What\u2019s an \u201cOffice Document\u201d?<\/h3>\r\nYou should use these techniques when you are using Google Sheets to create documents that are:\r\n\r\n \t- Intended to be used by people <\/strong>(i.e., not computer code),<\/li>\r\n \t
- Text-based <\/strong> (i.e., not simply images, although they may contain images),<\/li>\r\n \t
- Fully printable <\/strong>(i.e., where dynamic features are limited to automatic page numbering, table of contents, etc. and do not include audio, video, or embedded interactivity),<\/li>\r\n \t
- Self-contained <\/strong> (i.e., without hyperlinks to other documents, unlike web content), and<\/li>\r\n \t
- Typical of office-style workflows <\/strong>(Reports, letters, memos, budgets, presentations, etc.).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nIf you are creating forms, web pages, applications, or other dynamic and\/or interactive content, these techniques will still be useful to you, but you should also consult the <\/strong>W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) <\/strong><\/a> because these are specifically designed to provide guidance for highly dynamic and\/or interactive content. <\/strong>\r\n
File Formats<\/h3>\r\nGoogle Sheets does not have a default file format, as it is a web-based authoring tool.\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers various spreadsheet processor and web format saving options. Most of these have not been checked for accessibility, but some information and\/or instructions are available for the following formats in Technique 12<\/a>:\r\n\r\n \t- Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)<\/li>\r\n \t
- OpenDocument Format (.ods)<\/li>\r\n \t
- PDF Document (.pdf)<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- HTML (.html, zipped)<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- Comma-separated values (.csv, current sheet)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Tab-separated values (.tsv, current sheet)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Document Conventions<\/h3>\r\nWe have tried to formulate these techniques so that they are useful to all authors, regardless of whether they use a mouse. However, for clarity there are several instances where mouse-only language is used. Below are the mouse-only terms and their keyboard alternatives:\r\n\r\n \t- *Right-click:<\/strong> To right-click with the keyboard, select the object using the Shift+Arrow keys and then press either (1) the \u201cRight-Click\u201d key (some keyboard have this to the right of the spacebar) or Shift+F10.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Disclaimer and Testing Details:<\/h3>\r\nFollowing these techniques will increase the accessibility of your documents, but it does not guarantee accessibility to any specific disability groups <\/strong>. In cases where more certainty is required, it is recommended that you test the office documents with end users with disabilities, including screen reader users. Files are also easily saved as other file formats (see Technique 12<\/a>).\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEditor\u2019s note: <\/strong>Since the content of this page has been heavily updated from the original article (Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents: Google docs: Spreadsheets<\/a>), the usual editor\u2019s notes that flag new content will be omitted. The application-specific steps and screenshots were updated in December 2019.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 1. Use Accessible Templates\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets lacks support for some accessibility features, such as table headers that repeat. With this in mind, be cautious of templates available in the Google Sheets template gallery and be sure that they comply the techniques discussed here.\r\n\r\nAll office documents start with a template, which can be as simple as a blank standard-sized page or as complex as a nearly complete document with text, graphics and other content. For example, a \u201cMeeting Minutes\u201d template might include headings for information relevant to a business meeting, such as \u201cActions\u201d above a table with rows to denote time and columns for actions of the meeting.\r\n\r\nBecause templates provide the starting-point for so many documents, accessibility is critical. If you are unsure whether a template is accessible, you should check a sample document produced when the template is used (see Technique 11<\/a>).\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets\u2019s default template for new documents is a blank spreadsheet. The basic installation also includes a wide variety of templates ranging from blank service invoices to blank project management schedules. These are all accessible by virtue of being blank.\r\n\r\nIt is possible to create your own templates from scratch in Google Sheets. As well, you can edit and modify the existing templates, ensuring their accessibility as you do so and saving them as a new template.\r\nTo select a template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to <\/span>Google Sheets<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the top right, click on <\/span>Template Gallery<\/strong>.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-template-gallery.png\")
<\/li>\r\n \t- Select a template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- A copy of the template will open.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To create an accessible template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Create a new spreadsheet (from the default template or from an existing template).\r\nNote: <\/span><\/em>If creating a template from an existing document, go to File<\/strong> <\/span>> Make a copy<\/strong>. Type a name and choose where to save it, then, click Ok<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Rename your document. Be sure to indicate that the document is an accessible template by using terms such as \u201caccessible\u201d (e.g., \u201cAccessible Memo Template\u201d). This will improve its searchability and promote its use as an accessible template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you follow techniques in this document. You may also check the accessibility (see <\/span>Technique 11<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To share your accessible template as a new document<\/h4>\r\nYou can share your accessible template, but it may be more useful to share the file as copy that other users can add to their Google Drive.\r\n\r\n \t- Go to the address bar change the end of the URL before sending it.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Replace \u201cedit\u201d at the end of the URL with \u201ccopy\u201d.\r\nFor example:<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/em>Before:<\/strong> <\/em>http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/edit<\/strong>\r\n<\/span>After:<\/strong><\/em> http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/copy<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>Send the modified copy link.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>When the recipient follows the modified copy link, they\u2019re instructed to click on Make a copy<\/strong>.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheets-copy-template.png\")
