, stock, quantity, QC, or update claims.
  • The reviewer cannot explain in one sentence why the final page supports the original row.

Avoid silent link replacement

The next reviewer should be able to see what happened, what evidence was checked, and what remains uncertain.

Open LitBuy Spreadsheet Review FAQ