Why they’re built this way

Last updated 30 September 2026

Each design choice listed here is there because a specific requirement of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 calls for it. This page gives each choice and the success criterion behind it, with a link to the W3C’s own explanation, so you can check the reasoning rather than take our word for it. Some choices go beyond WCAG, such as the large type in the notice kit, and aren’t listed here.

Meeting agenda & minutes kit

Headings use Word's built-in heading styles, so they appear in the navigation pane and become real headings in a PDF. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 2.4.6 Headings and Labels)
Agenda items are a real multilevel numbered list, not typed numbers. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
Roll call votes are a data table whose first row is marked as the header row, with no merged cells. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships)
Each file has its document title and language (English, US) set. (2.4.2 Page Titled, 3.1.1 Language of Page)
Minutes are signed with a typed “/s/” line instead of a picture of a signature. (1.1.1 Non-text Content)
Text is near-black on white (17.4:1) and links are blue and underlined (6.4:1). (1.4.1 Use of Color, 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum))
No text boxes, floating objects or blank paragraphs used for spacing, so the reading order is the order on the page. (1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
The filled-in sample's logo is a picture in line with the text, not floating, with alt text, so it's read in order and described. (1.1.1 Non-text Content, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)

Public notice & flyer kit

Headings use Word's built-in heading styles, so they appear in the navigation pane and become real headings in a PDF. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 2.4.6 Headings and Labels)
The title band is paragraph shading on a real heading, not a text box or shape, so it is read first and in order. White on blue is 6.4:1. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence, 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum))
Lists are real bulleted lists, not typed dashes. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships)
The hours table in the closure notice has its first row marked as the header row, with no merged cells. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships)
Each file has its document title and language (English, US) set. (2.4.2 Page Titled, 3.1.1 Language of Page)
The post and email text template repeats every key fact as text and has a place for the picture's alt text, so nothing is only in an image. (1.1.1 Non-text Content, 1.4.5 Images of Text)
Body text is near-black on white (17.4:1) and links are blue and underlined (6.4:1). (1.4.1 Use of Color, 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum))
No text boxes, floating objects or blank paragraphs used for spacing, so the reading order is the order on the page. (1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
The filled-in sample's logo is a picture in line with the text, not floating, with alt text, so it's read in order and described. (1.1.1 Non-text Content, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)

Report & policy document kit

Headings use Word's built-in heading styles, so they appear in the navigation pane, feed the table of contents, and become real headings and bookmarks in a PDF. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 2.4.6 Headings and Labels)
The report's title is a real heading at the top of the page, not a cover built from shapes and text boxes. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
Policy requirements and procedure steps are real multilevel numbered lists, not typed numbers. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
Results, finances and revision history are data tables whose first row is marked as a header row that repeats on each page, with no merged cells. (1.3.1 Info and Relationships)
The report's chart slot comes with a caption and a table of the chart's numbers, so the data is never only in a picture. (1.1.1 Non-text Content)
Each file has its document title and language (English, US) set. (2.4.2 Page Titled, 3.1.1 Language of Page)
Text is near-black on white (17.4:1) and links are blue and underlined (6.4:1). (1.4.1 Use of Color, 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum))
No text boxes, floating objects or blank paragraphs used for spacing, so the reading order is the order on the page. (1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
The filled-in sample's logo is a picture in line with the text, not floating, with alt text, so it's read in order and described. (1.1.1 Non-text Content, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)

What a template can and can’t do

A template gives your document accessible structure from the start: real headings, a set document language and title, readable contrast, and places for alternative text. It can’t write your alt text or check what you add later. The finished document is yours, and so is its conformance.