Generating a PDF
Please note that the methods for Word and PowerPoint are quite different because PowerPoint presentations are constructed differently to Word documents.
Creating a PDF from a Word Document
Correct methods
Make sure you've included an embedded Word document title, and then choose either Method 1 or Method 2.
Method 1 (use this if you have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed)
- Select 'File'.
- Click the 'Save as Adobe PDF' button.
or
Click 'Export' and then the 'Create Adobe PDF' button. - Click 'Save'.
Method 2 (use this if you don't have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed)
- Select 'File'.
- Click 'Save As'.
- Where it says 'Word Document (*.docx)', select 'PDF (*.pdf)' from the drop-down list of format options.
- Click on 'More Options'.
- Click on 'Options'.
- Make sure that 'Document structure tags for accessibility' is ticked.
- Do not tick 'PDF/A compliant'.
- Click 'OK'.
- Click 'Save'.
Incorrect methods
Do not use these – they do not produce reliably accessible PDFs from Word documents.
Incorrect method 1
- Select 'File'.
- Select 'Export'.
- Select 'Create PDF/XPS Document'.
Incorrect method 2
- Select 'File'.
- Click 'Print'.
- Select 'Adobe PDF'.
Creating a PDF from a PowerPoint presentation
You can't create accessible PDFs using the web version of PowerPoint – you'll need to use the desktop version.
Correct methods
Make sure you've included an embedded PowerPoint document title, and then select one of the following methods.
Method 1
- Select 'File'.
- Select 'Export'.
- Select 'Create PDF/XPS Document'.
- Click on the square 'Create PDF/XPS' box.
- Click 'Options'.
- Make sure that 'Document structure tags for accessibility' is ticked.
- Do not tick 'PDF/A compliant'.
- Click 'OK'.
- Click 'Publish'.
Note: this is not an appropriate method for Word documents, only PowerPoint.
Method 2
- Select 'File'.
- Click 'Save As...' for a new PowerPoint presentation, or 'Save A Copy' for an existing presentation.
- Where it says 'PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)', select 'PDF (*.pdf)' from the drop-down list of format options.
- Click on 'More Options'.
- Click on 'Options'.
- Make sure that 'Document structure tags for accessibility' is ticked.
- Do not tick 'PDF/A compliant'.
- Click 'OK'.
- Click 'Save'.
Incorrect methods
Do not use these – they do not produce reliably accessible PDFs from PowerPoint.
Incorrect method 1
This method is only available if you have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed, but even if you have you shouldn't use it to create PowerPoint PDFs in this way.
- Select 'File'.
- Click the 'Save as Adobe PDF' button.
or
Click 'Export' and then 'Create Adobe PDF'.
Incorrect method 2
- Select 'File'.
- Click 'Print'.
- Select 'Adobe PDF'.