Overview
The Broken Links Notifications system provides automated email notifications for two types of broken link reports:
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Weekly Digest – Automatic summary of broken links detected by the broken link checker plug in
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404 Reports – Real-time notifications when site visitors report broken links through 404 pages
Both notification types use the same role-based recipient system that you configure through the WordPress admin interface.
Configuration Options
Accessing the Configuration
Navigate to: WordPress Admin → Site Options → Broken Link Notifications
Access Requirements: Only users with Administrator, Web Services, or Site Manager roles can access this configuration page.
WordPress Roles
Select which WordPress user roles should automatically receive broken link notifications:
Important: All users with the selected roles will receive notifications based on their WordPress account email addresses. Make sure these users want to receive these emails!
Additional Email Addresses
Add extra email addresses that should receive notifications beyond the WordPress users:
Tip: Group email addresses (like WebServices-group@charlotte.edu) ensure the right team always gets notified, even as individual staff members change.
Weekly Digest System
How it works
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Automatic scanning – The Broken Link Checker plug in continuously scans your site
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Weekly email – The system checks for broken links once per week, with timing staggered across all sites throughout the week to reduce server load
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Smart sending – Emails are only sent when broken links are found (no empty reports)
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Direct links – Each email includes a direct link to the Broken Link Checker dashboard
Example Weekly Report Email
What to do when you receive a weekly digest
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Click the "View & Fix Broken Links" button in the email (must be logged into the site first)
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Review the broken links – Check each URL and determine the best action
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Take action:
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Fix the link if it's a simple URL mistake
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Create missing content if appropriate
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Set up redirects for moved content
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Mark false positives as "Not broken" if they're actually fine
404 Report System
How it works
When visitors encounter a 404 error, they can fill out a report form describing what they were looking for. These reports are sent immediately to your configured recipients.
Example 404 Email
What to do when you receive a 404 report
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Read the user's description – Understand what content they expected to find
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Check the broken URL – Look at what page they were trying to reach
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Consider the referrer – See where they came from (might indicate outdated links)
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Take action:
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Create the content if it's something that should exist
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Set up a redirect if the content moved
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Fix any internal links that are pointing to the wrong place
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Follow up with the user (if they provided an email) to help them find what they need
Troubleshooting
Not receiving emails?
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Check your role – Ensure you have Site Manager or Editor role, or your email is in the additional addresses
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Verify email addresses – Make sure all email addresses are spelled correctly
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Check spam folder – Automated emails sometimes get filtered
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Test the system – Use the test link to verify everything is working
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Contact Web Services – If problems persist, Web Services at WebServices-group@charlotte.edu, or put in a helpdesk ticket.
Getting too many emails?
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Remove your role from the notification settings if you don't need these emails
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Use group emails instead of individual addresses for team distribution
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Consider who really needs immediate 404 notifications vs. weekly summaries
Links flagged that are not broken?
- 403 forbidden, Timeout, 999 Unknown Error and other false positives may appear for external sites even the link is not broken
- You can select "Not broken" or "Dismiss" if the link works in a browser