netcentric content

Office Overview

Introduction

PAW workflow, described on this page.The CommonLook Office PDF Accessibility Wizard is an add-in to Microsoft® Word that leads users through the process of making accessible PDF documents. CommonLook Office allows authors to test and correct accessibility issues in Microsoft Word, ensuring maximum accessibility of both Word and PDF documents at the lowest possible cost.

CommonLook Office is simple and effective; it does not require prior knowledge of accessibility.

How CommonLook Office is Used

Use CommonLook Office whenever you are ready to create an accessible, Section 508 compliant PDF file from Microsoft Word.

The CommonLook process systematically reviews the checkpoints that correspond to Section 508 as well as a number of other key accessibility and usability checks. For maximum efficiency, only the checkpoints that actually apply to your document are reviewed.

  1. Click on the PAW tab in the Word ribbon and select Create NetCentric PDF, or alternatively select Save as from the Word menu and then select NetCentric PDF.
  2. Once PAW is launched, the PAW panel will be displayed to the right of the Word screen. (Familiarize yourself with the PAW panel.)
  3. PAW displays the first checkpoint that applies based on the contents of your document. Follow the instructions to complete the checkpoint.
  4. Click Next to continue to the next task.
  5. Once all tasks for the current checkpoint have been completed, CommonLook Office will continue to the next applicable checkpoint. Note that some of the checkpoints may require you to make changes to the Word document.
  6. Once all the applicable checkpoints for the current Word documents have been completed, CommonLook Office will generate an accessible PDF document.