How to retire an outdated signing link
Replace old guest entry points while keeping historical signed records and the reason for the change understandable.
Retiring a link is about where future guests should go. It is not the same decision as deleting historical records or changing an earlier signed document. Keep those tasks separate so a routine website update does not become a confusing records change.
Identify why the link is changing
Record whether the form is being replaced, the activity has ended or the source page simply uses an old address. Confirm the intended new destination before taking away the old route.
If the form's wording or scope is changing, follow the normal review and publication process. A new URL is not a substitute for deciding which participants need the new document.
Update the sources guests still use
Check booking confirmations, reminders, printed QR signs, partner instructions and staff shortcuts. Update the original templates, not just the next message you happen to send. Ask partners who control their own copies to replace them.
Where a visitor can still encounter the old route, use the platform's supported behavior and make the next step understandable. Do not promise a redirect unless you have actually configured and tested one.
Preserve the historical explanation
Keep a brief register of the retired link, its former purpose, the replacement and the change date. Staff investigating a past visit should be able to understand why an old email looks different from the current website.
Retain signed records according to the organization's process. Archiving a template, removing a website button and purging personal content are distinct operations with different consequences.
Before you call it ready
- The replacement destination is published and tested.
- Email templates and printed materials were checked.
- External owners know which link to replace.
- Historical signed records were not rewritten as part of the link update.
Common questions
Should the old link always redirect?
Use the supported behavior appropriate to the change. If the replacement has a different activity scope, an unexplained redirect can confuse the guest. Verify the final experience rather than assuming a redirect exists.
Can old signatures be moved to the new wording?
Preserve what the participant actually signed. A new published version does not retroactively replace the content of an earlier signed record.
Useful next steps
A clear process. A better start.
Build your form, try the guest experience, and give your team a workflow they can follow.