{"id":5859,"date":"2024-01-28T21:42:05","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T02:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=5859"},"modified":"2026-03-27T15:22:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T19:22:01","slug":"excel","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/chapter\/excel\/","title":{"raw":"Excel","rendered":"Excel"},"content":{"raw":"<img class=\"noborder alignright wp-image-3360\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1em\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-300x279.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"137\" height=\"127\" \/>\r\n\r\nMicrosoft Office includes built-in tools to assist you in making accessible documents. This chapter includes best practices and instructions to create accessible Excel spreadsheets.\r\n\r\n<strong>On this page:<\/strong>\r\n<ul class=\"navbar\">\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#properties\">Document Properties<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#afont\">Accessible Font<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#structure\">Spreadsheet Structure<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#alttext\">Alternative Text<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#images\">Images and Graphics<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#hyperlinks\">Hyperlinks<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#tables\">Tables<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#additional\">Additional Excel Features<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#avoid\">Formats to Avoid<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#a11ychecker\">Accessibility Checker<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#sharing\">Sharing<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#furtherreading\">Further Reading<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><a id=\"properties\"><\/a>Document Properties<\/h2>\r\nThe document title is announced to assistive technology and is much more pleasant and informative than the file name (but allows you to retain your file naming conventions). Other fields are useful but not required.\r\n<h3>Document Title<\/h3>\r\nTo add a document title:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>File<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>info.<\/strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>On MacOS:\u00a0<strong>File<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Properties<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Summary<\/strong>\u00a0tab.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Enter a descriptive title in the\u00a0<strong>Title<\/strong>\u00a0field.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThis cannot be done in Office Online.\r\n<h2><a id=\"afont\"><\/a>Accessible Font<\/h2>\r\nFor Excel spreadsheets:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Use sans-serif or simple serif font, size 11 or greater\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Size 9 is acceptable for foot\/endnotes or captions<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">For PowerPoint, use font size 18 minimum<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Use an [pb_glossary id=\"1168\"]accessible colour[\/pb_glossary]\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Font must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against the background<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Left-align text<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Use built-in tools for spacing and alignment<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nTo set font colour:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Navigate to the\u00a0<strong>Home\u00a0<\/strong>tab.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Font Colour.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Click\u00a0<strong>Automatic.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nIf your document has hard-to-read text contrast, the status bar will indicate\u00a0<strong>Accessibility: Investigate<\/strong>. Go to the\u00a0<strong>Review<\/strong>\u00a0tab and click\u00a0<strong>Check Accessibility<\/strong>\u00a0button. Under\u00a0<strong>Warnings<\/strong>\u00a0the hard-to-read text will be noted with a dropdown menu to change the font color.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Older versions of Word\u2019s Accessibility Checker will not catch contrast issues.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Consider checking your colours with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/webaim.org\/resources\/contrastchecker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WebAIM\u2019s Contrast Checker<\/a> if you are unsure.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nDo not use colour as the only means of communication.\r\n\r\nVisit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/chapter\/accessible-colour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">accessible colour chapter of this Pressbook<\/a>\u00a0for more information.\r\n\r\nTo set text alignment:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\" lang=\"EN-CA\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">Use left-aligned text for languages that read to left to right, use right align for languages that read right to left.<\/span><\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\" lang=\"EN-CA\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">Set alignment in the Paragraph tools on the\u00a0<strong>Home\u00a0<\/strong>tab.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\" lang=\"EN-CA\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">Avoid justified alignment<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">\u00a0as it can create excessive blocks of white space when zoomed and can create \u2018rivers of white space\u2019 which are<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\"> gaps that appear to run through a paragraph due to coincidental alignment of spaces.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li><span class=\"EOP SCXW167845153 BCX2\" data-ccp-props=\"227}\">Use at least 1.5 line spacing.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\r\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\r\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\r\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\r\n\r\n<code><\/code>\r\n<h2><a id=\"structure\"><\/a>Spreadsheet Structure<\/h2>\r\nProviding [pb_glossary id=\"1305\"]structure[\/pb_glossary] to spreadsheets is essential for assistive technology, but help all readers navigate your data efficiently and understand relationships between topics.\r\n\r\nStyles (<strong>Styles<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Headings\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Titles<\/strong>) in Excel have no semantic meaning like they do in Word, they are only decorative. Feel free to use styles, but also include textual cues to indicate meaning and importance.\r\n\r\nExcel structure best practices:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Include white space around the text in the template, so it\u2019s easier to read.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure appropriate row height:\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Row Height.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure appropriate column width:\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Column Width.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Use accessible colour contrast.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Use 12 point or larger text (<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Font Size<\/strong>).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Include worksheet names and table titles.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong>\u00a0on sheet and select\u00a0<strong>Rename.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Give each sheet a unique, meaningful title.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<code style=\"text-align: initial;background-color: #ffffff\"><\/code><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Microsoft <\/span><a style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\" href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/get-accessible-templates-for-office-ca086caa-2bd2-4ac8-8c12-4cd495bd4d76\">guide to finding accessible templates<\/a><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\"> for Office products.<\/span>\r\n\r\nFloating elements such as charts, graphs, or images are read by assistive technology in the order the element was added to the sheet. However, the reading order can be amended:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Home.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Find and Select.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Choose Selection Pane.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>The reading order is from the bottom of the list to the top.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Click and drag items in the\u00a0<strong>Selection Pane<\/strong> to the correct order.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Moving items in the Selection Pane does not change the visual layout of items on the sheet.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3>Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nEach spreadsheet appears as a tab within an Excel workbook. The default name is Sheet 1. Provide sheets with descriptive names to aid navigation and help readers draw connections between information. To change a sheet's name:\r\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> the sheet\u2019s tab.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select <strong>Rename<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Type a descriptive and unique name that describes the sheet's content.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2><a id=\"alttext\"><\/a>Alternative Text<\/h2>\r\nAssistive technologies employ [pb_glossary id=\"1161\"]alternative text[\/pb_glossary] (alt text) attached to images to inform users of the context and purpose of images and visual elements. Alt text is a text alternative to non-text content to ensure all users can access information.