Design and build accessible PDF tables - sample tables

Accessibility

The ebook Design and build accessible PDF tables has been built to be as accessible as possible, including an appropriate heading structure throughout, a table of contents, properly marked up lists, and alt text for all images. However, given the current (2012) technical limitations of the various ebook formats it was necessary to convert all of the book’s 29 example tables to images. Versions in various states of completion (as appropriate to the text) are provided below in HTML format.

Please also note that these tables are provided for information only. Somewhat counter-intuitively perhaps, being able to access the tables themselves is not essential to reading the book.

Sample tables

Chapter 1

Table 1: a simple 3 column, 3 row layout
Column header (TH)	Column header (TH)	Column header (TH)
Row header (TH)	Data cell (TD)	Data cell (TD)
Row header (TH)	Data cell (TD)	Data cell (TD)

Chapter 2

Table 2: example of footnotes referenced from within a table
Expenditure by function, £ million		2009/10	2010/11 [1]
Policy functions	Financial	22.50	30.57
	Information [2]	10.20	14.80
	Contingency	2.60	1.20
Remunerated functions	Agency services [3]	44.70	35.91
	Payments	22.41	19.88
	Banking	22.90	44.23
	Other	12.69	10.32

Table 3: “film credits” style layout
Main character	Daniel Radcliffe
Sidekick 1	Rupert Grint
Sidekick 2	Emma Watson
Lovable ogre	Robbie Coltrane
Professor	Maggie Smith
Headmaster	Richard Harris

Table 4: table 3 with column headers added
Role	Actor
Main character	Daniel Radcliffe
Sidekick 1	Rupert Grint
Sidekick 2	Emma Watson
Lovable ogre	Robbie Coltrane
Professor	Maggie Smith
Headmaster	Richard Harris

Table 5: year-end financial statement (£, thousands)
	2010	2009	2008
Non-current assets
Property	345	445	222
Investment	567	654	423
Intangibles	423	123	453
Current assets
Trade and other receivables	435	634	231
Cash and cash equivalents	524	123	482
Other	223	211	254

Table 6: rainfall by continent (table with a more serious headings problem)
Rainfall (inches)	Americas	Asia	Europe	Africa
2010
Average	104	201	193	144
24 hour high	15	26	27	18
12 hour high	9	10	11	12
2009
Average	133	244	155	166
24 hour high	27	28	29	20
12 hour high	11	12	13	16

Table 7: year-end statement, non-current assets (£, thousands)
Non-current assets	2010	2009	2008
Property	345	445	222
Investment	567	654	423
Intangibles	423	123	453

Table 8: year-end statement, current assets (£, thousands)
Current assets	2010	2009	2008
Trade and other receivables	435	634	231
Cash and cash equivalents	524	123	482
Other	223	211	254

Table 9: rainfall by continent, 2009
Rainfall (inches)	Americas	Asia	Europe	Africa
Average	133	244	155	166
24 hour high	27	28	29	20
12 hour high	11	12	13	16

Table 10: self-contained year-end statement (£, thousands) (multiple layout problems)
	2011		2010 restated
General income		250,000		200,000
Increase in value		15,000		30,000
		265,000		230,000
Administrative costs
Staff costs	(200,000)		(150,000)
Early departures	(10,000)		(20,000)
Other operating costs	(25,000)		(10,000)
Depreciation	(10,000)		(10,000)
Programme costs
Impairment loss	(10,000)		(5,000)
Other	(5,000)		(5,000)
	(260,000)		(200,000)
Surplus		5,000		30,000

Table 11: self-contained year-end statement (£, thousands) (multiple layout problems resolved)
		2011	2010 restated
Income	General income	250,000	200,000
	Increase in value	15,000	30,000
	Total income	265,000	230,000
Administrative costs	Staff costs	(200,000)	(150,000)
	Early departures	(10,000)	(20,000)
	Other operating costs	(25,000)	(10,000)
	Depreciation	(10,000)	(10,000)
Programme costs	Impairment loss	(10,000)	(5,000)
	Other	(5,000)	(5,000)
	Total costs	(260,000)	(200,000)
Surplus		5,000	30,000

Table 12: merged data cells are not recommended
	2008		2009
Name	Yes	No	Yes	No
Bob	2	5	6	7
Sue	3	8	4	7
Sam	[data relating to both columns in a single cell spanning both]		[data relating to both columns in a single cell spanning both]

Chapter 3

Table 13: use of graphic symbols
Question	Respondent A	Respondent B	Respondent C
Are you a UK citizen?
Are you currently employed?
Do you have a driving licence?