\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t- They can then work on a copy of the accessible template.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>For more information, see the resources below:<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\nFor images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n
![\":](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-alt-text1.png\")
<\/li>\r\n \t- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheets-alt-text-1-300x217.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-alt-text2.png\")
<\/li>\r\n \t - From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-alt-text3.png\")
<\/li>\r\n \t- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n
4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\nTo format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-num-format.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n\r\n \t- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\nTo define a name<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheets-named-ranges.png\")
<\/li>\r\n \t- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-named-ranges-menu.png\")
<\/li>\r\n \t - Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n
\r\n \t- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
\r\n \t- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheets-alt-text-menu.png\")
<\/li>\r\n \t - From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheets-alt-text-300x213.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nOther Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n \t- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\nTo change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n\r\n \t- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-rename-tab.png\")
\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/78\/2019\/07\/gsheet-rename-sheet.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n\r\n \t- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n\r\n \t- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
File Formats<\/h3>\r\nGoogle Sheets does not have a default file format, as it is a web-based authoring tool.\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers various spreadsheet processor and web format saving options. Most of these have not been checked for accessibility, but some information and\/or instructions are available for the following formats in Technique 12<\/a>:\r\n\r\n \t- Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)<\/li>\r\n \t
- OpenDocument Format (.ods)<\/li>\r\n \t
- PDF Document (.pdf)<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- HTML (.html, zipped)<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- Comma-separated values (.csv, current sheet)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Tab-separated values (.tsv, current sheet)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Document Conventions<\/h3>\r\nWe have tried to formulate these techniques so that they are useful to all authors, regardless of whether they use a mouse. However, for clarity there are several instances where mouse-only language is used. Below are the mouse-only terms and their keyboard alternatives:\r\n\r\n \t- *Right-click:<\/strong> To right-click with the keyboard, select the object using the Shift+Arrow keys and then press either (1) the \u201cRight-Click\u201d key (some keyboard have this to the right of the spacebar) or Shift+F10.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Disclaimer and Testing Details:<\/h3>\r\nFollowing these techniques will increase the accessibility of your documents, but it does not guarantee accessibility to any specific disability groups <\/strong>. In cases where more certainty is required, it is recommended that you test the office documents with end users with disabilities, including screen reader users. Files are also easily saved as other file formats (see Technique 12<\/a>).\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEditor\u2019s note: <\/strong>Since the content of this page has been heavily updated from the original article (Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents: Google docs: Spreadsheets<\/a>), the usual editor\u2019s notes that flag new content will be omitted. The application-specific steps and screenshots were updated in December 2019.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 1. Use Accessible Templates\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets lacks support for some accessibility features, such as table headers that repeat. With this in mind, be cautious of templates available in the Google Sheets template gallery and be sure that they comply the techniques discussed here.\r\n\r\nAll office documents start with a template, which can be as simple as a blank standard-sized page or as complex as a nearly complete document with text, graphics and other content. For example, a \u201cMeeting Minutes\u201d template might include headings for information relevant to a business meeting, such as \u201cActions\u201d above a table with rows to denote time and columns for actions of the meeting.\r\n\r\nBecause templates provide the starting-point for so many documents, accessibility is critical. If you are unsure whether a template is accessible, you should check a sample document produced when the template is used (see Technique 11<\/a>).\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets\u2019s default template for new documents is a blank spreadsheet. The basic installation also includes a wide variety of templates ranging from blank service invoices to blank project management schedules. These are all accessible by virtue of being blank.\r\n\r\nIt is possible to create your own templates from scratch in Google Sheets. As well, you can edit and modify the existing templates, ensuring their accessibility as you do so and saving them as a new template.\r\nTo select a template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to <\/span>Google Sheets<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the top right, click on <\/span>Template Gallery<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- A copy of the template will open.