The PDF decision tree is designed to help you choose the best approach to sharing and maintaining accessible document formats.
When possible, we encourage the use of accessible web pages and document formats, rather than PDFs. Compared to other digital formats, PDFs are more difficult and labor-intensive to make fully accessible and to maintain as content changes.
If you have an inaccessible PDF and are not sure what to do next, use the questions and guidance below.
PDF Decision Tree
1. Is the PDF still currently in use?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Consider removing this PDF. |
2. Is the document content updated/changed regularly?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Don’t use a PDF. Once you edit a remediated PDF, the accessibility formatting may be compromised. This means the PDF must be manually re-checked and fixed each time edits are made, which makes accessible PDFs inefficient for documents with non-static content. |
3. Was the original file created in Microsoft Office?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
3a. Can the file be shared as a link instead of a PDF?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Share the link to the online document instead of using a PDF. |
4. Is this a text-based document that can live on a website?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Transfer the content over to a new webpage (or a Canvas page). This can be easier for updating and sharing content with a stable link. |
5. Is this content available at UO Libraries (even if you didn’t originally procure it from there)?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Use a persistent link to the library resource and consult the library for further help. |
5a. Is this content from a third-party resource or textbook?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Contact the publisher for an accessible ePUB or eBook version. You can also check online for an ePUB. |
5b. Is this a scanned document?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Consider exporting to Microsoft Word (via Adobe Acrobat) as a .docx file. |
6. Is this PDF a form?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
6a. Did you or someone internally within UO create this form?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Use Microsoft Forms or, if you have a Drupal site and a web developer available, create a Drupal form. | If this is an external PDF that is owned by the federal/state government (i.e. HR employment files, tax files, legal documents) — keep the PDF as is. You may need to provide an accommodation if these required forms are not accessible to an individual. |
7. Is this file being used as an infographic or flyer?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
7a. Is it being shared in an email or comms message?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
If distributing a PDF as an attachment, make sure to also include the text and important info inside the body of the email or message, so everyone can access the information. For social media posts, attached files/images should have alt text. |
7b. Was it created in Adobe InDesign or Canva?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Utilizing accessibility features within Adobe InDesign can help mitigate the workload of remediating a finished PDF in Acrobat. Canva has some accessibility features, including PDF auto-tagging, but they are not PDF/UA or WCAG compliant and will still require manual remediation in Adobe Acrobat. |
8. Does this document need to be printed?
Yes | No |
|---|---|
If providing a PDF for printing purposes, make sure all of the information is also available in an alternative accessible format (webpage, Word Document, email, etc.). | Remediate the PDF for accessibility via Adobe Acrobat or an external vendor |
Adapted from the University of Michigan's PDF Decision Tree, with permission.