How to Cut Document Accessibility Costs Without Cutting Corners

Let's Start at the Beginning 

Whether you're a government agency, nonprofit, small business, or corporation — if you have documents on your website (PDF, Word, Excel), they must be accessible under applicable accessibility regulations and standards, just like the rest of your website content.

Why Make Documents Accessible?

There are several reasons, but let's be honest — most of us remediate documents to stay compliant with the law. Beyond that, there are also these important reasons:

1. Equal access – a person with a disability shouldn't need to ask for help just to read a document.
2. Avoiding lawsuits – an accessibility complaint or lawsuit over an inaccessible document can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
3. SEO and user experience – search engines also "understand" accessible documents far better.

Which Documents Need to Be Accessible?

• Any document published on your website that is not strictly for internal use.
• Document types include:
• PDF
• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Documents in a user account portal (such as invoices and receipts) must be accessible.
• Even dynamically generated documents — such as a bank statement downloaded as a PDF or Excel file — must be accessible from the outset.
• Reports filed with stock exchanges must also be accessible.

How to Make a Document Accessible?

Document remediation can be a real headache, especially without the right expertise. Here's a quick overview of what matters most.

A. Word / PowerPoint Documents:

• Use built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.).
• Use real text — never text embedded in images.
• Add alt text to images (Alt Text).
• Maintain a logical reading order throughout the document.
• Ensure sufficient color contrast.
• Use tables only for data, not for layout purposes.

B. PDF Files:

• Best practice is to export from an already-accessible Word file.
• Apply proper Tags – marking headings, paragraphs, tables, and so on.
• Verify the Reading Order.
• Add alt text to images.
• Scanned PDF files are not accessible — they must be converted to live text.

C. Excel Files:

• Keep tables simple and clear.
• Provide a general description of each sheet's purpose.
• Mark column headers properly.
• Avoid merging cells unless absolutely necessary.

How to Save on Costs?

Document remediation typically costs between $4–8 per page — a significant expense worth planning for carefully. We recommend the following steps to reduce your costs:

1. Audit all documents on your site — the goal is to distinguish between documents published before October 2017 (considered "legacy documents") and those published after October 2017 (considered "new documents"). Legacy documents generally do not need to be remediated unless they are critical to accessing a service — for example, a contract that must be signed.
2. Review document relevance — are all documents still current, or can some be removed from the site entirely? Remember, every new document (as defined above) published on your site must be accessible. In our experience, this audit alone can save you thousands of dollars.
3. Convert documents to web pages — once you've narrowed down which documents must remain on the site, consider whether they can be converted to HTML web pages instead. That way, they're covered by your site's overall accessibility rather than requiring separate file remediation.
4. Only send documents for remediation when they are fully final. Any subsequent changes can cost you significantly more.
5. Remediating Word documents allows for future edits while preserving accessibility — making it easier and cheaper to maintain over time.
6. If your documents are in Word format — talk to us and we'll help you save a considerable amount.

Useful Tools for Initial Checks

• Accessibility Checker – built into Word and PowerPoint.
• PAC 2024 – a free automated tool for checking PDF accessibility.
• NVDA or JAWS – screen readers for manual human testing.

In Summary

Document accessibility is part of responsible, respectful practice — and it's also smart business. Accessible documents ensure that customers, employees, and users of all abilities can access information, understand it, and use it — just like everyone else.

Need to make your documents accessible?

Contact us and we'll do everything we can to help you cut costs and remediate your documents quickly, in full compliance with accessibility standards.

Daniel - 050-862-3993