Create a PDF/UA document with 1-Click

axesWord, an add-in to MS Word,
changes the game of accessible PDF creation.

Just with a click of a button you get a
PDF/UA-document without ifs and buts.

With axesWord every MS Word user is able to create PDF/UA documents.
Reworking is no longer necessary.
The time-consuming quality control is omitted.

The formula for success is the use of templates and styles which are
optimized for accessibility. All other tasks are done by axesWord.
Remediation is not needed anymore.
Quality assurance becomes a no-brainer.

Optional:
Create also an archivable PDF according to the ISO Standard PDF/A

axesWord offers additionally the possibility to
create a PDF/A compliant document.
PDF/A is the file format for long-term archiving of digital documents.

PDF/A ensures that digital documents are readable,
presentable and reusable in the long run.

PDF/A is available in several conformity levels:

• level a (Accessible)


• level b (Basic)


• level u (Unicode)

Level a is the highest level.
It contains the other levels and requires the availability of tags.

axesWord creates normally a document that conforms to PDF/A-2a.
Only if there are characters available which are not mappable to Unicode
then axesWord creates a document that conforms to PDF/A-2b,
which nevertheless contains the complete logical structure tree.
The number "2" in PDF/A-2a or PDF/A-2b stands for PDF-Version 1.7

Interesting?

• Contact NewFormat for a quote on axesWord

Features

axesWord® offers a lot of powerful features:

Reliable conversion to accessible PDF

axesWord transforms all Word elements into correct PDF tags:

• Headings


• Paragraphs


• Images - no matter which layout option you have chosen


• Captions for images and tables


• Lists


• External and internal links


• Tables - even complex ones


• Table of content


• Notes


• Side notes


• Text boxes


• and more...

Proper tagging

axesWord has full control over the tagging.
This results in:

• Rich semantics


• High-quality tagging: 100% PDF/UA


• Accessible hyphenation


• Support of language settings even for paragraphs and words


• Correct tagging even at page or column breaks

Accessibility settings by default

axesWord manages all the settings that
you had to do manually up until now:

• Reliable transfer of the document language that is set in Word


• Determination of the tab order according to
  the logical document structure


• Document title as window title


• Initial view with bookmarks


• Nested bookmarks

All these settings are customizable.

Correction on the fly

axesWord optimizes the accessibility of
your document on the fly by:

• Artefacting empty paragraphs


• Transforming list labels into the accessible standard bullet (Unicode)

Fully customizable tagging

axesWord provides possibilities to determine
the transformation process:

• Determine the PDF role of Word elements


• Mark decorative elements as artefacts


• All PDF standard tags are supported
  (even BlockQuote or Caption for example)


• Layout tables are linearizable


• Transformation of 2-column-tables into definition lists


• Footnotes and endnotes are transformed into
  screenreader usable inline notes

Role-based workflow model

• Document author doesn't need deep accessibility knowledge


• Special task pane for document authors
  (add alternate text, mark elements as decorative,
  linearize layout tables)


• Document templates with predefined tagging rules


• Document templates with predefined accessibility settings

Key Benefits

• No expert knowledge required


• No time-consuming remediation


• No costs for PDF accessibility training
  (short MS Word training in combination with
  a short training of axesWord is absolutely sufficient)


• Less time needed for quality assurance


• No additional licenses for PDF remediation software


• Well-proven in governmental usage

System Requirements

Supported operating systems:

• Windows 8.1 Service Pack 1 (SP1) (64 Bit)


• Windows 10 (64 Bit)


• Windows 11 (64 Bit)



Supported Word versions
(axesWord installs as a plugin to MS Word):

• MS Word for Office 365 (Client version)


• MS Word 2019


• and later versions



Additional requirements:

The following three .NET-components are already included
in the latest clients versions.
Hence, you do not have to install them separately.

• ASP.NET Core Runtime 3.1 (Hosting Bundle)


• .NET Desktop Runtime 3.1


• .NET Framework 4.8

Understanding the concept

From MS Word to accessible PDF according to the PDF/UA Standard.

axesWord empowers every MS Word user to create
a top quality accessible PDF in seconds.

Remediation is not needed anymore.
Quality assurance becomes a no-brainer.
The key is to use styles and templates that are optimized
for accessibility. Everything else is done by axesWord.

axesWord is not only a tool to create PDF documents.
The maximum benefit occurs if the Word documents are already
prepared for accessibility and working with axesWord.

It is reasonable to save essential settings and converting rules
in the template so that the author (the content creator)
has only a minimum of tasks to do.

Author Tasks:

• Use appropriate paragraph styles


• Use appropriate Word functions for specific elements
  - for example creating captions, footnotes, table of contents,
  links, references or hyphenation


• If necessary: Add further information to the used roles
  - for example alternative texts for figures or formulas


• If necessary: Change the standard role in case of specific elements

What does axesWord do when converting a document?

axesWord executes a multi-level process when
converting a document.
The process contains the following 3 levels:

1. Creating a PDF document on the basis of an own conversion


2. Analyzing the Word document


3. Creating a logical structure in the PDF (PDF structure tree)
   on the basis of Word functions styles and role mapping

Role Mapping

To get the best result in terms of PDF accessibility each element
of the Word document must have the correct role mapping.

Requirements on Word Documents

A Word document has to fulfill several requirements so that
axesWord can create a conformant PDF/UA document:

• Each element has an appropriate Role Mapping


• Each element has a defined position in the logical order of
  the document structure (i.e. this corresponds to the Reading Order).


• Figures have an Alternative Text or are marked as decorative
  elements; the latter is called Artifact in technical language.


• Formulas have an Alternate Text,
  which normally is the linearized form of the formula


• Tables are data tables and not pictures


• Column and Row Hearders in tables are marked accordingly

Prepared Templates

You can use axesWord with each Word document,
also those based on the Word standard template (Normal.dotx).
However, you will get the best result if you work with prepared templates.

Such templates make the work for authors much easier when
creating accessible documents, as they just have to use
appropriate paragraph styles or quick parts.

Interesting?

• Contact NewFormat for a quote on axesWord

Create your first PDF/UA compliant PDF file

• 1-Click Accessibility




Use MS Word as intended and click "Export PDF" - Done!
The conversion takes care of a proper tag tree based on styles,
embeds fonts and more.




• Simplified authoring




The context sensitive task pane supports you with all
additional tasks needed like adding alt text or
marking elements as decorative (artifact).




• Optimized templates




Save all axesWord settings like the mapping of styles
to PDF roles and the initial view in your Word template.
You only need to do this once.




• If everything is fine - congrats!

You have created your first PDF/UA compliant PDF file.

Click on image
Example of a correctly tagged PDF document and its structure tags

Interesting?

• Contact NewFormat for a quote on axesWord