Hyperlinks Not Resolving to Credentialed Website

Copper Contributor

I have an Excel file where I have built hyperlinks based on formula so that when reviewing applications I can click on the link and take me directly to view the application URL.  I take the URL from the website and add a variable of the application ID number which then creates a direct link to the application itself.  The application is on a credentialed website that requires a login.  If I paste the link from Excel directly into my browser where I am already logged in the link resolves correctly and takes me to the application.  However when I click on the same link from Excel I am taken to a login screen that simply says "you are logged in".  No other error messages.

 

I found this help article(https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/office-suite-issues/cannot-locate-server-when-c...) which seems to match my problem closely, however when I follow the instructions I cannot find the required registry key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet). When I get to \Office I have 14.0, 15.0 and 16.0 but none of them have \Common\Internet in them.

bjernigan_0-1619446583002.png

Things I've tried to resolve:

  • Setting a different browser as my default browser (tried Brave, Chrome and Edge)
  • Clearing browser cache
  • Tried putting the link into Excel not as a formula (just as a straight hyperlink) and same issue
  • I put the mentioned registry key from the help article in a similar address that I did have (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\Internet)
  • Poked around in my registry to see if I could find anything similar to the registry key mentioned and kept coming up empty.

Anyone have any suggestions for me?  Thanks in advance.

Edition Windows 10 Pro
Version 20H2
Installed on ‎8/‎23/‎2020
OS build 19042.928
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.551.0

Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 MSO Version 2103 Current Channel 16.0.13901.20436 (64-bit)

 

7 Replies
To what do these links refer exactly? Word documents? PDF's?
They refer to URL on a website

Ok. If you haven't got that reg key, you could try to just create it at the location advised. It should go under the 16 branch if you are using office 365

Can you clarify which location that would be? The requested location is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet and the nearest that I have is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common (but then there is no \Internet directory). Are you suggesting I add the registry key to the \Common folder since \Common\Internet does not exist? Thanks in advance.
Add both the missing folder(s) and the key to the 16.0 one. I don't know if it'll work, but you can always try.

@Jan Karel Pieterse Thank you, that didn't quite do it but it lead me on a hunt for more details related to this topic and finally found one comment buried deep in a forum that suggested to create this entire registry string even if it did not exist.  Here is the final answer that solved my problem https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/128cb772-6745-412b-8a9f-af555fac1eb0/huperlink-doe... go all the way down to the very last comment by user boossy.

 

Basically you need to add the entire registry string even if it does not exist and you also have to both locations:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

In both places create a DWORD (32-bit) named ForceShellExecute with a value 1

 

That was exactly what I was trying to say :)
Glad you were able to solve the problem!