PDF Forms

PDFs are a common format for fillable forms. PDF is likely the best choice for a form that needs to be digitally signed or printed off for analog entry. For forms that do not require signing or are not to be printed, consider using MSForms.

On this page:

• Best Practices
• Acrobat Prepare Form
• Initial Accessibility Checks
• Automated Accessibility Check

Best Practices

1. Ensure form has clear instructions.
2. Create meaningful visual labels for all fields, place labels adjacent to corresponding fields.
3. Use tooltips.
4. Include meaningful group labels where appropriate.
5. Indicate required fields and field constraints (such as specific date format).
6. Provide help and hints.

How to create a PDF form in Acrobat.

For additional information, consider WebAIM’s guide to form tags.

Acrobat Prepare Form

Create form layout in Word or InDesign and export as an accessible PDF document. Open in Acrobat Pro DC.

1. Select Tools tab and find the Forms & Signatures section.
2. Select Prepare Form tool and click Add or Add Shortcut.
3. The Prepare Form tool will appear in the right side tools pane.

Prepare Form Tool

To add form fields:

1. Click Prepare Form tool
   1. Uncheck/leave uncheck This document requires signatures. Add signature lines within the form if needed.
   2. Ensure Form field auto detection is ON.
   3. Select Start.
      1. The document is in Forms Editing Mode until the Close button in the top right is selected.

To delete a form field:

1. With Prepare Form tool open:
2. Right-click form field to be deleted
3. Select Delete

Manually Create Forms

1. Open Prepare Form tool
2. Select form field type from top centre toolbar
3. Click in document where you want to place form field
4. Type a meaningful, unique name
   1. This is not a name that will display in the document, that remains the text created in the document beside the field. Unique field names are required because Acrobat will apply the same Tooltip (discussed below) to all fields with the same name. This will lead to confusion and inaccessibility
5. Check Required if applicable
   1. Note: checking required only adds a red outline around the field. A better practice would be to add the “(Required)” to the visible form label (the text in the original document) and add “(Required)” to the tooltip wording
6. Select All Properties
   1. This dialog presents all the options for each field
   2. Options include: border, font style and size, position, alignment, relationship to other fields (such as a group of radio buttons), data restrictions such value range or format requirements
7. On the General tab the Tooltip field is required for full accessibility as the Tooltip is read to screen readers. Without a useful, unique tooltip such as “type your age”, screen reader users would hear something like “type a text” or “text input” and it may not be clear which field they are completing
8. You can also access the Properties dialog by right-clicking a field and selecting Properties
   1. Or when a field is selected press CTRL (CMD on macOS)and i

Add Tags

Form fields need to be tagged:

1. Open the Tags pane
2. Select Options button
3. Choose Find
4. In the Find Element dialog, choose Unmarked Annotations
5. In Type: select Search Document
6. Click the Tag Element button
7. Select Form in Type: dropdown and click Ok
8. Advance to next field

Verify Tab Order

1. With Prepare Form tool open
2. Select More beside the tool icon and select Show Tab Numbers
   1. A number appears in the top left of each field indicating its tab order
3. Examine the Fields in the right hand pane, this order reflects the tab order
4. Drag and drop fields to reorder

Begin at the top of your form and press Tab to move between fields and verify proper order.

Once you have added your form fields, mark placeholders (such as a blank line for a signature) as artifacts.

Acrobat will likely group your placeholder text (such as options for checkboxes) as one paragraph. This will disrupt reading order. To avoid this, open the Tags pane, highlight text individually, open the menu in the Tags pane and choose Create Tag from Selection… and choose Paragraph. This is a simple way to split text and place your form fields in between.

Initial Accessibility Checks

To assess the accessibility and usability of your form, check:

Manually

1. Use the Tab key to move around the form.
   1. Radio buttons should be grouped, meaning you can Tab to the first radio button and then use the arrow keys to navigate around that group.
   2. Checkboxes cannot be grouped but should have a consistent tooltip (tooltips provide directions for the required input of the field to assistive technology) to give indication of their grouping.
   3. Text fields should be in the same order they visually appear.

Tooltips

You can add a single form field if you discover one missing during your checks:

1. Navigate to Order.
2. Open the Reading Order Panel.
3. Click and drag to highlight over the desire form field area and select Form Field.

Note, you will still need to ensure the reading order, tags, and tooltip for the field.

Automated Accessibility Check

1. Select Tools
   1. Accessibility > Accessibility Check or Full Check
   2. Right click on various errors for explanation and tips for fixing the error.
2. Read Out Loud will give an idea of how a screen reader or text-to-speech software will read your document
   1. Select View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud

A PDF with form fields will not reflow (by design), so do not use the Zoom > Reflow tool.

Tab through your form once more to be sure.