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To create an accessible template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Create a new spreadsheet (from the default template or from an existing template).\r\nNote: <\/span><\/em>If creating a template from an existing document, go to File<\/strong> <\/span>> Make a copy<\/strong>. Type a name and choose where to save it, then, click Ok<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Rename your document. Be sure to indicate that the document is an accessible template by using terms such as \u201caccessible\u201d (e.g., \u201cAccessible Memo Template\u201d). This will improve its searchability and promote its use as an accessible template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you follow techniques in this document. You may also check the accessibility (see <\/span>Technique 11<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To share your accessible template as a new document<\/h4>\r\nYou can share your accessible template, but it may be more useful to share the file as copy that other users can add to their Google Drive.\r\n\r\n \t- Go to the address bar change the end of the URL before sending it.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Replace \u201cedit\u201d at the end of the URL with \u201ccopy\u201d.\r\nFor example:<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/em>Before:<\/strong> <\/em>http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/edit<\/strong>\r\n<\/span>After:<\/strong><\/em> http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/copy<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>Send the modified copy link.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>When the recipient follows the modified copy link, they\u2019re instructed to click on Make a copy<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- They can then work on a copy of the accessible template.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>For more information, see the resources below:<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\nFor images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
For images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n
4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\nTo format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n
\r\n \t- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\nTo define a name<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n
\r\n \t- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
\r\n \t- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Other Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n \t- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\nTo change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n\r\n \t- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n\r\n \t- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n\r\n \t- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
Document Conventions<\/h3>\r\nWe have tried to formulate these techniques so that they are useful to all authors, regardless of whether they use a mouse. However, for clarity there are several instances where mouse-only language is used. Below are the mouse-only terms and their keyboard alternatives:\r\n\r\n \t- *Right-click:<\/strong> To right-click with the keyboard, select the object using the Shift+Arrow keys and then press either (1) the \u201cRight-Click\u201d key (some keyboard have this to the right of the spacebar) or Shift+F10.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Disclaimer and Testing Details:<\/h3>\r\nFollowing these techniques will increase the accessibility of your documents, but it does not guarantee accessibility to any specific disability groups <\/strong>. In cases where more certainty is required, it is recommended that you test the office documents with end users with disabilities, including screen reader users. Files are also easily saved as other file formats (see Technique 12<\/a>).\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEditor\u2019s note: <\/strong>Since the content of this page has been heavily updated from the original article (Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents: Google docs: Spreadsheets<\/a>), the usual editor\u2019s notes that flag new content will be omitted. The application-specific steps and screenshots were updated in December 2019.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 1. Use Accessible Templates\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets lacks support for some accessibility features, such as table headers that repeat. With this in mind, be cautious of templates available in the Google Sheets template gallery and be sure that they comply the techniques discussed here.\r\n\r\nAll office documents start with a template, which can be as simple as a blank standard-sized page or as complex as a nearly complete document with text, graphics and other content. For example, a \u201cMeeting Minutes\u201d template might include headings for information relevant to a business meeting, such as \u201cActions\u201d above a table with rows to denote time and columns for actions of the meeting.\r\n\r\nBecause templates provide the starting-point for so many documents, accessibility is critical. If you are unsure whether a template is accessible, you should check a sample document produced when the template is used (see Technique 11<\/a>).\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets\u2019s default template for new documents is a blank spreadsheet. The basic installation also includes a wide variety of templates ranging from blank service invoices to blank project management schedules. These are all accessible by virtue of being blank.\r\n\r\nIt is possible to create your own templates from scratch in Google Sheets. As well, you can edit and modify the existing templates, ensuring their accessibility as you do so and saving them as a new template.\r\nTo select a template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to <\/span>Google Sheets<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the top right, click on <\/span>Template Gallery<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- A copy of the template will open.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To create an accessible template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Create a new spreadsheet (from the default template or from an existing template).