\r\n\r\nWhen including images in Excel:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> the object.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Edit Alt Text...<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Enter a concise text-equivalent of the image or select\u00a0<strong>Mark as decorative.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nHowever, when adding a chart or graph to Excel:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> the object.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Edit Alt Text...<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Enter a broad description of the chart or graph and make reference to the equivalent tabular data.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Include the data table immediately following.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nReview this Pressbooks' <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/chapter\/alternative-text\/\">chapter on Alternative Text<\/a> for more information.\r\n\r\nInclude [pb_glossary id=\"2026\"]table[\/pb_glossary] data for charts.\r\n\r\nEnsure embedded media has text equivalents. Videos must have [pb_glossary id=\"1164\"]closed captions[\/pb_glossary] and audio must have a [pb_glossary id=\"1884\"]transcript[\/pb_glossary].\r\n<h3><a id=\"images\"><\/a>Images and Graphics<\/h3>\r\nApart from adding effective [pb_glossary id=\"1161\"]alt text[\/pb_glossary] to images, there are a few additional considerations for visual elements in Office documents.\r\n\r\nTo add a chart in Excel:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Select data, go to\u00a0<strong>Insert<\/strong> and select chart type desired.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Add a descriptive, unique Chart title.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select chart, go to\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Add Chart Element<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Axis Titles<\/strong>. Select\u00a0<strong>Primary Horizontal<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>Primary Vertical<\/strong> and type a descriptive title for the axis.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select chart, go to\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Add Chart Element<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Data Labels<\/strong> &gt; Select appropriate label type for clarity.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select horizontal or vertical axis, go to\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Current Selection<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Format Selection<\/strong>. From the Format Axis pane, adjust axis type, axis crosses, position, tick marks, label position, interval, and number format for maximum legibility.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure colour is not the only way to differentiate chart data. Consider using symbols or dots on line graphs or add a text legend to a bar chart, for example. Try previewing your document in greyscale (via print preview) to understand how problematic it is to rely on colour alone.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Add a legend by navigating to\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Add Chart Element<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Legend.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure chart elements have sufficient contrast. Change chart shape or line colour by selecting the shape &gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Data Point<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Fill and Line<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Fill<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Color<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>More Colors.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure font is sans serif, 12 point or larger, and has sufficient contrast (4.5:1).\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Font, Font Size, Font Colour<\/strong> to adjust font.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure chart data is available in tabular form as well, preferably directly following the chart itself.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>When following this practice,\u00a0<strong>Right-click<\/strong> the chart.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Edit Alt Text...<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Mark the chart as decorative or reference location of table data.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Learn more about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/create-a-chart-from-start-to-finish-0baf399e-dd61-4e18-8a73-b3fd5d5680c2#OfficeVersion=Windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">creating charts<\/a>\u00a0and learn about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/available-chart-types-in-office-a6187218-807e-4103-9e0a-27cdb19afb90#OfficeVersion=Windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">different chart types in Office<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFloating elements such as charts, graphs, or images are read by assistive technology in the order the element was added to the sheet. However, the reading order can be amended:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Home.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Find and Select.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Choose Selection Pane.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>The reading order is from the bottom of the list to the top.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Click and drag items in the\u00a0<strong>Selection Pane<\/strong> to the correct order.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Moving items in the Selection Pane does not change the visual layout of items on the sheet.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor a chart or graph, provide data in table form beside the element. If size and spacing is a concern, place the data in another sheet and provide a link near the floating element.\r\n\r\nTo link within Excel:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Select the cell in which you wish to place the link.<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Insert<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Links<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Link<\/strong>\u00a0or right-click the cell and select\u00a0<strong>Link<\/strong>\u00a0or select the cell and press\u00a0<strong>CTRL+K\u00a0<\/strong>(<strong>CMD+K<\/strong> on Mac).<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\"><strong>Select Place in This Document<\/strong> and enter the cell reference (ex. A1), ensuring you have selected the correct sheet.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">In the\u00a0<strong>Text to Display<\/strong> field, enter descriptive text to explain the link\u2019s purpose.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Click\u00a0<strong>Ok.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Repeat the process to provide a link back to the object.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nRead more\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/work-with-links-in-excel-7fc80d8d-68f9-482f-ab01-584c44d72b3e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">information on links in Excel<\/a>.\r\n<h2><a id=\"hyperlinks\"><\/a>Hyperlinks<\/h2>\r\nCreate <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/video-create-accessible-links-in-word-28305cc8-3be2-417c-a313-dc22082d1ee0\">meaningful hyperlink text<\/a>.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Avoid vague instructions like \u201csee\u201d or \u201cclick here\u201d or \u201cread more\u201d.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Not only are those not helpful out of context, but self-describing links may help you locate your resource if the URL changes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do not paste URLs as [pb_glossary id=\"1169\"]hyperlink[\/pb_glossary] text.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If URLs must be included, provide self-describing hyperlink text and format URLs as normal text with no link attached.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Use default link styling (blue, underlined text).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\"><code><\/code><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2><a id=\"tables\"><\/a>Tables<\/h2>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"2026\"]Tables[\/pb_glossary] are useful for organizing data. Properly built and formatted tables are completely accessible.\r\n\r\nIn Word and PowerPoint, navigate to:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Insert<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Table.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Insert Table.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Indicate number of columns and rows and press\u00a0<strong>Ok.<\/strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>You can add columns and rows later.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nSet a header row\/column:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Click anywhere in your table,<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Select\u00a0<strong>Table<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Table Design<\/strong>\u00a0tab &gt; click\u00a0<strong>Header Row<\/strong>\u00a0(or\u00a0<strong>Header Column<\/strong>, if applicable) checkbox,<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Select\u00a0<strong>Banded Rows<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>Banded<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Columns<\/strong>\u00a0for a landscape document,<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Accessible tables only have one header row,\u00a0one header column, or both.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nRight-click on table and select\u00a0<strong>Table Properties<\/strong>\u00a0for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/set-or-change-table-properties-3237de89-b287-4379-8e0c-86d94873b2e0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">advanced table options via the table properties dialogue.