Use this checklist to help make sure any documents made in Word are fully accessible for digital publication in both Word and PDF formats.
Titles
- Document/File Title is set (File>Info>Properties>Title)
- The title is meaningful to the document
- On-Page Title is not in an image or text box
Headings
- Have not used the pre-set style 'Title'
- The title/main heading in the body of the document is set as Heading1
- Heading1 is only used once in the document
- All headings have been formatted using the pre-set styles (the formatting/look of these can be modified)
- All further headings and sub-headings have been nested in order using the pre-set stylings
Lists
- All lists are formatted with the bullet/numbering options and are not written as text on the page
Pictures, Images and Graphics
- Every picture/image/graphic has a suitable alt text
- Pictures that are only for decoration have been marked as decorative
- Graphs have a full alt text description or have an on page description and are marked decorative
- Have not used images/graphics with lots of text on them
- Have not used an image of a table
Document Layout
- Have not used any text boxes
- Have used Indent and Spacing to position text
- Have not included information in the Header/Footer other than redundant information
- Have used borders and shading rather than a table to format text
- Have not used more than one text column
Tables
- Have not been used to layout the document
- Every table has repeat row headers selected (on the header row only)
- Every table has an alt text title and description
- There are no row headers in the middle of any tables
- Tables that run onto another page have not been split - use repeat row headers
- Have only been used to provide information that could not be better displayed using paragraphs or lists etc
- There are no blank or merged cells
Use of Colour
- Has not been used as the only way to indicate/provide information
- Have checked contrast of colour for background and foreground/text
Links
- Links provide context to where they will go
- Avoided using 'Click Here', 'Learn More'
- Not pasted full urls onto the page
Language
- Content has been written as clearly and simply as possible.
- Avoided using block capitals