Perform Post Process in Acrobat

Articles in this Section

Overview

The method demonstrated in this course generates PDFs from InDesign that are “90% accessible on export.” A few steps are required in Acrobat to make documents accessible because InDesign lacks that functionality.

Graphic Designers should ensure the InDesign source document is as accessible as possible before making changes in Acrobat. Changes made in Acrobat are only “good” for the “life” of that PDF. The changes will be overwritten when a new version of the PDF is saved over the current version and must be redone.  It is therefore recommended to make changes in Acrobat as the very last step in the design process – after the document is final and approved.

Run the Accessibility Checker

The Accessibility Checker in Acrobat is not fail-proof or comprehensive. It checks for proper document structure, use of standard Tags, Tag structure, alt-text, and annotations.  It cannot review meaningful headings, logical read order, descriptive alt-tags, or tag sequence. It cannot verify color contrast, proper use of tables, or whether every item has a tag assigned to it. 

  1. Uncheck the option to create an accessibility report.
  2. Check all other options.
  3. Review all errors.
  4. Right click on an error and choose “explain” to view an Adobe help article.
  5. Use the help article as a starting place to determine how to correct the error. Search for keywords to find better explanations and troubleshooting steps.
    (Note that there shouldn’t be errors if you followed the method correctly. 😉 “Logical Reading Order” and “Color Contrast Needs Manual Check” will appear in every document because those can only be checked by a human. If you chose accessible colors, you’ve already satisfied the requirement. The steps in the following sections describe how to manually check the Logical Reading Order. All other errors indicate you should make corrections in InDesign and export a new PDF.)
  6. Correct all errors in InDesign, then re-export a new Interactive PDF.
  7. Run the Accessibility Checker to verify no more errors are present.
Figure 3: Options to check in the Accessibility Checker.
Figure 4: The Accessibility Checker panel with errors.
Figure 5: Right click on an error and choose “explain” to view an Adobe help article.
"

Video: Accessibility Checker

Check the Logical Reading Order

This step helps ensure users of assistive technologies will be able to easily navigate your document and that no barriers are present.

  1. Open the Tags panel.
  2. Move your cursor to the top of the Tags tree, over the Acrobat icon.
  3. Ensure there is only one <Sect> tag. (If there are multiple section tags, it means not all text frames were properly threaded. Return to InDesign and follow the method to thread text, then recheck.)
  4. Simultaneously hold down the OPTION and SHIFT buttons and press the LEFT CLICK on the mouse to expand the entire Tags tree.
  5. “Walk the Tags tree” using the down arrow keys on your keyboard to verify the reading order is correct.
  6. Each visible item on the page (excluding artifacted items) will have a magenta highlight around it. (If there is no magenta highlight, you still need to turn on “Highlight Content” under the options menu in the Tags panel.)
  7. Items should highlight in the order they are meant to be read. (If they highlight out of order, return to InDesign and follow the method to set Layer order and thread text, then recheck.)
  8. If all content highlights in the correct order, this satisfies the requirement “Logical Reading Order Needs Manual Check.”
Figure 6: Hold OPTION + SHIFT and click on the Acrobat icon to expand the whole Tags tree at once.
Figure 7: Walk the Tags tree with arrow keys to ensure the content highlights in the correct order.
"

Video: Logical Reading Order

Artifact Empty Tags

Why?

Empty tags clutter up the Tags tree and make for an awkward listening experience. Most documents will have these, as they are created by spaces, regular paragraph returns, and tab characters. (Returns breaks should be used correctly. Refer to “Plan the Text” for more information.)

How?

  1. Hold down CTRL to select multiple empty containers at once.
  2. Right click and choose “Change Tag to Artifact.”
Figure 8: Change empty container tags to artifacts.
"

Video: Artifacting Tags

Fix Nested Tags

Why?

Most documents will have these because InDesign exports Tags inside of Other Tags and which violates the PDF/UA criteria. The tags can’t be nested and should be at the same level.

<Figure> tags will be inside of <P> tags. They should be moved out of the <P> tag, and the empty <P> tag should be changed to an artifact.

<Table> tags will be inside of a <Sect> tag inside a <P> tag. The table should be moved out of both tags, and the empty tags should be changed to artifacts.

How?

Collapse the tags before and after the nested tag to give yourself a visual marker of where to drag the nested tag.

Drag the nested tag out from inside the containing tag and place it at the same level as the tags before and after it. Drag it up or down to put it back in the intended reading order.

Figure 9: Incorrectly nested <Figure> tag.
Figure 10: Collapse the tags before and after the nested tag to see where to move it.
Figure 11: Corrected <Figure> tag at the same level as other tags – shown with tags expanded.
Figure 12: Corrected <Figure> tag at the same level as other tags – shown with tags collapsed.
"

Video: Fix Nested Tags

Fix Multilevel Lists

Why?

Multilevel lists (lists with sub-bullets or sub-numbering; nested lists) in InDesign may not export with the proper nesting and needs to be adjusted in Acrobat.