<\/a>\r\n\r\nNavigate to Table Layout, select\u00a0<strong>Repeat Header Rows<\/strong>\u00a0to repeat headers across page breaks.\r\n\r\nIn some instances it may make sense to add alt text to a table as a summary. To do so:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Table Properties.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select the\u00a0<strong>Alt Text\u00a0<\/strong>tab.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Add a\u00a0<strong>Title<\/strong>\u00a0and a\u00a0<strong>Description.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Click Ok.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nConvert Excel data into a table:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Select the data to be included in the table.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Insert<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Table.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Double check select cells are correct and check\u00a0<strong>My table has headers.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Ok.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select anywhere in the table, use\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Table Name<\/strong> and give the table a meaningful title.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nConsider putting tables on separate worksheets. If you place multiple tables on the same worksheet, leave a blank row between each table. All tables should start with a title in column A.\r\n\r\nUse accessible table designs:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Select the table and go to\u00a0<strong>Design.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Select the features you want (Header Row, Banded Rows, or First Column).\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>A Header Row or Header Column or both are required for an accessible table.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>To show all available table styles, select More or the dropdown arrow.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Most accessible tables will be Medium styles with strong contrasting colors.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nBest practices:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A concise, descriptive table title helps with context and organization.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do not use nested, merged, split, or unnecessary blank cells.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure cells have adequate padding and margins.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do not use coloured cells or text alone to indicate meaning.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do not use tables with invisible borders to format layout.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Office accessibility checker does not note table errors.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Click in the top left cell, then use the\u00a0<strong>Tab<\/strong> key to see ensure your table reading order is logical and consistent.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div>\r\n<h2><a id=\"additional\"><\/a>Additional Excel Features<\/h2>\r\nBest practices:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If you have no data to enter in cell A1, use it for a title or to indicate the number of sheets in a workbook.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>For a workbook with many sheets, the first sheet should be used a summary and index with links to other sheets.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Avoid merged cells in tables.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>However, an acceptable practice is to add a descriptive title above a data set by merging the cells and centering the text.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Cell A1 is the best place for a description of a sheet.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Avoid blank cells for formatting or alignment purposes (adjust column\/row width and height instead).\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A single blank row or column is allowed where appropriate. Best practice would be to include the text \"No data\" in blank cell.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure cell has appropriate format by number type.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Number<\/strong> drop down &gt; select relevant number formatting (date, currency, time, etc.).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ensure appropriate decimal place from\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Numbers<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Increase Decimal<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>Decrease Decimal<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Colour, such as conditional highlighting, may be used but should be accompanied by a text equivalent indicating meaning.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Comments are accessible and a great way to convey information or messages.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nHide unused cells:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Select the first column cell to be hidden.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Press\u00a0<strong>Shift<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>CTRL<\/strong>\u00a0(<strong>CMD<\/strong>\u00a0on Mac) and\u00a0<strong>Right<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Arrow<\/strong> key.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong>\u00a0and select\u00a0<strong>Hide.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>The process is the same to hide unused rows, by selecting the first row to be hidden.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Press\u00a0<strong>Shift<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>CTRL<\/strong>\u00a0(<strong>CMD<\/strong>\u00a0on Mac) and\u00a0<strong>Down Arrow<\/strong> key.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Right-click and select\u00a0<strong>Hide.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nHowever, avoid hiding cells in the middle of data. If you must, add a comment indicating so. Excel comments are accessible and a great way to communicate with readers.\r\n\r\nAn additional method would be to include an \u201cEnd of Table\u201d message after the last row of data. The text can be in white as this is only a hint to assistive technologies that the table is complete.\r\n\r\nMultiple data sets:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Multiple sets of data should be split into separate sheets<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Sheet names should be meaningful and unique<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Each sheet should follow the same accessible formatting<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWithin a worksheet, you may group data for easier navigation. Select the data you want include and select\u00a0<strong>Formulas<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Define Name<\/strong>. Enter a descriptive name and double check the selected cell range, then click\u00a0<strong>Ok<\/strong>. This allows users to press\u00a0<strong>CTRL<\/strong>\u00a0+<strong>\u00a0G\u00a0<\/strong>to quickly jump to different groups of data.\r\n\r\nCell padding:\r\n\r\nEnsure appropriate cell padding by adjusting column width and row height.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> on row or column label.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Column Width...<\/strong>\u00a0and\/or\u00a0<strong>Row Height...<\/strong> to adjust.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Or in\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Cells<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong> dropdown.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Autofit Row Height<\/strong>\u00a0and\/or\u00a0<strong>Autofit Column Width.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Text should not overflow cells.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Adjust column width or use text wrapping:\u00a0<strong>Home\u00a0<\/strong>&gt;\u00a0<strong>Wrap Text<\/strong> button.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nNamed regions and header names:\r\n\r\nUsing the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/define-and-use-names-in-formulas-4d0f13ac-53b7-422e-afd2-abd7ff379c64#:~:text=Select%20Formulas%20%3E%20Create%20from%20Selection,in%20the%20range%20you%20designated.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Excel Names feature<\/a>, it is possible to name a range of cells in such a way that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.psu.edu\/tables\/#headers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">header cells<\/a>\u00a0are spoken along with the value of the cell. This allows a person using a screen reader to understand the structure of a table more clearly. This is only necessary for more complex or lengthy sets of data.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a id=\"avoid\" style=\"font-size: 1.424em;font-weight: bold\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1.424em;font-weight: bold\">Formats to Avoid<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe following formatting and object types are not communicated to assistive technology or present significant barriers to some users:\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\r\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Strikethrough<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Highlighting<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Dropcap<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Word Art, Smart Art, text effects<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ungrouped related shapes<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Watermarks<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Symbols, except for the following safe characters:<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWhen converting data to a table, keep in mind the contrast of the default styles. Only the White, Light Blue, and Blue styles in the <strong>Light<\/strong> and <strong>Medium<\/strong> categories have sufficient contrast between cell shading and font colour. All of the styles in the <strong>Dark<\/strong> category have sufficient contrast\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4389 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/2023-08-03-13_30_46-Window-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"514\" height=\"755\" \/>\r\n<h2><a id=\"a11ychecker\"><\/a>Accessibility Checker<\/h2>\r\nUse Office products' built-in [pb_glossary id=\"1890\"]accessibility checker[\/pb_glossary] to check for common issues. Note, these tools may not catch all possible accessibility issues.