Table 14: graphics replaced by real text
Question	Respondent A	Respondent B	Respondent C
Are you a UK citizen?	No	Yes	No
Are you currently employed?	Yes	No	Yes
Do you have a driving licence?	No	No	Yes

Table 15: courses offered by institution X. A = Bachelor of Science, B = Bachelor of Arts, C = Masters, D = Doctorate, E = Diploma
	2006	2007	2008	2009
Economics	A, B	A, C	A, B	A, C
International relations	A, E	A, E	A, B	A, E
Philosophy	A	A	A	A, D
Politics	A, D	A, D	A, D	A
Mathematics	B, C	B	A, E	A, B
English	A, C	A, B	A, B	C

Table 16: Masters courses offered by institution X
	2006	2007	2008	2009
Economics	No	Yes	No	Yes
International relations	No	No	No	No
Philosophy	No	No	No	No
Politics	No	No	No	No
Mathematics	Yes	No	No	No
English	Yes	No	No	Yes

Table 17: accounts, 2011 (£, thousands) (inappropriate use of colour)
Accounting item		2011
Income	General income	200,000
Income	Increase in value	30,000
Income subtotal		230,000
Administrative costs	Staff	150,000
	Early departures	20,000
	Other operating costs	10,000
	Depreciation	10,000
Programme costs	Impairment loss	10,000
Costs subtotal		200,000
Balance		30,000

Table 18: accounts, 2011 (£, thousands)
Accounting item		2011
Income	General income	200,000
Income	Increase in value	30,000
Income subtotal		230,000
Administrative costs	Staff	(150,000)
	Early departures	(20,000)
	Other operating costs	(10,000)
	Depreciation	(10,000)
Programme costs	Impairment loss	(10,000)
Costs subtotal		(200,000)
Balance		30,000

Table 19: Human Development Index (HDI) trends, 1980 to 2010. Source: Barro-Lee March, 2010
Country	1980	1990	2000	2010
Afghanistan	0.78	1.48	2.16	3.33
Albania	8.89	9.67	9.89	10.38
Algeria	4.74	3.33	5.50	7.24
Andorra	4.98	5.63	9.09	10.35
Angola	–	–	4.42	4.42

Table 20: footnotes referenced from within a table
Expenditure by function, £ million		2009/10	2010/11[1]
Policy functions	Financial	22.5	30.57
	Information [2]	10.2	14.8
	Contingency	2.6	1.2
Remunerated functions	Agency services [3]	44.7	35.91
	Payments	22.41	19.88
	Banking	22.90	44.23
	Other	12.69	10.32

Table 21: footnotes replaced by additional table summary text
Expenditure by function, £million		2009/10	2010/11
Policy functions	Financial	22.5	30.57
	Information	10.2	14.8
	Contingency	2.6	1.2
Remunerated functions	Agency services	44.7	35.91
	Payments	22.41	19.88
	Banking	22.90	44.23
	Other	12.69	10.32

Table 22: referencing endnotes from within a table
Expenditure £million	Notes (see page [n])	2010	2011
Information	[1]	10.2	14.8
Contingency		2.6	1.2
Payments	[3]	22.41	19.88
Banking services	[4]	22.90	44.23
Interest		0.23	0.10
Dividends	[23]	2.5	3.68
Other	[9]	12.69	10.32

Chapter 4

Table 23: simulated table created using tabs and containing no structure
	2008		2009
Name	Entered	Completed	Entered	Completed
Bob	22	21	20	19
Sue	44	12	12	10
Sam	16	4	45	30

Table 24: year-end financial statement (£, thousands)
	2010	2009	2008
Non-current assets
Buildings	345	445	222
Investment	567	654	423
Intangibles	423	123	453
Current assets
Trade	435	634	231
Cash	524	123	482
Other	223	211	254
Current liabilities
Trade liabilities	154	125	421
Financial debt	231	474	572
Provisions	111	312	347

Table 25: setting column and row header scope via the tags panel
	2008		2009
Name	Entered	Won	Entered	Won
Bob	22	21	20	19
Sue	44	12	12	10
Sam	16	4	45	30

Table 26: Table 15: courses offered by institution X. A = Bachelor of Science, B = Bachelor of Arts, C = Masters, D = Doctorate, E = Diploma
	2006	2007	2008	2009
Economics	A, B	A, C	A, C	A, C
International relations	A, E	A, E	A, B	A, B
Philosophy	A	A	A	A
Politics	A, D	A, D	A, B	A
Mathematics	B, C	B	A, B	A, B
English	A, C	A, B	A, B	A, C

Table 27: “table” with columns simulated via tab stops
Name	Apples	Pears
Bob Scott	20	25
Susan. P. Arnold-Jones, BA, FRSA, MD	24	15
Sam Holder-Dickinson	14	10

Table 28: year-end financial statement (£, thousands) – headings problem revisited
	2010	2009	2008
Non-current assets
Buildings	345	445	222
Investment	567	654	423
Intangibles	423	123	453
Current assets
Trade	435	634	231
Cash	524	123	482
Other	223	211	254
Current liabilities
Trade liabilities	154	125	421
Financial debt	231	474	572
Provisions	111	312	347

Table 29: multiple headers attributes required for each data cell
	South America	Asia	Africa	Australia
2010
Highest average	523.6	467.4	405.0	340.5
Highest in 24 hours	73.1	54.1	27.2	66.3
Highest in 12 hours	42.4	30.1	15.9	40.3
2009
Highest average	487.7	453.6	398.7	356
Highest in 24 hours	67.2	53.2	44.3	53.8
Highest in 12 hours	34.7	34.1	29.8	31.0
2008
Highest average	496.7	444.3	502.1	399.6
Highest in 24 hours	44.2	56.7	32.1	63.2
Highest in 12 hours	30.1	32.7	21.9	40.2

Design and build accessible PDF tables: sample tables