Use case:  I have a Public folder and a Master folder containing controlled documents related to manufacturing. 

The Public folder contains PDFs of the procedures which are linked to shortcuts for the forms.  The forms are Word and Excel documents.  When opening the shortcut from the folder itself, it opens correctly in Word or Excel.

When opening the shortcut from the link in the procedure, it opens in the document viewer vs opening in Word or Excel.  It also shows the icon for the links as an electronic document icon vs. as a shortcut icon.

Why don't the links open the documents in Word or Excel?  When a user goes to the procedure, the expectation is that they can open the document directly from the procedure, but this doesn't seem to be the case.