Working with PDF/Universal Accessibility (UA) documents
WorkZone supports document accessibility by creating and validating PDF/UA documents.
Note: Creation and validation of PDF/UA documents is currently supported for PDF and Word documents only.
What are PDF/UA documents?
PDF/UA is not a separate file format, but an ISO standard that contains requirements for web-accessible PDF documents and applications. PDF/UA-compliant documents ensure accessibility for people with disabilities who use assistive technology to navigate and read electronic content.
Create a PDF/UA document in WorkZone Client
In WorkZone Client, you can validate your existing PDF documents for PDF/UA compliance or create a new PDF/UA compliant documents from existing Word documents.
- For PDF documents:PDF/UA-compliant documents will receive the green "UA" badge on their document icons.
- For Word documents: if the document passes the PDF/UA validation, a PDF/UA version of this document will be created. PDF/UA-compliant documents will have the green "UA" badge on their document icons.
See Validate a document for PDF/Universal Accessibility (UA) compliance.
Fix a failed PDF/UA document
To fix a document that failed PDF/UA validation, you will need to:
- Edit the original document and correct the accessibility issues.
- Upload the updated document to WorkZone.
- Validate the updated document for PDF/UA compliance again.
Edit the original document
Although you can create and validate PDF/UA documents in WorkZone Client, you will need to fix the PDF/UA errors in the original Word or PDF document.
We recommend that you do that from a web accessibility tool provided by your organization. For example, PDF/UA Foundation organization offers a free PDF accessibility checker, PAC. Most standard Microsoft 365 products also have built-in accessibility checkers that provide suggested steps and recommendations for improving the content accessibility. Or you can use any other similar tool.
See the following articles by Microsoft:
Run the accessibility checker until you have fixed all accessibility errors.
Upload the fixed document to WorkZone
After fixing all discovered accessibility errors, save or upload the updated document on the selected case in WorkZone.
WorkZone PDF/UA error description
If you have fixed all accessibility errors shown by the accessibility checker in your original document, but PDF/UA validation in WorkZone Client still fails, check the WorkZone PDF/UA error description (available from the Documents > All unconverted saved search list on the dashboard).
Search for PDF documents with the Status: FAILED PDF/UA, and read the error description.
Troubleshooting
Below you can find recommendations on how to fix possible errors that might not appear in the accessibility checkers, but will be displayed in the WorkZone PDF/UA error report.
Alternative text missing (Word)
You might get this error, even when the alternative text is filled out (usually this happens, if the alternative text was prefilled from a template or automatically generated).
How to fix
Try to update the alternative text in your Word document, and save it again.
PDF/UA identifier missing (PDF)
This error means that the document is not identified as a PDF/UA compliant.
How to fix
You can fix it, for example, in Adobe DC Pro:
- Go to Preflight in Print Production.
- From the top drop-down, select PDF Standards.
- Click Fix Problems in PDF/UA tagging structure.
CIDSet is missing or incomplete for font ‘[font_name]' in WorkZone (PDF)
This error means that some fonts are not embedded in the document. Embedded fonts ensure reliable presentation of the text, because the accessibility tool viewer is not forced to substitute fonts that may not match the usage specified in the document. Additionally, embedded fonts can help speed up the editing process.
How to fix
You can fix it, for example, in Adobe DC Pro.
- Go to Preflight in Print Production.
- From the top dropdown, select Adobe Pro Dc 2015 Profiles.
- Under PDF Fixups, click Embed missing fonts.
Glyphs missing in embedded font ‘[font_name]' (PDF)
This means that there are issues with font width in your pdf document.
How to fix
You can fix it, for example, in Adobe DC Pro.
- Go to Preflight in Print Production.
- From the top dropdown, select Adobe Pro Dc 2015 Profiles.
- Under PDF Fixups, click Fix potential font problems.
‘[Element_name]’ element on a single page with no bounding box (PDF)
This error means missing information about some of your figures in metadata.
How to fix
You can fix it, for example, in Adobe DC Pro.
- Remove the figure tag that is causing the problem.
- Re-add the figure tag using the Auto Tag Document option from the Accessibility tab.
PDF/UA validation of PDF reports
PDF reports include:
- Standard and custom reports accessible from the Report menu in WorkZone Client. See Standard and custom reports in WorkZone PDF Developer Guide.
- Case documents selected for print to a PDF file. See Print case documents.
- Process and Mass Dispatch history documents. See Smart Post history documents and Mass Dispatch history documents.
If PDF/UA validation fails for some of the merged documents or the summary part of the report, the report will be saved as a standard PDF file (without the green "UA" badge on the document icon).