\r\n\r\nThe\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/improve-accessibility-with-the-accessibility-checker-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f#PickTab=Windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft Accessibility Checker<\/a>\u00a0report can be used to find common errors like missing image ALT text, merged cells and other issues in an Excel document. Select\u00a0<strong>Review<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Check Accessibility<\/strong>. The accessibility pane will show errors, warnings, solutions, and tips.\r\n\r\nIn the Accessibility pane select\u00a0<b class=\"ocpUI\">Keep accessibility checker running while I work<\/b>\u00a0checkbox to see a realtime accessibility message in the bottom status bar. Click\u00a0<strong>Accessibility: Investigate\u00a0<\/strong>at anytime to open the Accessibility pane.\r\n\r\nLike any automated tool, Office's accessibility checker will not catch any and all accessibility issues. Here is a summary of what it does look for and how well it catches those issues:\r\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;height: 105px\" border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\r\n<th class=\"shaded\" style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\" scope=\"col\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">Element checked<\/span><\/th>\r\n<th class=\"shaded\" style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\" scope=\"col\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">Reliability of checker<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Structure and use of heading styles<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Poor.\r\n\r\nWill show if there are no headings on a long document but doesn\u2019t flag issues on shorter documents. A single heading is enough to pass the checker even though the document remains inaccessible. It cannot test the logic of the heading structure.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Colour<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Moderate.\r\n\r\nCan find poor colour contrast but cannot tell if colour has been used as a sole indicator for information.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Use of images<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Moderate.\r\n\r\nWill find images that have neither Alt text, nor are marked as decorative as well as those where the Alt text is just the file name. But it cannot identify whether the Alt text is appropriate or even meaningful. It will find images that are not in line with the text. In-line images may not be as aesthetically pleasing but they are easier for screen readers to find.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Links<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Poor.\r\n\r\nIt does not check for link text.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Plain English<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Poor.\r\n\r\nIt does not check for this, but you can check yourself by switching on the readability stats as described in the section on Understandable Content.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Tables<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Fair.\r\n\r\nIt finds whether the table has the Header row marked. It may warn if tables have split or merged cells.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%\">Miscellaneous<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%\">Poor.\r\n\r\nDoes not check text justification, videos for captions, or form labels.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\r\n<div style=\"font-weight: 400\">\r\n\r\n[footnote]This table is adapted from work originally developed by AHEAD and Alistair McNaught and is made available under a <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\"><strong>CC BY-NC-SA<\/strong> creative commons license.<\/a>[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nRead more about checking for accessibility issues with the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/improve-accessibility-with-the-accessibility-checker-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f?ui=en-us&amp;rs=en-us&amp;ad=us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Office Accessibility Checker<\/a> and learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/rules-for-the-accessibility-checker-651e08f2-0fc3-4e10-aaca-74b4a67101c1?ui=en-us&amp;rs=en-us&amp;ad=us\">Office Accessibility Checker rules and messages.<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><a id=\"sharing\"><\/a>Sharing<\/h2>\r\nBest practice is to share material in advance of presentation or class.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>This allows users to check for barriers beforehand<\/li>\r\n \t<li>All users can take additional, in-depth notes and understand terminology and names with greater comprehension<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Users that experience barriers can zoom in or adjust the documents to their viewing preferences<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\r\n<div>Excel documents have various options\u00a0for <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/protect-an-excel-file-7359d4ae-7213-4ac2-b058-f75e9311b599\">protecting your Excel workbook<\/a>, sheet, or part of your spreadsheet. Choose the appropriate level of protection.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h3>Export to PDF<\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\r\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\r\n\r\nExcel documents can be exported to PDF, however the amount of time and expertise required to create an accessible PDF of an Excel document means all other avenues should be pursued first.\r\n\r\nBest practice is to share the Excel file directly. You can\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/protection-and-security-in-excel-be0b34db-8cb6-44dd-a673-0b3e3475ac2d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">protect an Excel file<\/a>\u00a0to prevent changes.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><a id=\"furtherreading\"><\/a>Further Reading<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nMicrosoft outlines <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-word-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-d9bf3683-87ac-47ea-b91a-78dcacb3c66d#PickTab=Mac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0best practices to make documents accessible<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-excel-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6cc05fc5-1314-48b5-8eb3-683e49b3e593\">Make your excel Excel documents accessible.<\/a>\r\n\r\nContact <a href=\"mailto:assistivetech@langara.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">assistivetech@langara.ca<\/a> for further information or assistance.\r\n\r\nMicrosoft\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/video-start-with-an-accessible-excel-template-918db751-1585-41c5-9ddf-5d7a0915afaf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">videos on accessible Excel spreadsheets.<\/a>\r\n\r\nGeneral Microsoft\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-excel-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6cc05fc5-1314-48b5-8eb3-683e49b3e593\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">documentation on accessible Excel<\/a>\u00a0spreadsheets.\r\n\r\nLearn about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/create-a-chart-from-start-to-finish-0baf399e-dd61-4e18-8a73-b3fd5d5680c2#OfficeVersion=Windows\">creating charts using Excel.<\/a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/webaim.org\/techniques\/excel\/\">WebAIM's guide to Excel<\/a>\u00a0is a useful guide.\r\n\r\nUse this online tool to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tools.agsci.psu.edu\/table-maker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">convert Excel tables to HTML.<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"noborder alignright wp-image-3360\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1em\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-300x279.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"137\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-300x279.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-1024x952.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-768x714.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-1536x1429.png 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-2048x1905.png 2048w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-65x60.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-225x209.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/Microsoft_Office_Excel_2019\u2013present.svg_-350x326.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 137px) 100vw, 137px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Microsoft Office includes built-in tools to assist you in making accessible documents. This chapter includes best practices and instructions to create accessible Excel spreadsheets.<\/p>\n<p><strong>On this page:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"navbar\">\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#properties\">Document Properties<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#afont\">Accessible Font<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#structure\">Spreadsheet Structure<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#alttext\">Alternative Text<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#images\">Images and Graphics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#hyperlinks\">Hyperlinks<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#tables\">Tables<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#additional\">Additional Excel Features<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#avoid\">Formats to Avoid<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#a11ychecker\">Accessibility Checker<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#sharing\">Sharing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"navitem\"><a href=\"#furtherreading\">Further Reading<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"properties\"><\/a>Document Properties<\/h2>\n<p>The document title is announced to assistive technology and is much more pleasant and informative than the file name (but allows you to retain your file naming conventions). Other fields are useful but not required.