Make spreadsheets and presentations accessible

Give the file a clear map

In Excel, make the first row of each data table a real header row, keep one value per cell, and avoid merged cells, blank spacer rows, and color-only categories. Give each worksheet a descriptive name and put a short instruction or summary at the top when the purpose is not obvious. Keep number formats, dates, units, and formulas consistent so a reader can understand the data without guessing.

In PowerPoint, start with a built-in slide layout. Give every slide a unique title, use short text blocks, and keep the visual hierarchy consistent. A slide that looks orderly can still read in the wrong order if objects were copied, layered, or rearranged. Treat notes, embedded media, and charts as content that needs an access plan, not as decoration.

Make data and charts understandable

Label the meaning behind a chart in text, not only by color, position, or a legend that is difficult to follow. Add a concise alt text summary for a chart or image and put the important conclusion in nearby text. For a large data story, provide the source table or a short written analysis. In Excel, use accessible contrast and do not rely on red and green alone for status; add words such as “On track” and “Needs attention.”

In PowerPoint, open the Reading Order pane and read each slide's objects from top to bottom in the intended order. Group a complex diagram when a single description is clearer than dozens of shapes. Exclude decorative objects from the reading order. If a presentation contains audio or video, add captions and provide the media alternatives described in the video and audio guide.

Check the task, not just the file

1. Run the Microsoft Accessibility Checker in Excel or PowerPoint and fix issues at their source.
2. In Excel, navigate sheets, headers, tables, formulas, filters, and chart alternatives with the keyboard; check zoom and high-contrast viewing.
3. In PowerPoint, review slide titles and reading order, tab through objects, and confirm that hidden or decorative objects are not announced.
4. Export a representative PDF only after the source is correct, then inspect the PDF's tags, reading order, and media links separately.

Checker results are useful prompts, not proof of WCAG 2.2 AA conformance. A human must decide whether the data is complete, the sequence is understandable, and the chart or slide can be used without sight, color, or a mouse.

Hand off dense data and slide design

Ask for specialist review when a workbook has multiple header levels, merged reporting views, pivot tables, macros, conditional formats that carry business meaning, or charts that require a long description. Escalate a deck with complex diagrams, animation that changes meaning, embedded dashboards, or a custom template that changes the reading order. Send the source file, the intended audience, and the key decisions a reader must be able to make.