Module 5: Use Built-in Features to Create Layout and Data Tables

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Voice Over (VO): Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice, AED-COP.

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VO: You are watching how to make an accessible document in Microsoft Word.

VO: This is Module 5, use built-in features to create layout and data tables. This video is one in a series showing how to make a Word document, Section 508 Conformant.

VO: Introduction. There are three types of tables that we will discuss.

VO: Layout tables, simple data tables, and complex data tables. We'll first explain the difference between each type, and then we'll discuss their accessibility.

VO: Layout tables and simple data tables can be made accessible in Microsoft Word, but complex data tables cannot.

VO: Layout table, a table that uses cells to layout or format images or text. A layout table does not require row or column headers.

VO: Can be made accessible in Microsoft Word. Reading order must match visual layout, and table is placed in line.

VO: Simple data table, a table where in order to understand data in a cell, you need information from the row and/or column header.

VO: Simple data tables do not have multi-level headings, and do not have merged or split cells.

VO: Can be made accessible in Microsoft Word. Table is inserted and not a picture of a table.

VO: Table is placed in line, and header row is identified. Complex data table, a data table where in order to understand data in a cell, you need information from the row and/or column header.

VO: Complex data tables have multi-level headings or merged or split cells. Cannot be made accessible in Word.

VO: Transfer to another application that allows accessible complex tables. Let's make sure we're clear about each of the three types by providing some examples, and then we'll look at accessible and inaccessible examples.

VO: Layout tables are just that. Tables used to visually layout information on a page.

VO: Unlike data tables, layout tables do not have row or column header information. The example on the screen shows a table with one row and three cells.

VO: In each cell is a clipart image. The left cell contains an image of leaves.

VO: The middle cell has a snowflake, and the last cell is of a rain cloud. The table is used as a means to layout or position the images uniformly across the page.

VO: There is no header information that applies to any of the cells. Simple data tables are those tables where the information in a cell requires information from a row and/or column header to describe the cell's content.

VO: The example on the screen shows a calendar, and that whole calendar is our table. In order to understand which day of the week the 27th falls on, we follow the column up to the header row to see Saturday.

VO: In this simple data table, the information in the header row, Saturday, is necessary to understand the data cell 27.

VO: This concept is called a header cell association. Complex data tables also use the concept of header cell association.

VO: In addition, they have multi-level headings or merged or split cells. If we take the calendar from the previous example and add a new row at the top, we create a multi-level heading.

VO: This new row has two cells. One cell says weekdays and spans across the top of the cells labeled Monday through Friday in a merged cell.

VO: The second cell says weekend and spans across the cells labeled Saturday and Sunday, again as a merged cell.

VO: Now when we start at the 27th of the month and follow that cell up its column to the top row, we see that it's still a Saturday, but now it also falls under the heading for weekend.

VO: In this case, the cell for the 27th has two headers that apply to it, Saturday and weekend. Remember, whenever there is more than one row of headers that apply to a cell or they're a merged or split cells, we refer to this as a complex data table.

VO: Complex data tables cannot be made accessible in Word. If you need to create a complex data table, then you must convert the Word document to an accessible format.

VO: Now let's look at how we make layout tables and simple data tables accessible. Layout table accessibility.

VO: Remember, layout tables are used to organize and layout content in a document, so they do not require row or column headers to be used to describe the cell's content.

VO: This doesn't mean that you are required to use layout tables when organizing information. However, when you are using a table format, you must use the built-in table feature in Microsoft Word rather than creating the appearance of a table by using tabs or spaces.

VO: When created excessively, layout tables provide a structure that screen readers and assistive technology can use to read information in the correct order, left to right and top to bottom.

VO: When you use a layout table, you must, 1) ensure that you have a reading order that matches the visual layout and, 2) ensure the table is placed in line with text so that assistive technology can access the content.

VO: How to author excessively. To author excessively, begin by clicking on the insert tab in the navigation ribbon and then go to the tables section and click on table.