<\/p>\n<h3>Document Title<\/h3>\n<p>To add a document title:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>File<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>info.<\/strong>\n<ol>\n<li>On MacOS:\u00a0<strong>File<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Properties<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Summary<\/strong>\u00a0tab.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Enter a descriptive title in the\u00a0<strong>Title<\/strong>\u00a0field.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This cannot be done in Office Online.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"afont\"><\/a>Accessible Font<\/h2>\n<p>For Excel spreadsheets:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use sans-serif or simple serif font, size 11 or greater\n<ul>\n<li>Size 9 is acceptable for foot\/endnotes or captions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">For PowerPoint, use font size 18 minimum<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Use an <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1168\">accessible colour<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Font must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against the background<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Left-align text<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-listid=\"2\">Use built-in tools for spacing and alignment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To set font colour:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to the\u00a0<strong>Home\u00a0<\/strong>tab.<\/li>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Font Colour.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Click\u00a0<strong>Automatic.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If your document has hard-to-read text contrast, the status bar will indicate\u00a0<strong>Accessibility: Investigate<\/strong>. Go to the\u00a0<strong>Review<\/strong>\u00a0tab and click\u00a0<strong>Check Accessibility<\/strong>\u00a0button. Under\u00a0<strong>Warnings<\/strong>\u00a0the hard-to-read text will be noted with a dropdown menu to change the font color.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Older versions of Word\u2019s Accessibility Checker will not catch contrast issues.<\/li>\n<li>Consider checking your colours with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/webaim.org\/resources\/contrastchecker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WebAIM\u2019s Contrast Checker<\/a> if you are unsure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Do not use colour as the only means of communication.<\/p>\n<p>Visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/chapter\/accessible-colour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">accessible colour chapter of this Pressbook<\/a>\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n<p>To set text alignment:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\" lang=\"EN-CA\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">Use left-aligned text for languages that read to left to right, use right align for languages that read right to left.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\" lang=\"EN-CA\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">Set alignment in the Paragraph tools on the\u00a0<strong>Home\u00a0<\/strong>tab.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\" lang=\"EN-CA\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">Avoid justified alignment<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\">\u00a0as it can create excessive blocks of white space when zoomed and can create \u2018rivers of white space\u2019 which are<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW167845153 BCX2\"> gaps that appear to run through a paragraph due to coincidental alignment of spaces.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"EOP SCXW167845153 BCX2\" data-ccp-props=\"227}\">Use at least 1.5 line spacing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\n<p><code><\/code><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"structure\"><\/a>Spreadsheet Structure<\/h2>\n<p>Providing <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1305\">structure<\/a> to spreadsheets is essential for assistive technology, but help all readers navigate your data efficiently and understand relationships between topics.<\/p>\n<p>Styles (<strong>Styles<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Headings\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Titles<\/strong>) in Excel have no semantic meaning like they do in Word, they are only decorative. Feel free to use styles, but also include textual cues to indicate meaning and importance.<\/p>\n<p>Excel structure best practices:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Include white space around the text in the template, so it\u2019s easier to read.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure appropriate row height:\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Row Height.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Ensure appropriate column width:\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Column Width.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Use accessible colour contrast.<\/li>\n<li>Use 12 point or larger text (<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Font Size<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<li>Include worksheet names and table titles.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong>\u00a0on sheet and select\u00a0<strong>Rename.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Give each sheet a unique, meaningful title.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><code style=\"text-align: initial;background-color: #ffffff\"><\/code><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Microsoft <\/span><a style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\" href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/get-accessible-templates-for-office-ca086caa-2bd2-4ac8-8c12-4cd495bd4d76\">guide to finding accessible templates<\/a><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\"> for Office products.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Floating elements such as charts, graphs, or images are read by assistive technology in the order the element was added to the sheet. However, the reading order can be amended:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Home.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Find and Select.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Choose Selection Pane.\n<ol>\n<li>The reading order is from the bottom of the list to the top.<\/li>\n<li>Click and drag items in the\u00a0<strong>Selection Pane<\/strong> to the correct order.\n<ol>\n<li>Moving items in the Selection Pane does not change the visual layout of items on the sheet.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Sheet Names<\/h3>\n<p>Each spreadsheet appears as a tab within an Excel workbook. The default name is Sheet 1. Provide sheets with descriptive names to aid navigation and help readers draw connections between information. To change a sheet&#8217;s name:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> the sheet\u2019s tab.<\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Rename<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Type a descriptive and unique name that describes the sheet&#8217;s content.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><a id=\"alttext\"><\/a>Alternative Text<\/h2>\n<p>Assistive technologies employ <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1161\">alternative text<\/a> (alt text) attached to images to inform users of the context and purpose of images and visual elements. Alt text is a text alternative to non-text content to ensure all users can access information.<\/p>\n<p>When including images in Excel:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> the object.<\/li>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Edit Alt Text&#8230;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Enter a concise text-equivalent of the image or select\u00a0<strong>Mark as decorative.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>However, when adding a chart or graph to Excel:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> the object.<\/li>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Edit Alt Text&#8230;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Enter a broad description of the chart or graph and make reference to the equivalent tabular data.<\/li>\n<li>Include the data table immediately following.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Review this Pressbooks&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/chapter\/alternative-text\/\">chapter on Alternative Text<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<p>Include <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_2026\">table<\/a> data for charts.<\/p>\n<p>Ensure embedded media has text equivalents. Videos must have <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1164\">closed captions<\/a> and audio must have a <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1884\">transcript<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"images\"><\/a>Images and Graphics<\/h3>\n<p>Apart from adding effective <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1161\">alt text<\/a> to images, there are a few additional considerations for visual elements in Office documents.<\/p>\n<p>To add a chart in Excel:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Select data, go to\u00a0<strong>Insert<\/strong> and select chart type desired.