\r\nNote: <\/span><\/em>If creating a template from an existing document, go to File<\/strong> <\/span>> Make a copy<\/strong>. Type a name and choose where to save it, then, click Ok<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Rename your document. Be sure to indicate that the document is an accessible template by using terms such as \u201caccessible\u201d (e.g., \u201cAccessible Memo Template\u201d). This will improve its searchability and promote its use as an accessible template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you follow techniques in this document. You may also check the accessibility (see <\/span>Technique 11<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To share your accessible template as a new document<\/h4>\r\nYou can share your accessible template, but it may be more useful to share the file as copy that other users can add to their Google Drive.\r\n\r\n \t- Go to the address bar change the end of the URL before sending it.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Replace \u201cedit\u201d at the end of the URL with \u201ccopy\u201d.\r\nFor example:<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/em>Before:<\/strong> <\/em>http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/edit<\/strong>\r\n<\/span>After:<\/strong><\/em> http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/copy<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>Send the modified copy link.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>When the recipient follows the modified copy link, they\u2019re instructed to click on Make a copy<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- They can then work on a copy of the accessible template.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>For more information, see the resources below:<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\nFor images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
For images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n
4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\nTo format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n
\r\n \t- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\nTo define a name<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n
\r\n \t- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
\r\n \t- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Other Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n \t- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\nTo change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n\r\n \t- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n\r\n \t- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n\r\n \t- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
Disclaimer and Testing Details:<\/h3>\r\nFollowing these techniques will increase the accessibility of your documents, but it does not guarantee accessibility to any specific disability groups <\/strong>. In cases where more certainty is required, it is recommended that you test the office documents with end users with disabilities, including screen reader users. Files are also easily saved as other file formats (see Technique 12<\/a>).\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEditor\u2019s note: <\/strong>Since the content of this page has been heavily updated from the original article (Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents: Google docs: Spreadsheets<\/a>), the usual editor\u2019s notes that flag new content will be omitted. The application-specific steps and screenshots were updated in December 2019.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 1. Use Accessible Templates\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets lacks support for some accessibility features, such as table headers that repeat. With this in mind, be cautious of templates available in the Google Sheets template gallery and be sure that they comply the techniques discussed here.\r\n\r\nAll office documents start with a template, which can be as simple as a blank standard-sized page or as complex as a nearly complete document with text, graphics and other content. For example, a \u201cMeeting Minutes\u201d template might include headings for information relevant to a business meeting, such as \u201cActions\u201d above a table with rows to denote time and columns for actions of the meeting.\r\n\r\nBecause templates provide the starting-point for so many documents, accessibility is critical. If you are unsure whether a template is accessible, you should check a sample document produced when the template is used (see Technique 11<\/a>).\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets\u2019s default template for new documents is a blank spreadsheet. The basic installation also includes a wide variety of templates ranging from blank service invoices to blank project management schedules. These are all accessible by virtue of being blank.\r\n\r\nIt is possible to create your own templates from scratch in Google Sheets. As well, you can edit and modify the existing templates, ensuring their accessibility as you do so and saving them as a new template.\r\nTo select a template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to <\/span>Google Sheets<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the top right, click on <\/span>Template Gallery<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- A copy of the template will open.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To create an accessible template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Create a new spreadsheet (from the default template or from an existing template).\r\nNote: <\/span><\/em>If creating a template from an existing document, go to File<\/strong> <\/span>> Make a copy<\/strong>. Type a name and choose where to save it, then, click Ok<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Rename your document. Be sure to indicate that the document is an accessible template by using terms such as \u201caccessible\u201d (e.g., \u201cAccessible Memo Template\u201d). This will improve its searchability and promote its use as an accessible template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you follow techniques in this document. You may also check the accessibility (see <\/span>Technique 11<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To share your accessible template as a new document<\/h4>\r\nYou can share your accessible template, but it may be more useful to share the file as copy that other users can add to their Google Drive.\r\n\r\n \t- Go to the address bar change the end of the URL before sending it.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Replace \u201cedit\u201d at the end of the URL with \u201ccopy\u201d.\r\nFor example:<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/em>Before:<\/strong> <\/em>http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/edit<\/strong>\r\n<\/span>After:<\/strong><\/em> http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/copy<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>Send the modified copy link.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>When the recipient follows the modified copy link, they\u2019re instructed to click on Make a copy<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- They can then work on a copy of the accessible template.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>For more information, see the resources below:<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\nFor images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
