What is the best practice for handling Excel files on websites?  Should they be removed and the content be recreated as a page on the website?  Or is it better to delete the Excel file, make it accessible through Microsoft Excel, and then re-upload it to the site?

If the content of the Excel file is simple and can be easily converted into a web page, this is often the best approach. Web pages are generally more accessible and easier to navigate for users with disabilities. This also ensures that the content is responsive and can be accessed on various devices. However, if the Excel file contains complex data or interactive elements that are best presented in a spreadsheet format, you should make the Excel file accessible and then re-upload it to your website. Microsoft Excel has a built-in Accessibility Checker that can help you identify and fix accessibility issue

Additional steps:

1. Add alternative text (Alt text) to images, charts, and graphics.
2. Use dashes (-) to separate words in your Excel file name and keep the total number of characters between 20-30.
3. Fill in the Document Properties for Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Language, and Copyright Status.
4. Ensure the document is free of background images or watermarks.
5. Avoid using blank cells in tables.
6. Do not use merged or split cells.
7. Turn off track changes before publishing your Excel document to the web.
8. Ensure sheet names in an Excel file are unique and descriptive.

You can, but you need to provide an accessible solution to the content in the Power BI.  This can be done with a link to an accessible Excel document or other file that has been made fully accessible.  It is the responsibility of the content owner/creator of the Power BI to make sure the content is available in an accessible format on the website with the Power BI. 

Data visualizations present unique accessibility challenges, regardless of the tool used. Conveying complex visual patterns, trends, and insights effectively to users who cannot perceive them visually (e.g., screen reader users) or interact via standard mouse input requires careful design and multiple approaches.

Modern business intelligence tools, including Power BI and Tableau, include features within the visualizations to improve accessibility. They provide functionalities like keyboard navigation and compatibility with assistive technologies.

However, relying solely on the visualization, even with built-in features, may not achieve full accessibility for everyone or for every type of data representation. A more comprehensive accessibility strategy involves supplementing the visual elements.

Power BI's Built-in Accessibility Features:

The University of Iowa currently supports Power BI, so users of other tools, such as Tableau, need to utilize best practices associated with those tools.

• Screen Reader Compatibility: Power BI reports generally work with screen readers (like Narrator, JAWS, NVDA), allowing users to navigate through visuals and data points.
• Keyboard Navigation: Users can typically navigate through report elements (visuals, slicers, buttons) using the keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Esc, arrow keys).
• High Contrast Modes: Power BI respects high contrast settings configured in the operating system, aiding users with low vision.
• Focus Management: Clear visual indicators usually show which element currently has focus during keyboard navigation.
• "Show Data" Feature: Most visuals allow users to view the underlying data in a tabular format (Alt+Shift+F11), which is often more accessible than complex visualizations.

Best Practices for Report Authoring:

The accessibility of a visual report largely depends on how it was created within the tool. Report authors should follow accessibility best practices:

• Provide access to the underlying data in a structured, accessible format, such as an HTML table or a downloadable file (CSV, Excel), alongside the embedded visualization.
• Alternative Text (Alt Text): Meaningful alt text should be added to all visuals and important non-text elements to describe their purpose and insights to screen reader users.
• Logical Structure & Tab Order: Elements should be arranged logically on the report page so keyboard navigation follows an intuitive path. The tab order can be customized.
• Clear Titles and Labels: All visuals, pages, and key data points should have clear, descriptive titles and labels.
• Color Contrast: Sufficient color contrast between text, data elements, and backgrounds is essential for users with low vision or color blindness. Avoid relying solely on color to convey information. Use tools to check contrast ratios to meet WCAG AA standards.
• Use Tables Appropriately: For detailed data presentation, use the Table visual, ensuring it has clear headers.
• Avoid Clutter: Overly dense reports with too many visuals can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate.

Visit https://its.uiowa.edu/services/microsoft-power-bi  bi for additional information and email questions to PowerBI-Support@uiowa.edu. This email address is intended for Power BI questions, help, and guidance rather than creating dashboards or making them accessible. UI ITS does not currently offer resources for that service.

Yes, all content and systems must meet the requirements because we may have individuals who need content behind authentication fully accessible. Please work with your individual accessibility coordinator to make sure this is logged in the inventory.  

No, the Office of Strategic Communication is not responsible for remediating content owned and maintained by campus partners.  This work is owned by website owners or the content creator. Be sure to have your site reviewed by Site Improve which can provide information on accessibility changes that are needed. If you need additional information or support, consider training offerings at https://accessibility.uiowa.edu/accessibility-training.

Archived web content is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards if it meets certain criteria. Specifically, the content must have been created before April 24, 2026, be kept only for reference, research, or recordkeeping, not be altered or updated after the date of archiving and be organized and stored in a dedicated area clearly identified as being archived.  However, you may still need to provide accessible versions of archived content if requested by an individual.

If you are going to keep it, then we recommend:

1. Identify and Prioritize: Start by identifying all archived content and prioritizing it based on its importance and frequency of use. Focus on content that is still relevant and frequently accessed.
2. Use Accessibility Checkers: Utilize accessibility checkers to evaluate the current state of your archived content. This will help you identify specific areas that need improvement.
3. Clean House: Archive or remove outdated content that is no longer needed. This will reduce the amount of content that needs to be updated and maintained.
4. Update Content: For content that needs to be retained, update it to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. This may involve adding alternative text to images, ensuring proper heading structure, and making sure that all interactive elements are accessible.
5. Provide Accessible Alternatives: If certain archived content cannot be made fully accessible, provide accessible alternatives. For example, you can offer a text-based version of a complex PDF document.
6. Label Archived Content: Clearly label archived content as such and provide a disclaimer that it may not meet current accessibility standards. This will help manage user expectations and reduce potential frustration.

Yes.  See ADA.gov Resources for details.

• Archived content that meets four specific criteria listed in the link above.
• Pre-existing conventional electronic documents created before April 24, 2026, that are not used for University of Iowa programs and services. 
• Third-party content that is not provided due to a contractual, licensing, or other formal arrangement. 
• Individualized documents that are password-protected. 

No, unless it is going to be visible online or shared (emailed, Teams, etc.) internally or externally. If it is archived for your use only, it does not need to be remediated. 

SharePoint is in scope. Documents and files in SharePoint that are shared with others or posted for wider audience need to be reviewed and remediated by April 2026. Any files belonging to an individual, which are not shared with others, will only need remediation if they are shared in the future.   

Please review Digital Accessibility Portfolio Guidance for all the details and instructions. 

Our team has previously shared meeting recordings so that anyone who wasn’t able to attend the meeting is able to review the content. Now that we are hosting meetings in teams, those recordings automatically show up in the feed for the meeting.  What is the guidance for closed captions of Teams meetings?  Is the automated transcription sufficient because they are not public facing? Or is that guidance changing with the new accessibility guidelines?

• While automated transcription is a helpful feature, it may not be sufficient to meet the new accessibility guidelines. The automated transcription provided by Teams is useful for internal purposes, but it is recommended to ensure that closed captions are accurate and accessible for all users, regardless of whether the content is public-facing or not.
• Microsoft Teams offers built-in closed captioning, and transcription features to enhance accessibility during meetings. These features can be turned on from the meeting controls and customized to suit the needs of participants. While automated transcription is a valuable tool, it is important to ensure that captions are accurate and meet accessibility standards. For public-facing content, it is advisable to use human-generated captions to ensure the highest level of accuracy.