<\/li>\n<li>Add a descriptive, unique Chart title.<\/li>\n<li>Select chart, go to\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Add Chart Element<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Axis Titles<\/strong>. Select\u00a0<strong>Primary Horizontal<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>Primary Vertical<\/strong> and type a descriptive title for the axis.<\/li>\n<li>Select chart, go to\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Add Chart Element<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Data Labels<\/strong> &gt; Select appropriate label type for clarity.<\/li>\n<li>Select horizontal or vertical axis, go to\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Current Selection<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Format Selection<\/strong>. From the Format Axis pane, adjust axis type, axis crosses, position, tick marks, label position, interval, and number format for maximum legibility.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure colour is not the only way to differentiate chart data. Consider using symbols or dots on line graphs or add a text legend to a bar chart, for example. Try previewing your document in greyscale (via print preview) to understand how problematic it is to rely on colour alone.<\/li>\n<li>Add a legend by navigating to\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Add Chart Element<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Legend.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Ensure chart elements have sufficient contrast. Change chart shape or line colour by selecting the shape &gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Data Point<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Fill and Line<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Fill<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Color<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>More Colors.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Ensure font is sans serif, 12 point or larger, and has sufficient contrast (4.5:1).\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Font, Font Size, Font Colour<\/strong> to adjust font.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure chart data is available in tabular form as well, preferably directly following the chart itself.\n<ol>\n<li>When following this practice,\u00a0<strong>Right-click<\/strong> the chart.<\/li>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Edit Alt Text&#8230;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Mark the chart as decorative or reference location of table data.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Learn more about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/create-a-chart-from-start-to-finish-0baf399e-dd61-4e18-8a73-b3fd5d5680c2#OfficeVersion=Windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">creating charts<\/a>\u00a0and learn about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/available-chart-types-in-office-a6187218-807e-4103-9e0a-27cdb19afb90#OfficeVersion=Windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">different chart types in Office<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Floating elements such as charts, graphs, or images are read by assistive technology in the order the element was added to the sheet. However, the reading order can be amended:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Home.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Find and Select.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Choose Selection Pane.\n<ol>\n<li>The reading order is from the bottom of the list to the top.<\/li>\n<li>Click and drag items in the\u00a0<strong>Selection Pane<\/strong> to the correct order.\n<ol>\n<li>Moving items in the Selection Pane does not change the visual layout of items on the sheet.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For a chart or graph, provide data in table form beside the element. If size and spacing is a concern, place the data in another sheet and provide a link near the floating element.<\/p>\n<p>To link within Excel:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Select the cell in which you wish to place the link.<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Insert<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Links<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Link<\/strong>\u00a0or right-click the cell and select\u00a0<strong>Link<\/strong>\u00a0or select the cell and press\u00a0<strong>CTRL+K\u00a0<\/strong>(<strong>CMD+K<\/strong> on Mac).<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\"><strong>Select Place in This Document<\/strong> and enter the cell reference (ex. A1), ensuring you have selected the correct sheet.\n<ol>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">In the\u00a0<strong>Text to Display<\/strong> field, enter descriptive text to explain the link\u2019s purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Click\u00a0<strong>Ok.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-font=\"\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"7\">Repeat the process to provide a link back to the object.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Read more\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/work-with-links-in-excel-7fc80d8d-68f9-482f-ab01-584c44d72b3e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">information on links in Excel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"hyperlinks\"><\/a>Hyperlinks<\/h2>\n<p>Create <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/video-create-accessible-links-in-word-28305cc8-3be2-417c-a313-dc22082d1ee0\">meaningful hyperlink text<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid vague instructions like \u201csee\u201d or \u201cclick here\u201d or \u201cread more\u201d.\n<ul>\n<li>Not only are those not helpful out of context, but self-describing links may help you locate your resource if the URL changes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Do not paste URLs as <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1169\">hyperlink<\/a> text.\n<ul>\n<li>If URLs must be included, provide self-describing hyperlink text and format URLs as normal text with no link attached.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Use default link styling (blue, underlined text).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\"><code><\/code><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"tables\"><\/a>Tables<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_2026\">Tables<\/a> are useful for organizing data. Properly built and formatted tables are completely accessible.<\/p>\n<p>In Word and PowerPoint, navigate to:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Insert<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Table.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Insert Table.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Indicate number of columns and rows and press\u00a0<strong>Ok.<\/strong>\n<ol>\n<li>You can add columns and rows later.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Set a header row\/column:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Click anywhere in your table,<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Select\u00a0<strong>Table<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Table Design<\/strong>\u00a0tab &gt; click\u00a0<strong>Header Row<\/strong>\u00a0(or\u00a0<strong>Header Column<\/strong>, if applicable) checkbox,<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Select\u00a0<strong>Banded Rows<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>Banded<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Columns<\/strong>\u00a0for a landscape document,<\/li>\n<li data-aria-level=\"1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-font=\"Calibri Light\" data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-listid=\"35\">Accessible tables only have one header row,\u00a0one header column, or both.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Right-click on table and select\u00a0<strong>Table Properties<\/strong>\u00a0for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/set-or-change-table-properties-3237de89-b287-4379-8e0c-86d94873b2e0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">advanced table options via the table properties dialogue.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Navigate to Table Layout, select\u00a0<strong>Repeat Header Rows<\/strong>\u00a0to repeat headers across page breaks.<\/p>\n<p>In some instances it may make sense to add alt text to a table as a summary. To do so:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to\u00a0<strong>Table Properties.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select the\u00a0<strong>Alt Text\u00a0<\/strong>tab.<\/li>\n<li>Add a\u00a0<strong>Title<\/strong>\u00a0and a\u00a0<strong>Description.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Click Ok.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Convert Excel data into a table:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Select the data to be included in the table.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Insert<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Table.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Double check select cells are correct and check\u00a0<strong>My table has headers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Ok.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select anywhere in the table, use\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Table Name<\/strong> and give the table a meaningful title.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Consider putting tables on separate worksheets. If you place multiple tables on the same worksheet, leave a blank row between each table. All tables should start with a title in column A.<\/p>\n<p>Use accessible table designs:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Select the table and go to\u00a0<strong>Design.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select the features you want (Header Row, Banded Rows, or First Column).\n<ol>\n<li>A Header Row or Header Column or both are required for an accessible table.