For images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n
4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\nTo format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n
\r\n \t- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\nTo define a name<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n
\r\n \t- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
\r\n \t- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Other Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n \t- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\nTo change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n\r\n \t- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n\r\n \t- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n\r\n \t- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
\r\n\r\nEditor\u2019s note: <\/strong>Since the content of this page has been heavily updated from the original article (Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents: Google docs: Spreadsheets<\/a>), the usual editor\u2019s notes that flag new content will be omitted. The application-specific steps and screenshots were updated in December 2019.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 1. Use Accessible Templates\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets lacks support for some accessibility features, such as table headers that repeat. With this in mind, be cautious of templates available in the Google Sheets template gallery and be sure that they comply the techniques discussed here.\r\n\r\nAll office documents start with a template, which can be as simple as a blank standard-sized page or as complex as a nearly complete document with text, graphics and other content. For example, a \u201cMeeting Minutes\u201d template might include headings for information relevant to a business meeting, such as \u201cActions\u201d above a table with rows to denote time and columns for actions of the meeting.\r\n\r\nBecause templates provide the starting-point for so many documents, accessibility is critical. If you are unsure whether a template is accessible, you should check a sample document produced when the template is used (see Technique 11<\/a>).\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets\u2019s default template for new documents is a blank spreadsheet. The basic installation also includes a wide variety of templates ranging from blank service invoices to blank project management schedules. These are all accessible by virtue of being blank.\r\n\r\nIt is possible to create your own templates from scratch in Google Sheets. As well, you can edit and modify the existing templates, ensuring their accessibility as you do so and saving them as a new template.\r\nTo select a template<\/h4>\r\n
To select a template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to <\/span>Google Sheets<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the top right, click on <\/span>Template Gallery<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- A copy of the template will open.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To create an accessible template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Create a new spreadsheet (from the default template or from an existing template).\r\nNote: <\/span><\/em>If creating a template from an existing document, go to File<\/strong> <\/span>> Make a copy<\/strong>. Type a name and choose where to save it, then, click Ok<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Rename your document. Be sure to indicate that the document is an accessible template by using terms such as \u201caccessible\u201d (e.g., \u201cAccessible Memo Template\u201d). This will improve its searchability and promote its use as an accessible template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you follow techniques in this document. You may also check the accessibility (see <\/span>Technique 11<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To share your accessible template as a new document<\/h4>\r\nYou can share your accessible template, but it may be more useful to share the file as copy that other users can add to their Google Drive.\r\n\r\n \t- Go to the address bar change the end of the URL before sending it.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Replace \u201cedit\u201d at the end of the URL with \u201ccopy\u201d.\r\nFor example:<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/em>Before:<\/strong> <\/em>http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/edit<\/strong>\r\n<\/span>After:<\/strong><\/em> http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/copy<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>Send the modified copy link.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>When the recipient follows the modified copy link, they\u2019re instructed to click on Make a copy<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- They can then work on a copy of the accessible template.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>For more information, see the resources below:<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\nFor images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
For images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n
4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\nTo format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n
\r\n \t- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\nTo define a name<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n
\r\n \t- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
\r\n \t- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Other Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n \t- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\nTo change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n\r\n \t- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n\r\n \t- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n\r\n \t- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
