Checklist

Contents: General, Document, Worksheet, Table, Cell, Text, Illustration, Chart, Grouping, Export/Print.

The links in the individual checkpoints lead directly to the relevant information in the implementation guide. There you will find specific guidance on implementing the respective aspects. The order and categorisation are identical in both formats.

1. General

1. References to internal or external textual or graphical objects must be made by explicitly naming them, not solely on the basis of a description of visual or auditory characteristics.
2. The use of colours should generally be kept to a minimum.
3. Where colours are used to convey information (e.g. in diagrams or to highlight text), labels, symbols or patterns also convey the same information.

2. Document

1. The title is stored in the metadata; it is meaningful and easy to understand.
2. The main language of the document corresponds to the language set for the spell-checker.

3. Worksheet

1. Worksheets have meaningful and easily understandable names. These names are distinct from those of other worksheets.
2. The worksheets are arranged in a logical order. There are no empty worksheets.
3. Each worksheet contains no more than one table. If a worksheet contains several tables, these are arranged in a logical order.
4. A worksheet contains either one or more tables, or illustrations, diagrams and text boxes (content).
5. At the top of the worksheet, there is a note indicating the illustrations, diagrams and text boxes it contains.
6. When last saved, the worksheet that users are intended to start with is selected. Furthermore, in all worksheets, the cell from which users should begin is selected (usually A1).
7. If there are visual headings and/or instructions on the worksheet, these are located in cell A1. The heading corresponds to the worksheet title (in a longer form, where applicable).
8. Freezing is set up appropriately so that column and row headings are always visible.

4. Tables

1. Tables are clearly labelled as such, have a unique name and a meaningful caption.
2. The column heading is located in the first row and is marked as a header. Row headings (if present) are located in the first column, which is marked as the ‘First column’. Column and row headings are descriptive and easy to understand.
3. Tables are not nested and do not contain split or merged cells (nested tables).
4. Complex tables (more than two dimensions) are broken down into several simple tables.
5. The selected table template provides sufficient contrast for the table contents. This also applies to ‘striped tables’ (rows of different colours). Text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against the background.
6. A table must not contain any empty rows or columns.

5. Cells

1. Text cells must contain only short text. This text must be left-aligned (unlike numbers).
2. The contents of cells must be arranged in a logical order (from left to right).
3. Text cells appear on a worksheet before illustrations, charts and text boxes, and are arranged in a logical sequence (layout).

6. Text

1. The font is sans-serif (e.g. Arial, Helvetica) and neither too thick nor too thin.
2. Emphasis using capital letters, italics, bold, underlining or text effects (colour gradients as fill colours, glow effects, text outlines) is used sparingly.
3. URLs do not appear in plain text. Instead, hyperlinks are inserted, clearly named and easy to understand.

7. Illustrations, diagrams and groupings

1. A diagram is generated from Excel based on a table (data) (table generation).
2. Illustrations, diagrams and text boxes have meaningful names.
3. Illustrations, diagrams and groupings that convey content have a short, concise alternative text. The alternative text for diagrams refers to the corresponding table by its table name, includes the diagram type and information about the content. Illustrations and groupings with no substantive meaning are marked as decorative.
4. Illustrations, diagrams and groupings of graphic elements that are rich in content (complex) are described in detail within the document (as a table, alternative text, other text or a link to a web page), including the data they contain where applicable (description).
5. No illustrations are used to represent text (text graphics). Exception: Essential text graphics have meaningful alternative text. Redundant text graphics are marked as decorative.
6. Graphic elements that convey information (e.g. lines, adjacent areas) have a minimum contrast ratio of 3:1 against the background.
7. No animated graphics (GIFs) are used.

8. Export/Print

1. Tables that extend over more than one page must have a header and footer on every page. These must not contain any relevant information. The table header is repeated on every page (repeat row).
2. In tables, page breaks within table rows are prevented.