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>To show all available table styles, select More or the dropdown arrow.<\/li>\n<li>Most accessible tables will be Medium styles with strong contrasting colors.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Best practices:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A concise, descriptive table title helps with context and organization.<\/li>\n<li>Do not use nested, merged, split, or unnecessary blank cells.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure cells have adequate padding and margins.<\/li>\n<li>Do not use coloured cells or text alone to indicate meaning.<\/li>\n<li>Do not use tables with invisible borders to format layout.<\/li>\n<li>Office accessibility checker does not note table errors.\n<ul>\n<li>Click in the top left cell, then use the\u00a0<strong>Tab<\/strong> key to see ensure your table reading order is logical and consistent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<h2><a id=\"additional\"><\/a>Additional Excel Features<\/h2>\n<p>Best practices:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you have no data to enter in cell A1, use it for a title or to indicate the number of sheets in a workbook.\n<ul>\n<li>For a workbook with many sheets, the first sheet should be used a summary and index with links to other sheets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Avoid merged cells in tables.\n<ul>\n<li>However, an acceptable practice is to add a descriptive title above a data set by merging the cells and centering the text.<\/li>\n<li>Cell A1 is the best place for a description of a sheet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Avoid blank cells for formatting or alignment purposes (adjust column\/row width and height instead).\n<ul>\n<li>A single blank row or column is allowed where appropriate. Best practice would be to include the text &#8220;No data&#8221; in blank cell.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Ensure cell has appropriate format by number type.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Number<\/strong> drop down &gt; select relevant number formatting (date, currency, time, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Ensure appropriate decimal place from\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Numbers<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Increase Decimal<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>Decrease Decimal<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Colour, such as conditional highlighting, may be used but should be accompanied by a text equivalent indicating meaning.<\/li>\n<li>Comments are accessible and a great way to convey information or messages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Hide unused cells:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Select the first column cell to be hidden.<\/li>\n<li>Press\u00a0<strong>Shift<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>CTRL<\/strong>\u00a0(<strong>CMD<\/strong>\u00a0on Mac) and\u00a0<strong>Right<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Arrow<\/strong> key.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong>\u00a0and select\u00a0<strong>Hide.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The process is the same to hide unused rows, by selecting the first row to be hidden.<\/li>\n<li>Press\u00a0<strong>Shift<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>CTRL<\/strong>\u00a0(<strong>CMD<\/strong>\u00a0on Mac) and\u00a0<strong>Down Arrow<\/strong> key.<\/li>\n<li>Right-click and select\u00a0<strong>Hide.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>However, avoid hiding cells in the middle of data. If you must, add a comment indicating so. Excel comments are accessible and a great way to communicate with readers.<\/p>\n<p>An additional method would be to include an \u201cEnd of Table\u201d message after the last row of data. The text can be in white as this is only a hint to assistive technologies that the table is complete.<\/p>\n<p>Multiple data sets:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Multiple sets of data should be split into separate sheets<\/li>\n<li>Sheet names should be meaningful and unique<\/li>\n<li>Each sheet should follow the same accessible formatting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Within a worksheet, you may group data for easier navigation. Select the data you want include and select\u00a0<strong>Formulas<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Define Name<\/strong>. Enter a descriptive name and double check the selected cell range, then click\u00a0<strong>Ok<\/strong>. This allows users to press\u00a0<strong>CTRL<\/strong>\u00a0+<strong>\u00a0G\u00a0<\/strong>to quickly jump to different groups of data.<\/p>\n<p>Cell padding:<\/p>\n<p>Ensure appropriate cell padding by adjusting column width and row height.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Right-click<\/strong> on row or column label.\n<ol>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Column Width&#8230;<\/strong>\u00a0and\/or\u00a0<strong>Row Height&#8230;<\/strong> to adjust.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Or in\u00a0<strong>Home<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Cells<\/strong>\u00a0group &gt;\u00a0<strong>Format<\/strong> dropdown.\n<ol>\n<li>Select\u00a0<strong>Autofit Row Height<\/strong>\u00a0and\/or\u00a0<strong>Autofit Column Width.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Text should not overflow cells.\n<ul>\n<li>Adjust column width or use text wrapping:\u00a0<strong>Home\u00a0<\/strong>&gt;\u00a0<strong>Wrap Text<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Named regions and header names:<\/p>\n<p>Using the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/define-and-use-names-in-formulas-4d0f13ac-53b7-422e-afd2-abd7ff379c64#:~:text=Select%20Formulas%20%3E%20Create%20from%20Selection,in%20the%20range%20you%20designated.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Excel Names feature<\/a>, it is possible to name a range of cells in such a way that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.psu.edu\/tables\/#headers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">header cells<\/a>\u00a0are spoken along with the value of the cell. This allows a person using a screen reader to understand the structure of a table more clearly. This is only necessary for more complex or lengthy sets of data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><a id=\"avoid\" style=\"font-size: 1.424em;font-weight: bold\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1.424em;font-weight: bold\">Formats to Avoid<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The following formatting and object types are not communicated to assistive technology or present significant barriers to some users:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\n<ul>\n<li>Strikethrough<\/li>\n<li>Highlighting<\/li>\n<li>Dropcap<\/li>\n<li>Word Art, Smart Art, text effects<\/li>\n<li>Ungrouped related shapes<\/li>\n<li>Watermarks<\/li>\n<li>Symbols, except for the following safe characters:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When converting data to a table, keep in mind the contrast of the default styles. Only the White, Light Blue, and Blue styles in the <strong>Light<\/strong> and <strong>Medium<\/strong> categories have sufficient contrast between cell shading and font colour. All of the styles in the <strong>Dark<\/strong> category have sufficient contrast<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4389 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/2023-08-03-13_30_46-Window-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"514\" height=\"755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/2023-08-03-13_30_46-Window-1.png 514w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/2023-08-03-13_30_46-Window-1-204x300.png 204w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/2023-08-03-13_30_46-Window-1-65x95.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/2023-08-03-13_30_46-Window-1-225x330.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1155\/2023\/02\/2023-08-03-13_30_46-Window-1-350x514.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 514px) 100vw, 514px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"a11ychecker\"><\/a>Accessibility Checker<\/h2>\n<p>Use Office products&#8217; built-in <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_5859_1890\">accessibility checker<\/a> to check for common issues. Note, these tools may not catch all possible accessibility issues.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/improve-accessibility-with-the-accessibility-checker-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f#PickTab=Windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft Accessibility Checker<\/a>\u00a0report can be used to find common errors like missing image ALT text, merged cells and other issues in an Excel document. Select\u00a0<strong>Review<\/strong>\u00a0&gt;\u00a0<strong>Check Accessibility<\/strong>. The accessibility pane will show errors, warnings, solutions, and tips.<\/p>\n<p>In the Accessibility pane select\u00a0<b class=\"ocpUI\">Keep accessibility checker running while I work<\/b>\u00a0checkbox to see a realtime accessibility message in the bottom status bar. Click\u00a0<strong>Accessibility: Investigate\u00a0<\/strong>at anytime to open the Accessibility pane.<\/p>\n<p>Like any automated tool, Office&#8217;s accessibility checker will not catch any and all accessibility issues. Here is a summary of what it does look for and how well it catches those issues:<\/p>\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;height: 105px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\n<th class=\"shaded\" style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\" scope=\"col\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">Element checked<\/span><\/th>\n<th class=\"shaded\" style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\" scope=\"col\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">Reliability of checker<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Structure and use of heading styles<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Poor.