Published Links are the addresses of SharePoint sites/libraries which are available to user as a destination to save the document from Office Application. User can add additional sites/libraries by clicking on Connect To Office button on SharePoint Document Library ribbon.
Microsoft Office Applications e.g. Word and Excel try to sync information for all Published Links of SharePoint when a user opens “Save As” dialogue. This call is necessary to ensure that Office application has the latest list of sites which a user has selected by using “Connect to Office” option. Office applications gets the latest list by calling a SharePoint out of the box webservice available at following server relative address:
/_vti_bin/publishedlinksservice.asmx
Problem:
If Office application unable to access this address, it will display the login prompt. This will quickly become a nuisance, if you no longer use that SharePoint (e.g. you have left organisation, SharePoint address has changed etc.)
Resolution:
Remove the following two Registry entries as follows:
- Remove all unncessary sub-keys from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common\Portal\Link Providers
- Remove all unnecessary sub-keys from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common\Server Links\Published
Above two keys store the SharePoint site addresses to retrieve latest SharePoint locations. Office applications use these registry keys to find SharePoint site addresses and try to connect to SharePoint and shows Sign-in prompts, if unable to connect.
