In this article, we have summarised the most important rules for working with axesWord. If you follow these rules, you should find it easy to start creating accessible PDF documents.
1) Use heading styles
Use the styles that Word offers as standard: use "Heading 1" to "Heading 9" according to the hierarchy in your document and do not skip any levels.
2) Use the Word list functions
- Use the buttons Bullets or Numbering or Multilevel List in Word.
- Or use the styles "List" to "List 5" or "List Number" to "List Number 5".
- You can find out how to create multilevel lists in this article: Create new multilevel list
3) Enter alternative texts for images
- Select an image and enter the alternative text in the task pane axesWord - Role Mapping.
- If an image is purely for decorative purposes, assign it the role Artifact in the task pane axesWord - Role Mapping.
4) Handle tables correctly
- Data tables
Create styles for the row and column heading cells and assign the appropriate role to these styles in the axesWord Document Settings. You can find a detailed manual on creating accessible tables at: https://www.axes4.com/en/resources-community/manuals - Layout tables
Assign the role Layout Table for tables that are only used to arrange texts in a certain way (in the task pane axesWord - Role Mapping). Also define the reading direction of the layout table here. - Definition lists
Assign the role Definition List to tables like lists of abbreviations or glossaries (in the task pane axesWord - Role Mapping).
5) Create captions for images and tables
By right-clicking on the image/ table and selecting the menu option Insert Caption... you can create an automatically numbered caption.
6) Create links, footnotes, and references as active links
- URL or email address: enter the text and Word automatically creates an active link.
- Footnotes/ endnotes: use the buttons Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote in Word (in the ribbon tab References).
- Cross-references: use the button Cross-reference in Word (in the ribbon tab References).
7) Create TOCs automatically
Use the buttons Table of Contents or Insert Table of Figures (in the ribbon tab References).
8) Enter document title
Click on the ribbon tab File, then on the menu option Info and enter a meaningful document title in the text input field Title.
9) Set language
Select certain text paragraphs (or the entire document) and click on the language in the status bar (at the very bottom of Word) to make necessary changes within the dialogue box Language.
10) Create accessible PDF
- Simply click on the button Export PDF in the ribbon tab axesWord.
- Check the PDF document using the free PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC).
Further information needed?
- see manual axesWord QuickStart Guide
- see axesWord support area