VO: Now click on insert table. In the dialog box that appears, enter the appropriate information for your table and the selection box is for number of columns and number of rows under table size.

VO: After clicking OK, the empty table is inserted into your document. From here, we can fill the layout table with content.

VO: For this example, we created a meeting agenda using a layout table with three columns and four rows, reading from left to right and top to bottom.

VO: Our example reads, 15 minutes, Lane Riley, welcome, 45 minutes, Mila Anderson, overview of objectives, 60 minutes, TBD, breakout session one, 60 minutes, Sean Taylor, breakout session two.

VO: How to check your work. To check a layout table for accessibility, first ensure the reading order is correct.

VO: Remember, tables will be read from left to right and top to bottom. To check the reading order, place your cursor in the first cell of the layout table.

VO: Now, press the tab key on your keyboard to navigate through the table. The contents of each cell are highlighted as we proceed from cell to cell in a left to right order. When we reach the end of the first row, the focus will jump to the first cell of the second row. We'll continue tabbing through the table until we reach the end.

VO: The order in which each cell is highlighted as we tab through the table is the same order that it will be read by assistive technology.

VO: It is important to ensure the tab order matches the visual layout of the information so that the information is provided in a meaningful and logical order.

VO: Now, let's ensure the table is in line. When you create a table using built-in features, Microsoft Word automatically places the table in line with text.

VO: We can verify this by right-clicking on the table and selecting table properties. When none is highlighted in the text-wrapping section on the table tab, the table is in line.

VO: Inaccessible Example Let's look at an inaccessible example.

VO: When we tab through this table, we see the cells are highlighting all of the content in the first column and then the second and third.

VO: Using this process, the table reads Introduction, Case Study 1, Case Study 2, Tom, Sheila, Betty, 9 o'clock to 9.15, 9.15 to 10 o'clock, 10 o'clock to 10.45. However, this isn't the way the table is laid out visually.

VO: We want the table to read Introduction, Tom, 9 o'clock to 9.15, Case Study 1, Sheila, 9.15 to 10 o'clock, Case Study 2, Betty, 10 o'clock to 10.45, which matches the visual layout.

VO: This layout table is considered inaccessible because tabbing through the table provides the information in an order that is not consistent with how the information is laid out visually.

VO: We also need to verify that the layout table is in line. Having a table in line anchors the table on the page so that a screen reader will read it in the correct position along with the other content on the page.

VO: Just like we need to ensure the content inside the table is read in the correct order, we also need to ensure that the content of the table is read in the correct order along with all the rest of the content on the page.

VO: To verify if a table is in line, select the table, right click, and go to Table Properties. On the Table tab, text wrapping is set to Around. The correct setting is None, so this table is not accessible.

VO: Accessible Example. Now let's look at an accessible example. Let's place our cursor in the first cell of the table and then tab through the table.

VO: This time we see the tab order is Introduction. Tom, 9 o'clock to 9.15. K Study 1. Sheila, 9.15 to 10 o'clock. K Study 2. Betty, 10 o'clock to 10.45.

VO: The reading order matches how the information is seen on the page. Now let's check to see if this table is set in line.

VO: Select the table, right click and go to Table Properties. On the Table tab, text wrapping is set to None.

VO: Because this Layout table has a correct reading order and is set in line, it is considered accessible. Simple Data Table Accessibility. To review, a simple data table requires information from the row and/or column header to understand data in a cell. When you create a simple data table, you must do the following. 1. Insert or create the table in Word.

VO: You cannot make images of tables accessible. 2. Keep the data table simple. Only use one row of column headers and do not merge or split cells.

VO: 3. Identify the header row. And 4. Place data tables in line with text.

VO: How to author accessibly. To author accessibly, let's begin by clicking on the Insert tab in the Navigation ribbon. Then go to the Tables section and click on Table.

VO: Now click on Insert Table. In the dialog box that appears, enter the appropriate information for your table in the selection boxes for Number of Columns and Number of Rows under Table Size.