Chad Chelius provided an excellent diagram explaining how multilevel lists should be structured. You can learn more in the Tagged PDF Best Practice Syntax Guide from the PDF/UA Foundation.

Figure 13: Chad Chelius’ diagram showing the correct structure for multilevel lists in Acrobat.

How?

To create the correct structure for multilevel lists:

  1. Drag the <L> tag of the sublist item inside the <LBody> tag of the parent list item
  2. Repeat with other sublist items

The tags should look like this:

"

Set Actual Text for Acronyms and Mispronounced Words

Why?

You must set the Actual Text for all acronyms in Acrobat or they are read as words and not acronyms. For example, “UTA” will be voiced to screen reader users phonetically as “yuta” and “OEB” will be voiced as “oheb.”

Words that are often mispronounced, such as names, may also benefit from Actual Text. You can type out the name phonetically to cause the screen reader to voice it properly. For example, my last name is “Witt-Marett” and the screen reader voices it as “wit murett.” If I type it phonetically as “wit merit,” the screen reader gets it right.

Acronyms and words that aren’t voiced properly creates a poor user experience.

How?

  1. Find the acronym in the Tags tree.
  2. Open the Accessibility Checker and choose “Reading Order.”
  3. Drag a marquee over the acronym and tag it as what it is – paragraph/text or a heading level.
  4. The Tags tree will collapse.
    This separates the acronym from the rest of the line it is on so you can set the actual text for the acronym.
  5. Open the Tags tree again to find the separate acronym Tag.
  6. Right click on the new acronym Tag and choose “Properties”.
  7. Type the acronym with spaces between each letter in the Actual Text field, for example “U T A” or “O E B.” Spaces cause the acronym to be read correctly.
  8. Repeat with every single other acronym in the document. (You may want to put on a good podcast.🙈)

This article provides a list of items that aren’t read properly by JAWS. You should set actual text on these items.

Figure 14: Find the acronym in the Tags tree.
Figure 15: Open the Reading Order Panel to tag and separate the acronym from the rest of the text on the line.
Figure 16: Expand the Tags tree to find the new separate tag for the acronym.
Figure 17: Right click on the new tag and choose “Properties.”
Figure 18: Set the actual text. Separate letters in the acronym with spaces so that it is read correctly.
"

Video: Set Actual Text 1

"

Video: Set Actual Text 2

Adjust Tables

InDesign cannot correctly export tables so that the relationship between the header and data cells is properly conveyed, so cleanup is required in Acrobat.

These steps assume you have correctly specified a header row or header column for the table in InDesign. (If you have not, you must go back to InDesign to set the header row or column.)

All tables require these adjustments:

  1. Open the Accessibility Checker and choose “Reading Order.”
  2. Right click on the table and choose “Table Editor.”
  3. Adjust preferences so you can see the table cells easily.
    • Right click on “Table Editor Options” and choose the Label Option to Show Cell Type (TH or TD).
    • Change the Selection Color to Yellow (or any color you prefer) so it is easier to see what cells are selected.
  4. Hold down SHIFT and click on each header cell.
  5. Right click on the header row and choose “Table Cell Properties.”
  6. Choose “Header Cell” and under Scope, choose “Row” if it is a row header, or “Column” if it is a column header. Then, click OK.
  7. Hold down SHIFT and click on each data cell, or hold SHIFT and drag across all data cells.
  8. Right click on the data cells and choose “Table Cell Properties.”
  9. Choose “Data Cell” and click OK.

Merged cells have to be adjusted. (It’s best to avoid them!)

  1. Open the Accessibility Checker and choose “Reading Order.”
  2. Right click on the table and choose “Table Editor.”
  3. Click on the merged cell and choose “Table Cell Properties.”
  4. Set the Span (the number of rows or columns the merged cell spans.)
  5. Click OK.

See Dax Castro’s video for an in depth explanation of table remediation..

Figure 19: Access the Table Editor from the Reading Order panel.
Figure 20: Hold SHIFT to select all the header cells. Right click to access Table Cell Properties.
Figure 21: Choose Header Cell and mark it according to what it is – row or column.
Figure 22: Hold SHIFT to select all the data cells. Right click to access Table Cell Properties.
Figure 23: Choose Data Cell and click OK.
"

Video: Fix Tables

Adjust QR Codes

QR Codes allow all users to interact with your document in multiple ways. Your document can be printed and used as a handout or posted on a bulletin board where someone can scan the QR code to pull that information on to their mobile device. Likewise, if someone is viewing your document on a computer, the QR code allows them to transfer that information to their mobile device.

You must remediate the figure tag for QR codes in Acrobat because InDesign doesn’t export them correctly.