<\/li>\r\n \tTo create an accessible template<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Create a new spreadsheet (from the default template or from an existing template).\r\nNote: <\/span><\/em>If creating a template from an existing document, go to File<\/strong> <\/span>> Make a copy<\/strong>. Type a name and choose where to save it, then, click Ok<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Rename your document. Be sure to indicate that the document is an accessible template by using terms such as \u201caccessible\u201d (e.g., \u201cAccessible Memo Template\u201d). This will improve its searchability and promote its use as an accessible template.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you follow techniques in this document. You may also check the accessibility (see <\/span>Technique 11<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To share your accessible template as a new document<\/h4>\r\nYou can share your accessible template, but it may be more useful to share the file as copy that other users can add to their Google Drive.\r\n\r\n \t- Go to the address bar change the end of the URL before sending it.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Replace \u201cedit\u201d at the end of the URL with \u201ccopy\u201d.\r\nFor example:<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/em>Before:<\/strong> <\/em>http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/edit<\/strong>\r\n<\/span>After:<\/strong><\/em> http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/copy<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>Send the modified copy link.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>When the recipient follows the modified copy link, they\u2019re instructed to click on Make a copy<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- They can then work on a copy of the accessible template.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>For more information, see the resources below:<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\nFor images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
For images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n
4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\nTo format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n
\r\n \t- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\nTo define a name<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n
\r\n \t- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
\r\n \t- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Other Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n \t- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\nTo change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n\r\n \t- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n\r\n \t- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n\r\n \t- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
To share your accessible template as a new document<\/h4>\r\nYou can share your accessible template, but it may be more useful to share the file as copy that other users can add to their Google Drive.\r\n\r\n \t- Go to the address bar change the end of the URL before sending it.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Replace \u201cedit\u201d at the end of the URL with \u201ccopy\u201d.\r\nFor example:<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/em>Before:<\/strong> <\/em>http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/edit<\/strong>\r\n<\/span>After:<\/strong><\/em> http:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/d\/12345678\/copy<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>Send the modified copy link.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/span>When the recipient follows the modified copy link, they\u2019re instructed to click on Make a copy<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- They can then work on a copy of the accessible template.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>For more information, see the resources below:<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\nFor images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
For images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n
4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\nTo format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n
\r\n \t- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\nTo define a name<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n
\r\n \t- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
\r\n \t- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Other Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n \t- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\nTo change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n\r\n \t- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n\r\n \t- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n\r\n \t- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n\r\n \t- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
\r\n<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t- \r\n \t
- Google: Create document templates<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n
\r\nTips for writing alternative text<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Try to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank<\/li>\r\n \t
- If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences<\/li>\r\n \t
- If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below<\/li>\r\n \t
- Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
Tips for writing longer descriptions<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question \"what information is the image conveying?\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.<\/li>\r\n \t
- One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone<\/li>\r\n \t
- Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects <\/em><\/h4>\r\n