<\/p>\n<p>Will show if there are no headings on a long document but doesn\u2019t flag issues on shorter documents. A single heading is enough to pass the checker even though the document remains inaccessible. It cannot test the logic of the heading structure.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Colour<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Moderate.<\/p>\n<p>Can find poor colour contrast but cannot tell if colour has been used as a sole indicator for information.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Use of images<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Moderate.<\/p>\n<p>Will find images that have neither Alt text, nor are marked as decorative as well as those where the Alt text is just the file name. But it cannot identify whether the Alt text is appropriate or even meaningful. It will find images that are not in line with the text. In-line images may not be as aesthetically pleasing but they are easier for screen readers to find.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Links<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Poor.<\/p>\n<p>It does not check for link text.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Plain English<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Poor.<\/p>\n<p>It does not check for this, but you can check yourself by switching on the readability stats as described in the section on Understandable Content.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 15px\">\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Tables<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 15px\">Fair.<\/p>\n<p>It finds whether the table has the Header row marked. It may warn if tables have split or merged cells.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50%\">Miscellaneous<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%\">Poor.<\/p>\n<p>Does not check text justification, videos for captions, or form labels.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\n<div style=\"font-weight: 400\">\n<p><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"This table is adapted from work originally developed by AHEAD and Alistair McNaught and is made available under a CC BY-NC-SA creative commons license.\" id=\"return-footnote-5859-1\" href=\"#footnote-5859-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Read more about checking for accessibility issues with the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/improve-accessibility-with-the-accessibility-checker-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f?ui=en-us&amp;rs=en-us&amp;ad=us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Office Accessibility Checker<\/a> and learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/rules-for-the-accessibility-checker-651e08f2-0fc3-4e10-aaca-74b4a67101c1?ui=en-us&amp;rs=en-us&amp;ad=us\">Office Accessibility Checker rules and messages.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><a id=\"sharing\"><\/a>Sharing<\/h2>\n<p>Best practice is to share material in advance of presentation or class.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ul>\n<li>This allows users to check for barriers beforehand<\/li>\n<li>All users can take additional, in-depth notes and understand terminology and names with greater comprehension<\/li>\n<li>Users that experience barriers can zoom in or adjust the documents to their viewing preferences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\n<div>Excel documents have various options\u00a0for <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/protect-an-excel-file-7359d4ae-7213-4ac2-b058-f75e9311b599\">protecting your Excel workbook<\/a>, sheet, or part of your spreadsheet. Choose the appropriate level of protection.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Export to PDF<\/h3>\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\">\n<p>Excel documents can be exported to PDF, however the amount of time and expertise required to create an accessible PDF of an Excel document means all other avenues should be pursued first.<\/p>\n<p>Best practice is to share the Excel file directly. You can\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/protection-and-security-in-excel-be0b34db-8cb6-44dd-a673-0b3e3475ac2d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">protect an Excel file<\/a>\u00a0to prevent changes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><a id=\"furtherreading\"><\/a>Further Reading<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Microsoft outlines <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-word-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-d9bf3683-87ac-47ea-b91a-78dcacb3c66d#PickTab=Mac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0best practices to make documents accessible<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-excel-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6cc05fc5-1314-48b5-8eb3-683e49b3e593\">Make your excel Excel documents accessible.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Contact <a href=\"mailto:assistivetech@langara.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">assistivetech@langara.ca<\/a> for further information or assistance.<\/p>\n<p>Microsoft\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/video-start-with-an-accessible-excel-template-918db751-1585-41c5-9ddf-5d7a0915afaf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">videos on accessible Excel spreadsheets.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>General Microsoft\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-excel-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6cc05fc5-1314-48b5-8eb3-683e49b3e593\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">documentation on accessible Excel<\/a>\u00a0spreadsheets.<\/p>\n<p>Learn about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/create-a-chart-from-start-to-finish-0baf399e-dd61-4e18-8a73-b3fd5d5680c2#OfficeVersion=Windows\">creating charts using Excel.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/webaim.org\/techniques\/excel\/\">WebAIM&#8217;s guide to Excel<\/a>\u00a0is a useful guide.<\/p>\n<p>Use this online tool to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tools.agsci.psu.edu\/table-maker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">convert Excel tables to HTML.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-5859-1\">This table is adapted from work originally developed by AHEAD and Alistair McNaught and is made available under a <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\"><strong>CC BY-NC-SA<\/strong> creative commons license.<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-5859-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div><div class=\"glossary\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\" id=\"definition\">definition<\/span><template id=\"term_5859_1168\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_1168\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Colour contrast is the difference in saturation, brightness, and pigment of different elements relative to one another. A contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and background is required by common accessibility standards.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_5859_1305\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_1305\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>The use of code (HTML attributes, PDF tags, XML, etc.) to distinguish content by meaning, not appearance. For example, a &lt;h1&gt; heading tag creates both a visual and coded navigation waypoint whereas increasing the font size and bolding simply makes regular text appear larger.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_5859_1161\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_1161\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Alternative text is a text equivalent of graphics in a document or webpage. Alternative text is coded to be hidden visually, but read to a screen reader user.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_5859_2026\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_2026\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Information presented in a grid format of rows and columns, generally to show a relationship between sets of data<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_5859_1164\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_1164\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>A text equivalent of audio content in a video, displayed synchronously. Closed captions are toggled on or off by viewers, as opposed to open captions that are burned into the video and always displayed.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_5859_1884\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_1884\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Transcription is the process of converting audio into written text. A transcript is a written record of all audio in media. Captions are synced to the content.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_5859_1169\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_1169\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Linked text to another document or part of document that the user can follow by selecting. Effective hyperlink text should make sense independent of the content around it.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_5859_1890\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_5859_1890\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Automated tools built-in to many platforms that check for common accessibility issues. Are not to be considered a guarantee of accessibility.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1655,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-5859","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":62,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1655"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9562,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5859\/revisions\/9562"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/62"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5859\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=5859"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=5859"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=5859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}