Check the redirects.
Make the handoff clear.
A practical redirect migration checklist, two worked CSV examples, and a handoff worksheet for small web teams.
Two checks answer different questions. A file audit finds problems in your planned mappings. A live check tests what the deployed website actually does. Keep both results with the handoff.
Start with the example files
Use the practice file to learn what a chain, loop, and conflicting destination look like. Then compare it with the reviewed example. You may copy and adapt these files for your own projects. All paths are fictional; do not import these examples into a live website.
What to look for in the practice map
- Avoid an unnecessary extra hop.
/old-catalog → /catalog → /collectionsforms a chain. Our reviewed example points both old paths directly to/collections. - Give the loop a real destination.
/help-a → /help-b → /help-anever reaches a final page. We choose/helpas the intended destination for both paths. - Resolve the conflicting source.
/salepoints to both/offersand/clearance. We choose/offersand remove the other row. Your site’s content determines the correct choice.
With the default source website, the practice map produces 4 error rows, 1 review row, and 3 clear rows. The reviewed example produces 7 clear rows. Those counts describe file structure only; no real destination has been checked.
A migration handoff checklist
- Write down the intended result. Keep a row for each old URL and its chosen destination. Assign a reviewer to high-value pages. Keep the original map so later changes can be explained.
- Review the file before installation. Resolve loops, repeated sources and missing destinations. Confirm how your platform treats capitalization, trailing slashes and query parameters.
- Install a reviewed version. Record the deployment time and map version. Apply rules through your own platform; a CSV audit does not install them.
- Test the deployed URLs. Record the response status and actual final URL. Compare it with the expected destination, then inspect the destination’s content. A successful response can still lead to the wrong page.
- Give unresolved items an owner. Write a concrete next action for each mismatch. Mark blocked requests and timeouts as inconclusive, with a retest time; do not count them as a pass.
- Agree on follow-up. Choose a recheck schedule appropriate to the migration and repeat after relevant deployments. Record the latest successful check time so old results cannot be mistaken for current evidence.
Use the worksheet to separate intent from evidence
The handoff worksheet is a review record. It is not a CMS import format. Replace the example URLs, assign an owner, and leave observations blank until you perform the live check.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Source and Target | The old URL and intended final destination, including the hostname for a domain move. |
| Priority and Owner | Which mappings matter most and who will resolve an issue. |
| Checked at UTC | The time the live result was observed. A blank value means it has not been checked. |
| Observed status and final URL | What the checker actually received, separate from what the map intended. |
| Outcome and Next action | For example: “Destination mismatch — review the deployed rule” or “Inconclusive — retry after allowing the checker.” |
Know where the check stops
A structurally clear map does not establish that redirects are installed, destinations are relevant, or search rankings will be preserved. Google’s site-move guidance also covers mapping, site preparation and traffic monitoring.
Platform rules matter. Shopify redirects apply to eligible broken URLs and some paths are reserved. Review Shopify’s redirect documentation before installing a map.
For an existing desktop workflow, Screaming Frog’s migration audit guide explains list-based live checks. Use a tool appropriate to the site and your permissions.