  1. Set a Hyperlink on the QR code figure in InDesign to describe what it does, i.e “scan this Q R code to visit XYZ website.”
  2. Set an alt-tag on the QR code figure in InDesign to describe what it does, i.e “scan this Q R code to visit XYZ website.”
  3. Follow the steps to correctly export an accessible InDesign document.
  4. Open the tags tree in Acrobat.
  5. Pull the Figure tag out from inside the Link Tag.
  6. Nest the Link tag inside the Figure tag.
"
Correct tagging for QR Codes
"

Video: QR Codes

Perform Preflight Fixups

All InDesign documents will require both of these Fixups.

  1. Search tools in Acrobat for “Print Production” and add the tool as a shortcut.
  2. Open Print Production and choose “Preflight.”
  3. Change the dropdown to “PDF Standards.”
  4. Flip to the “Profile” tab and click the Wrench icon across the top.
  5. Under the “Document” tab, choose “Mark All Non Structure Items as Artifact.”
    (This removes extra paths “pathpwathpathpathpath” in the Tags tree.)
  6. Click the “Fix” Wrench at the bottom. Let the script run.
  7. Save the document when prompted and leave the Preflight dialog open.
  8. Under the “Document Info and Metadata” tab, choose “Set PDF/UA entry.”
    *This adds a required marker to the file that indicates your file is completely accessible and will meet all users’ needs.)
  9. Click the “Fix” Wrench at the bottom. Let the script run.
  10. Save the document when prompted and close the Preflight dialog.

Perform the following Fixup if the document has footnotes or endnotes.

  1. Search tools in Acrobat for “Print Production” and add the tool as a shortcut.
  2. Open Print Production and choose “Preflight.”
  3. Change the dropdown to “PDF Standards.”
  4. Flip to the “Profile” tab and click the Wrench icon across the top.
  5. Under the “Document” tab, choose “Add Unique ID to Note Elements in Tagging Structure.”
  6. Click the “Fix” Wrench at the bottom. Let the script run.
  7. Save the document when prompted and close the Preflight dialog.
Figure 24: Access Preflight Fixups
Figure 25: Mark All Non Structure Elements as Artifact
Figure 26: Set PDF/UA entry.
"

Video: Preflight Fixups

Understand InDesign’s Limitations with Tagging

Why?

InDesign allows designers to export text to Heading 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Artifact, and Paragraph. It also automatically exports Table, Figure, Article, and Section tags.

However, it’s important to understand that other tag types exist. For example, captions must be in a <Caption> tag, and the only way to achieve that is through Role Mapping, a technique used in PDF remediation technique that changes a <P> tag into a <Caption> tag.

Accessibility Unraveled offers an InDesign template that provides an example of how to set up a Paragraph Style to support Caption text. See a list of all PDF tags on the Accessible PDF website and learn more about role mapping.

How?

Graphic Designers must know the tags InDesign can’t export. We will use the Caption tag as an example.

  1. Create a Paragraph Style named “Caption” and leave the PDF Export tag set to P.
  2. Complete the process of creating an accessible InDesign document.
  3. Export to interactive PDF.
  4. Open the tags tree in Acrobat and find the <P> tag that contains the Caption text.
  5. Right-click on the <P> tag and choose “Edit Role Map.”
  6. Expand the Document Roles dropdown.
  7. The Paragraph Style named “Caption” will appear in this list.
  8. Choose “Change Item” and type “Caption.”
  9. Acrobat will change all tags that used the Paragraph Style “Caption” to a proper <Caption> tag

This process is the same for other types of tags.

Watch a video demonstration.

"

Video: Role Mapping

Listen with Acrobat Read Out Loud

Why?

The Acrobat Read Aloud function is not a substitute for JAWS, but it allows you to listen to your document on a Mac computer and spot areas where the read-through may sound confusing.

For example, Read Aloud can help you determine if the placement of a Figure tag in relation to text makes sense when read. If it doesn’t, you can simply re-order that tag and save the PDF.

Read Aloud can also help you find areas where Actual Text needs to be set. For example, someone’s name is mispronounced, or an acronym is voiced as a word instead of letters. You can simply edit the Properties of those tags to set the actual text and save before moving the PDF to a PC for further testing.

How?

  1. In Acrobat Classic, go to View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud.
  2. Choose “Read This Page Only” or “Read to End of Document”
  3. Adjust the speed under Acrobat > Preferences > Reading
"
Figure 27: Screenshot of Read Out Loud in Acrobat

Don’t Reduce the Size of the PDF

The tag structure will break if you reduce the size of the PDF.

Some tags will still be present, but the overall tag structure will not be what you created.

Reduced-sized PDFs don’t work with the PAC checker.

Course Sections

Course Overview

  1. Understand Inclusive and Accessible Content
  2. Configure Your Workspaces
  3. Plan the Layout
  4. Work with Text
  5. Work with Visuals
  6. Create Drafts
  7. Learn Special Considerations for Publications
  8. Finalize the Document: Check, Set Reading Order, and Export
  9. Perform Post-Process in Acrobat
  10. Test the Document
  11. Make Additional Changes
  12. Explore Bonus Features
  13. Engage with More Resources

Checklist for Accessible InDesign Documents