How to make Word documents accessible
Templates
Templates help users create content that is in a specific format or contains specific information.
For example, an organisation might have a report template to help their staff produce all their reports in a similar format.
Who templates must be accessible for
Templates must be accessible for:
- People using the template to create content
- People who need to understand or use the content created using the template
How to create an accessible template using Word
When creating a template using Word, you must:
- Follow our Word accessibility guide
- Not include form fields (added using 'Controls' in the Developer menu). For example, text fields, drop-down lists and checkboxes
We recommend including text that indicates where users should add, remove or edit content.
You can do this by adding text instructions in square brackets that start with an action word, like 'insert'. For example, '[insert report title]'.
Do not convert your Word template to PDF, as this will make it difficult for users to complete it. If you would like to create a PDF template, follow our advice on how to create an accessible PDF template.
