PDFs
PDF is the preferred file format for documents posted to our websites. It is the responsibility of the individual or department from which they originate to ensure all PDF files are made accessible. Currently, there are no internally designated resources for document remediation; however, approved third-party vendors are available.
All PDF files submitted for upload on our websites through Workfront will undergo an accessibility evaluation process, which requires an accompanying Accessibility Report. PDFs that do not meet the criteria of this evaluation will be returned to the originator to fix identified issues before the document will be uploaded to our websites.
PDF accessibility resources
An automated accessibility report is the first step in checking to make sure your PDF meets accessibility standards. A report will also be required to be included when submitting a Web Request to upload a PDF to any of our public websites.
An accessibility report is an automated summary of findings produced by Adobe Acrobat Pro that details whether a PDF conforms to the accessibility rules set forth by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). Rules include, but are not limited to, the presence of alternative text for images and figures, the presence of appropriate metadata, the correct implementation of lists, and the presence of a document title.
An accessibility report can be created and exported using Adobe Acrobat Pro. All employees should have this program installed on their computer by default. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed, you can sign into Adobe.com with your University email to gain access or reach out to the Help Desk for further assistance.
Learn how to create an accessibility report
PDFs containing form fields need to be made fillable when they meet any of the following criteria:
- The form is intended to be submitted electronically. If the form is intended to be completed and returned over email, fax, or uploaded electronically, the form fields should be made fillable.
- The patient is being asked to fill out the form before coming to an appointment. If the expectation is for a patient to come to an appointment with the form already completed, even if it doesn’t need to be emailed prior, it should be made fillable to ensure all patients can complete the form.
- An accessibility request has been submitted to make the form fillable. If a request or complaint has been submitted, the standard response process must be followed and the form may need to be made fillable.
Any PDF that contains a form and is on the website only to serve as an example of a form that could be printed and filled out manually in the office does not need to be made a fully fillable PDF form to be available on the website. All other content in the PDF should still meet all digital accessibility requirements.
Yes, there are some third-party vendors that specialize in document and PDF accessibility remediation. Check with your Accessibility Coordinator, department designee or manager for options. There is a cost associated with working with third-party vendors, but your department or area may find this a good solution.
Other Documents
All documents posted to our websites must meet accessibility standards, including Microsoft Office documents.
The preferred file format for posting documents to our websites is a PDF. Microsoft Office documents should only be posted when that file format is required for the function of the document (e.g. templates meant to be edited or data shared in an Excel file).
Our standard Microsoft Office document templates are being reviewed and updated to ensure they meet accessibility requirements. If you are using those documents along with applying learnings from the Document Accessibility training (e.g., using appropriate structure and headers, watching color contrast, applying alt text to images, etc.) your document should meet the standards of accessibility.