Accessible PDF and document remediation

Designing for a government client?

If your client needs accessible documents, send us your finished PDFs. We return them fully tagged and tested, ready to hand over, with a statement of conformance you can pass on. You keep the design work, and we make sure it passes.

Why accessible documents matter

Most inaccessible documents fail for the same few reasons: no heading structure, missing image descriptions, a confusing reading order, or tables that make no sense when read aloud. These problems lock people out of the reports, forms and policies they need, and can put your organisation at legal risk.

Why auto-tagging is not enough

Acrobat and most design tools can add tags automatically. It is a starting point, not a fix. Auto-tagging guesses the structure from how the page looks, and it often gets it wrong:

• Reading order. Columns, sidebars and text boxes are often read out in the wrong order.
• Headings. Headings are missed or given the wrong level, so screen reader users cannot jump between sections.
• Images. It cannot describe images, charts or diagrams. They are left without alt text, while decorative graphics get read out.
• Tables. Header cells, merged cells and tables that run across pages are often tagged wrongly, so numbers are read without their headings.
• Lists. Lists become plain paragraphs, and bullets can be read out as strange symbols.
• Page clutter. Page numbers, running headers and footers are read out again on every page.

Acrobat’s accessibility checker can still pass a document like this, because it checks that tags exist, not that they are right. That is why a person checks and tests every document we fix.

Who it is for

• NDIS providers with service agreements, participant guides, policies and intake forms
• Government agencies and councils publishing reports, forms and policies
• Businesses sending documents to customers, or tendering for government work
• Designers and agencies delivering documents to government clients
• Communications teams producing brochures, annual reports and presentations
• Anyone told a document does not meet WCAG or PDF/UA

How we work

1. Assess

   We review your documents, tell you what needs fixing and give you a fixed quote before any work starts.

2. Fix

   We correct each document by hand, rather than relying on automatic fixing tools.

3. Test

   A person checks every document with a screen reader, keyboard-only navigation and zoom, then against PDF/UA and WCAG.

4. Deliver

   You get the fixed files and a signed statement of conformance for each document that meets the standard.

Want to stop problems at the source? We can build accessible Word and PowerPoint templates for your team, and show them how to use them.

One document, a batch or ongoing work

One-off documents. A single report, form or guide, quoted and returned as soon as it is done.

Batches and libraries. A website full of PDFs, or a set of program documents. We look at the full set, group similar documents and quote the batch. Send us a list, or a link to where the documents live, and we will scope it.

Ongoing work. If you publish documents regularly, we can remediate each new one as it is finished, so nothing goes online inaccessible.

Your files stay private

Many of the documents we work on hold personal or sensitive information, so we handle them with care.

• Files are sent and returned through a private Dropbox link.
• Only the people working on your job see your documents.
• We are happy to sign your confidentiality agreement before you send anything.

Common questions

What do you need from us?

Your PDF files. If you have the Word, PowerPoint or InDesign file the PDF came from, send that too. It can help, but we can work from the PDF alone.

Will my document look different?

No. We tag your original file as it is, so the text, layout and design stay exactly the same.

How long does it take?

Most jobs are back in 3 working days. For larger sets of documents, we agree a timeframe with you before any work starts.

How much does it cost?

It depends on how many pages you have and how complex they are. Send us your files and we will give you a fixed quote before any work starts.

How do we know the documents are accessible?

A person tests every document with JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver, and checks it against WCAG 2.2 AA and PDF/UA (ISO 14289).

Can you fix Word and PowerPoint files too?

Yes. We fix PDF, Word and PowerPoint files, and can create accessible templates so new documents start off right.