diff --git a/app/cmd/guide.go b/app/cmd/guide.go
index 2e23035..216803d 100644
--- a/app/cmd/guide.go
+++ b/app/cmd/guide.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func generateGuide(currentDir string) error {
 		{"README.md", readme},
 		{"01-example-unit/00-hello-world.md", helloWorldMd},
 		{"01-example-unit/01-configuration.md", configurationMd},
-		{"01-example-unit/02-publishng.md", publishingMd},
+		{"01-example-unit/02-publishing.md", publishingMd},
 		{"01-example-unit/03-markdown-examples.md", markdownExamplesMd},
 		{"01-example-unit/04-challenges.md", challengesMd},
 		{"01-example-unit/05-checkpoint.md", checkpointMd},
diff --git a/app/cmd/preview.go b/app/cmd/preview.go
index 9a613c8..5f5d67b 100644
--- a/app/cmd/preview.go
+++ b/app/cmd/preview.go
@@ -911,6 +911,9 @@ func (p *previewBuilder) parseConfigAndGatherPaths() error {
 
 	for _, std := range config.Standards {
 		for _, cf := range std.ContentFiles {
+			if strings.ToLower(cf.Type) == "external" {
+				continue
+			}
 			contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(p.target + cf.Path)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("Failure to read file '%s'. Err: %s", string(contents), err)
diff --git a/app/cmd/preview_test.go b/app/cmd/preview_test.go
index 01075bf..f78be1a 100644
--- a/app/cmd/preview_test.go
+++ b/app/cmd/preview_test.go
@@ -542,6 +542,33 @@ func Test_createNewTarget_DockerDirectoryDoubleNestedMd(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func Test_ParseConfigFileSkipsExternalType(t *testing.T) {
+	source := "../../fixtures/test-block-with-external"
+	p := previewBuilder{target: source}
+	err := p.parseConfigAndGatherPaths()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("parseConfigAndGatherPaths should not error when external content files are present: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// The external content file should not be in configYamlPaths
+	for _, path := range p.configYamlPaths {
+		if strings.Contains(path, "external-link") {
+			t.Errorf("configYamlPaths should not contain external content file path, but found: %s", path)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// The lesson file should still be present
+	foundLesson := false
+	for _, path := range p.configYamlPaths {
+		if strings.Contains(path, "lesson.md") {
+			foundLesson = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !foundLesson {
+		t.Errorf("configYamlPaths should contain the lesson content file path")
+	}
+}
+
 func testFilesExist(t *testing.T, paths []string) {
 	for _, file := range paths {
 		if _, err := os.Stat(fmt.Sprintf("single-file-upload/%s", file)); os.IsNotExist(err) {
diff --git a/fixtures/test-block-with-external/config.yaml b/fixtures/test-block-with-external/config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e043fcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fixtures/test-block-with-external/config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+Standards:
+  - Title: Unit with External
+    UID: abc123
+    Description: A unit with an external content file
+    SuccessCriteria:
+      - success criteria
+    ContentFiles:
+      - Type: Lesson
+        Path: /units/lesson.md
+        UID: def456
+      - Type: External
+        Path: https://gitlab.galvanize.com/galvanize-it/sandboxes/grunde/test-repo/-/blob/main/sample-report.pdf
+        UID: ghi789
diff --git a/fixtures/test-block-with-external/units/lesson.md b/fixtures/test-block-with-external/units/lesson.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf56674
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fixtures/test-block-with-external/units/lesson.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# A Lesson
+
+This is a lesson.