How to make an accessible Excel
document (Office 2013 edition)
Add alternative (alt) text
Why
If you include images, charts, tables and graphs in your document you must provide alt text. Alt text helps people who can’t see the screen, and use a screen reader, understand what’s important in images and other visuals.
What to include in alt text
The title and description should be clear and simple to understand for
anybody who can’t see the image. Alt text should enhance the text in the main document.
Give a short title to the image along with any figure or reference numbers – this should act like a caption. In the description, explain in more detail what the image conveys:
• For an image, include information about the people, setting, objects or
context.
• For a table, graph or chart, give an overview of the data that it
contains. Describe any patterns the chart or graph shows that will be apparent to a sighted reader. If there is no pattern, say this too. • For a graph, the description should also include the details of what
How to add alt text to an image
• Right-click an image. • Select Format Picture.
• Select Alt Text (within Size & Properties icon).
• Type a title and description in the boxes provided.
How to add alt text to a shape and SmartArt
Graphic
• Right-click a SmartArt graphic. • Select Format Shape.
• Select Alt Text (within Size & Properties icon).
How to add alt text to charts
• Right-click a Chart.
• Select Format Chart Area.
• Select Alt Text (within Layout & Properties icon).
• Type a description and a title.
How to mark images as decorative images (no alt text)
If your visuals are purely decorative, i.e. they are not needed to understand text, leave the alt text title and description boxes empty.
People using screen readers will hear that these are decorative, so they know they are not missing any important information.
Make hyperlinks, tables and sheet tabs
accessible
What
Add meaningful hyperlink text and Screen Tips.
Why
People who use screen readers sometimes scan a list of links. Links should convey clear and accurate information about the destination. For example, instead of linking to the text Click here, include the full title of the destination
page.
ScreenTips are small windows that display descriptive text when you rest the pointer on the hyperlink.
How to add hyperlink text and screen tips
• Select the cell where you want to add a hyperlink. • On the Insert tab, select Hyperlink.
• In the Text to display box, the content of the cell you selected is
displayed. This is the hyperlink text. To change it, type the new hyperlink text.
• In the Address box, add the hyperlink URL.
• Select the ScreenTip button and, in the ScreenTip text box, type the
text of the ScreenTip. • Click OK > OK.
How to make tables accessible
Screen readers and other assistive technologies often rely on being able to ‘tab’ through the cells of a table. From any cell, the corresponding row or column heading can also be ‘read’. To create an accessible table, the structure needs to enable easy tabbing.
• Tables are read from left to right, a single row at a time.
• Avoid merged cells and headings that span rows and columns. • Avoid nesting tables.
• Avoid using empty columns/rows.
• Try breaking down complex tables into two or more smaller, simpler tables.
• Text in cells should be formatted simply, e.g. bullet points can cause structure problems.
• Avoid creating tables that break across pages.
• Link to complex tables in an Excel file rather than including them in a document.
How to add headers to a new table
Specify a header row in a new block of cells you are marking as a table. • Select the cells you want to include in the table.
• On the Insert tab, select Table.
• In the Create Table dialog, select the My table has headers check
box.
• Select OK. Excel creates a header row with the default names
Column1, Column2, and so on.
• Type new, descriptive names for each column in the table.
How to make sheet tabs accessible
Rename a sheet to a relevant title and delete any unused/empty sheet tabs.
Rename sheet tabs
• Right-click a sheet tab, and select Rename.
• Type a brief, unique name for the sheet, and press Enter.
Delete sheet tabs
• Right-click a sheet tab, and select Delete.
• In the confirmation dialog, select Delete.
Create index tab for multiple sheets
What
If multiple sheets are being used, make the first sheet a hyperlinked index sheet – similar to a table of contents.
Why
Defining rows and column titles helps with navigation.
How to create an index for multiple sheets
To create a quick table of contents sheet, do the following: • Insert a sheet and select a cell.
• Right-click and choose Hyperlink option
• In the Link to column, click Place in This Document.
• Highlight the sheet. In the Text to display box add tab name.
Use accessible colours
What
How we use colour in our documents affects how visually impaired and colour-blind users access our content. Using colour to distinguish information can cause problems.
Why
People who are blind, have low vision, or are colour blind might miss out on the meaning conveyed by particular colours.
How
• For charts and diagrams present information in a key in the same order as the sectors appear on a chart.
Example of pie chart with normal vision
• Use colours that provide good contrast between foreground and background.
• Use a single colour for your text and avoid ‘Word Art’ effects.
• Never rely on colour alone to convey information or meaning.
Text and styles
What
When using text within Excel follow some simple steps to make content accessible.
Why
All content needs to be accessible whether it is text or tables/charts so users, including those using screen readers, can navigate through content.
How
Text
• Always use a minimum 12 pt sans serif font, such as Arial. Arial is a
sans serif accessible font.
• Times new roman is a serif font and is not accessible.
• Always left-align text. Never use justified or centred text. • Don’t use italic text.
• Never underline text for emphasis. Only web links can be underlined. • Never use blocks of capitals.
• Only use bold text for emphasis of a word or phrase, not for whole paragraphs of text.
• Text in graphs, figures, etc. must not overlap (what we call a clash in publishing).
Styles
• You should only use one space after each full stop.
• Use consistent spacing between paragraphs. Use the paragraph styles to add space after a paragraph rather than double returns.
• Make sure the hierarchy of headings is clear and easy to understand. Move from heading 1 to 2 to 3, not 1 to 3 as this will fail accessibility. • Create a hyperlinked index sheet – similar to a table of contents.
Accessibility checker
What
It checks the text in the spreadsheet against: • page colour
• cell backgrounds • highlights
• text box fill
• paragraph shading • SmartArt fills
• headers and footers • links.
Why
Use the Accessibility Checker to make sure your document is fully accessible, for example there are no merged or split cells and the colour contrast is
sufficient.
How to use the Accessibility Checker
• Click File > Info.
• Select the Check for Issues button.
• In the Check for Issues drop-down menu, select Check Accessibility.
• The Accessibility Checker task pane appears next to your content and shows the inspection results.
• To see information on why and how to fix an issue, under Inspection Results, select an issue. Results appear under Additional
Information, and you’re directed to the inaccessible content in your
file.
