# proposify proposal link shows 404 after send: how to fix it

A 404 after send usually means the public link was never generated or expired: the send used a preview link, or the proposal was archived. Re-send from the published proposal view and verify the public link opens in a private browser window before sharing it.

```text
proposify proposal link shows 404 after send
```

## When to use this skill
- Recipients report a 404 on the proposal link
- Link works for you but 404s for the client

## When not to use this skill
- Link loads but shows an old version (a cache issue)
- Link asks for a password (a privacy setting)

## Tool compatibility
Proposify proposal sharing and links. Related area: business integrations and proposal tooling.

Related area: proposal automation and agent-assisted RFP workflows.

Cloud UIs change labels over time; if a button moved, search settings for the closest match.

## Before you start
- Sign in to the tool and keep one tab open so sessions stay clean
- Copy the exact error text and note the time it happened
- Set aside 15 to 20 minutes; most of these resolve in a single pass

## Quick diagnosis
Make sure this is the right skill before you invest the 15 minutes.
- If you are dealing with recipients report a 404 on the proposal link, start at step 1 below.
- If instead link loads but shows an old version (a cache issue), stop here; you need a different skill.
- If neither quite matches, compare your screen against the verbatim error block at the top; that block is exactly what this skill covers.

## Fix it in steps
### 1. Check the proposal status

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Open the proposal and confirm it reads as sent, not draft or archived.
```
Expected: Expected: status reads sent with a public link listed.

### 2. Regenerate the public link

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Use the share or publish action to generate a fresh public link.
```
Expected: Expected: a new link appears, different from the dead one.

### 3. Test the link in a private window

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Paste the new link into a private or incognito browser window.
```
Expected: Expected: the proposal loads with no login required.

### 4. Resend to recipients

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Send the verified link to the recipients who got the dead one.
```
Expected: Expected: recipients open the proposal without a 404.

## Confirm each step worked
Run through this checklist before moving on. If a check fails, redo that step instead of pushing ahead.
- Step 1 (check the proposal status): Expected: expected: status reads sent with a public link listed.
- Step 2 (regenerate the public link): Expected: expected: a new link appears, different from the dead one.
- Step 3 (test the link in a private window): Expected: expected: the proposal loads with no login required.
- Step 4 (resend to recipients): Expected: expected: recipients open the proposal without a 404.

## Quick recap
1. Check the proposal status
2. Regenerate the public link
3. Test the link in a private window
4. Resend to recipients

## Still stuck?
Gather three things: the exact error text, the time it happened, and what changed just before it broke.
Check the vendor status page for an active incident. Then open a support ticket with those three things;
it cuts the back-and-forth in half. For agent runs, attach the last 50 lines of the agent log too,
since the loop or timeout signature in the log usually names the cause.

## Variant phrasings
### proposify link not working
Republish and test in a private window. If this matches what you saw, the steps above apply as written.

### proposify proposal 404
Fresh public link is the fix. If this matches what you saw, the steps above apply as written.

## Why it happens
Preview links and archived states both produce 404s that look like broken sends. Testing in a private window distinguishes a real dead link from your own logged-in session masking it.

## Edge cases
- Archiving a proposal kills its link instantly; check status before assuming a platform bug
- Some email clients rewrite long links and break them; test the exact link from the sent email
- Custom domains on links need DNS to resolve; a DNS change can 404 every link at once

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_-NAUIjRxqgeWE7lgk9u-tA