For images in a cell<\/h5>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Right-click* on the image.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Alt Text<\/strong> from the contextual menu.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor images placed over cells<\/h5>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- In the top right corner of the image, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNote: <\/em>The image used in the alt text screenshots above are by John Tenniel from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> from the original 1865 edition of the book.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 4. Format Your Cells\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAs you begin adding content, your spreadsheet will require structuring to bring meaning to the data, make it easier to navigate, and help assistive technologies read it accurately. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ensure that you properly format the cells.\r\n4.1 Named Styles<\/h3>\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer named styles functionality.\r\n\r\nYou should make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., \u201cHeading\u201d, \u201cResult\u201d, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).\r\n\r\nFor more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 6<\/a>.\r\n\r\nNote:<\/em> While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.\r\n\r\nFormatting header and result cells brings order to the spreadsheet and makes it easier for users to navigate effectively. For example, you can format header rows and columns using \u201cHeading\u201d styles to apply bolded, enlarged, and italicized text (among other characteristics). You may also want to format cells containing results of calculations to appear bold and underlined to help distinguish them from the rest of your data.\r\n
4.2 Other Cell Characteristics<\/h3>\r\nEnsure your cells are formatted to properly represent your data, including number and text attributes.\r\n
To format cell characteristics<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Highlight the cells that you want to format\r\nNote:<\/em> to format a row or column, select the row or column indicator and follow the next steps<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to the menu icon bar<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the icon or drop-down list for the format you would like to apply (e.g., Format as currency<\/strong>, Format as percent<\/strong>, More formats<\/strong>)\r\nNote:<\/em> When formatting your spreadsheet, it is best to avoid merging cells. At times, it may seem easier to present your data by merging cells, but this can make it more difficult for users of assistive technologies and people navigating your spreadsheet using the keyboard.\r\n
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nFor more details, see the following articles from the Google Help Center:\r\n- \r\n \t
- How to edit and format a spreadsheet<\/a> (includes how to format your entire spreadsheet with themes)<\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
5.1 Define Names<\/h3>\r\nNaming the different data ranges within your spreadsheet makes it easier to navigate through the document and find specific information. By associating a meaningful name to a data range, you will be enhancing the readability of your document. These named ranges can be referenced in multiple locations of your document and within calculations and equations.\r\n
To define a name<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Select the cells you would like to name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Data > Named ranges<\/b>. A menu will open on the right.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- To change the range, click the Spreadsheet Grid icon.\r\n
<\/li>\r\n \t- Select a range in the spreadsheet or type the new range into the text box, then click Ok<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Done<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/a>Range names:<\/strong>\r\n- \r\n \t
- Can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't start with a number, or the words \"true\" or \"false.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't contain any spaces or punctuation.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Must be 1\u2013250 characters.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Can't be in either A1 or R1C1 syntax. For example, you might get an error if you give your range a name like \"A1:B2\" or \"R1C1:R2C2.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Edit or delete a named range<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
- \r\n \t
- To edit the range:<\/em> Enter a new name or range, then click Done<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note:<\/em> When you delete a named range, any formulas that reference it will no longer work. Protected ranges that reference a named range will use the cell values and continue to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 6. Create Accessible Charts\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nSpreadsheet applications support various types of charts, which can be used to display your spreadsheet data in meaningful ways for your audience. It is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help to correctly interpret the information.\r\n
To create an accessible chart<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Go to menu item: Insert > Chart <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chard Editor <\/strong> dialog, select the Use row 1 as headers <\/strong> check box if the first row of your data is a header row<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the chart type from the Recommended charts <\/strong> section<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Customize <\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart section <\/strong>, enter a title for the chart in the Chart title <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Name <\/strong>link and enter a name for the chart in the Chart name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Axis <\/strong>section, enter a title for the vertical axis in the Vertical name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select the Horizontal <\/strong> link and enter a title for the horizontal axis in the Horizontal name <\/strong> box<\/li>\r\n \t
- Define any other available options that may be associated with the chart<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Insert <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add titles and labels<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Double-click on the chart you want to change.<\/li>\r\n \t
- At the right, click Customize<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click Data labels<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Under \"Position,\" choose where you want the data labels to show.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Make changes to the label font.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
To add alternative text to a chart<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- In the top right corner of the chart, click on the three dots.\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- From the drop-down menu, select Alt text<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nOther Chart Considerations<\/h3>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind<\/li>\r\n \t
- Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 7. Provide Structure for Tables\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not include an \u201cInsert Table\u201d feature.\r\n\r\nIf you use the Grackle Sheets<\/a> add-on, tables can be given structure and table headings can be indicated. While these fixes won\u2019t be useful for making tables more accessible in Google Sheets, it does allow you to export the document into another format with appropriate table tags intact. For more on Grackle Sheets, see Technique 11<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 8. Use Other Content Structuring Features\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nWhile cell formatting is the most common method of structuring documents, other content structuring features should be used where appropriate:\r\n
8.1 Add a Document Title<\/h3>\r\nAt this time, Google Sheets makes use of a single document name. Within Google Sheets, this serves well as a title, but when exporting to ODT, the document name is used to form the file name and the ODT \u201cTitle\u201d properties field is left blank.\r\n\r\nIn case the document is ever converted into another format (e.g., HTML or PDF), it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.\r\n
To change the file name of the current document<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Click OK <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
8.2 Avoid \u201cFloating\u201d Elements<\/h3>\r\nAvoid \"floating\" elements (other than charts) such as floating images, objects, tables or text boxes. Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.\r\n\r\nTo learn how to insert images and graphical object into Google Sheets, see Google: Add an image to a spreadsheet<\/a>.\r\n
8.3 Use Descriptive Sheet Names<\/h3>\r\nIn Google Sheets, spreadsheets have the default name \"Sheet1\" and so on. To improve the accessibility and navigability of your spreadsheets, follow these recommendations:\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Name sheets with a sheet name that describes its content.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Delete unused sheets to avoid unnecessary navigation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
To rename a spreadsheet<\/h4>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n\r\nNote: <\/em>Alternately, you can double click on the sheet name.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n<\/a>[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n9.1 Format of Text<\/h3>\r\nWhen formatting text, especially when the text is likely to be printed, try to:\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for cell contents.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Avoid animated or scrolling text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBut can\u2019t users just zoom in? <\/strong> Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change document details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.\r\n
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast<\/h3>\r\nThe visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAlso, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.\r\nIn order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:\r\n
- Type a descriptive name for your sheet and hit Enter<\/strong>.\r\n
- At the bottom of your Google Sheet, click on the drop-down arrow beside the sheet name.\r\n
- In the Rename Document <\/strong> dialog, enter a new document name<\/li>\r\n \t
- Go to menu item: File > Rename<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n
- Select Series<\/strong>.\r\nOptional:<\/em> Next to \"Apply to,\" choose the data series you want to add a label to.<\/li>\r\n \t
- In the Chart Editor <\/strong>, a data range has been pre-selected and will appear in the box labeled Data. (Note: If this range is incorrect, enter a new range in the box labeled Data <\/strong>. To update the data range by manually highlighting the cells, select the Select range\u2026 <\/strong> link. This opens the What data? <\/strong> dialog, which allows you to highlight the data range and select OK <\/strong>.)<\/li>\r\n \t
- To delete the named range:<\/em> Next to the name, click Delete range<\/strong>. On the menu that opens, click Remove<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- On the named range you want to edit or delete, click Edit<\/strong>.\r\n
- Select Data<\/strong>, then Named ranges<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Type the range name you want (see Range Names<\/a>, below). <\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
- How to format numbers in a spreadsheet<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]<\/span>\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 5. Use Cell Addressing\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n
- In the Description<\/strong> field type or paste appropriate alt text.\r\n
- Add your alt text to the Description <\/strong>field.\r\n
- <\/a>Google: Share \u201cMake a copy\u201d links to your files<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 2. Set Document Language\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nAt this time (December 2019), Google Sheets does not offer an explicit language selection mechanism to indicate the natural language of your spreadsheet or changes in natural language at any point within the content (e.g., a few cells containing text in a different language than the rest of the spreadsheet). Google Sheets defaults the natural language to the language selected for your Google Account (see <\/span>Google: Change Your Typing Language<\/a>)<\/span>.\r\n\r\nWhen exporting to other document formats, there is no guarantee that the natural language of your Google Account will be indicated as the natural language of your document. In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.\r\n\r\n[\/rl_collapsible_section]\r\n\r\n[rl_collapsible_section title=\"Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects\" title-tag=\"h2\" collapsed=\"yes\"]\r\n\r\nGoogle Sheets offers a mechanism for adding alternative text or longer descriptions to images and objects where it can be readily accessed by screen reader users. While you can add alt text, you will need to ensure that you provide longer descriptions in the body of the document, near the images and objects. While this solution is not optimal for screen reader users and will complicate your own accessibility testing, it is necessary until long descriptions are supported. <\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.\r\n