VO: For this example, we will create a table with 7 columns and 6 rows. After clicking OK, the empty table is inserted into your document.

VO: From here, we will add our data to the table. Since this is a simple data table, we are going to put our headers in the first row. Let's create our calendar so the first row, our header row, will contain the days of the week, beginning with Monday.

VO: We'll continue to type all the days of the week in the top row and then fill in the remaining rows of the calendar with the numbered days of the month. After doing this, we have to identify the top row of cells as our header row. To do this, select the first row of cells.

VO: Next, we'll go to the Layout tab in the Table Tools section of the Navigation ribbon. In the Data section, click the button for Repeat Header Row. The header row does not change visually, but now it is identified to assistive technology as our header row.

VO: How to Check Your Work To check a document for accessibility, first, click on your table and make sure it's not a picture. If the Picture Tools tab appears in the top navigation ribbon when you click on the Simple Data table, then it is a picture. Remember, we can't make pictures of simple data tables accessible. Second, verify that the table is simple, that it only has one header row and does not have any merged or split cells. To check for merged or split cells, reveal the table grid lines. Go to the Layout tab located in the top navigation ribbon under Table Tools. Click the View Grid Lines button in the Table section. With grid lines showing, we can tell our example doesn't have any merged or split cells since no cells span across multiple columns or rows. Third, identify the header row. Place your cursor in any cell in the header row.

VO: Open the Reveal Formatting pane using the Shift F1 keystroke. Under the Table section, there should be a subsection for row. Ensure that Repeat as Header Row is identified.

VO: Last, ensure that the table is in line. When you create a table using built-in features, Microsoft Word automatically places the table in line with text. We can verify this by right clicking on the table and selecting Table Properties. When none is highlighted in the Text Wrapping section on the Table tab, the table is in line.

VO: Inaccessible Examples Let's look at some inaccessible examples. When we select this first example of a simple data table, the Picture Tools tab appears in the navigation ribbon. This tells us that we have an image of a table and not an actual data table.

VO: Pictures of data tables cannot be made accessible. We'll go ahead and select the table in our second example. Since the Table Tools tab appears in the navigation ribbon, we know that we have an actual data table and not an image of a table. Now, we can start verifying the other accessibility requirements for data tables. The second requirement is to keep data tables simple, so we'll look for any merged or split cells. Unfortunately, by selecting the table, it looks like there are merged cells in the first column. We can verify this by turning on the grid lines.

VO: To do this, go to the Layout tab located in the top navigation ribbon under Table Tools. Click the View Gridlines button in the Table section. This inaccessible table must be simplified by removing the merged cells. Let's continue checking our last two requirements. To check whether the first row is identified as a header row, we'll place our cursor in any cell in the top row of the table and open the Reveal Formatting pane by using the Shift F1 keystroke. Under Table and Row, repeat as header row is not identified. This also is an accessibility issue and needs to be corrected. Now, to check whether or not the table was positioned in line, we'll select the table, right-click, and go to Table Properties. On the Table tab, text ramping is set to Around, so this table may not be read in the correct order within the document. This is not considered accessible. Accessible Example. Now, let's look at some accessible examples. When we select the Table, the Table Tools tab appears in the navigation ribbon, so we know this isn't an image of a table.

VO: Next, we'll look for Merged Cells by turning on the grid lines. The table looks pretty uniform, so we don't have any merged or split cells in this example. Now, let's make sure the header cells are identified. When we select the first row of the table and open the Reveal Formatting pane, repeat as header row is identified under Table and Row. Now, let's take a look at the last element, setting the simple data table in line. The Table Properties dialog box indicates that text ramping is set to None. Since this simple data table passed all of the four requirements, it is considered accessible. Finally, remember that complex data tables cannot be made accessible in Word. If you require a complex data table, then use another application that allows you to create accessible complex data tables. Thank you for watching Module 5. You are encouraged to watch the other modules in this video series and can find additional information at section 508.gov.

VO: This video is a product of the Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice and the U.S. Department of Transportation.