Provide Access to Documents in Appropriate File Formats
Common Practice: Federal public websites should provide access to documents using open, industry standard web formats or using alternative formats that do not impose an unnecessary burden on the intended audience. Organizations should base their choice of file formats on both the needs of their intended audience(s) and the business needs of the organization.
Rationale: Presenting documents in open, industry standard formats allows universal access, since every person with a browser can read these and the full contents of these documents are easily retrievable using web search engines. Usability studies have shown that visitors can become frustrated and are less likely to access information that requires downloading with additional software or plug-ins, even if that software is freely available, because it involves extra time and effort to view the material. In addition, many proprietary files are so large compared to industry standard formats that visitors with slow connection speeds cannot download them. Certain software and plug-ins also pose difficulties for persons with (primarily) visual impairments.
Implementation Guidance:
- When choosing file format(s), organizations should consider: (1) the intended use of the material by the website's visitors; (2) the frequency of use by the website's visitors; (3) the accessibility of the format to the website's visitors; and (4) the level of effort and time required by the organization to convert the material to the format.
- In general, industry standard formats (HTML and XML are current examples) provide the greatest flexibility for visitors and should be the primary formats for documents on federal public websites, especially those that are most frequently accessed by the public.
- Portable Document Formats (PDF), such as Adobe Acrobat, should be used only as an alternate format to industry standard formats and when there is a clear business need to use this format. For example, PDF format is an appropriate format when it is important to retain the original formatting of a document, such as forms or brochures. When using PDF files, organizations must provide a link to the downloadable free viewer. To ensure maximum accessibility, organizations should also provide a version of the document in an industry standard format, such as HTML, whenever feasible.
- Organizations should avoid making documents available only in proprietary formats that require purchase or licensing of commercial software (for example, MS Word, MS PowerPoint). If organizations must use these formats, they must ensure that the intended audience is known to have ready access to the appropriate software or they must provide a link to download the appropriate viewer or plug-in.
- When linking to a document in an alternative format (such as PDF or MS Word), websites should include a text description of the document, including the name, file type, file size, and effective date (using one of the date options in Recommendation 1d). This will ensure that visitors have a reasonable understanding of what to expect when they view the material and that search engines can easily find it.
- In most cases, large or complex documents (generally, more than 10-15 pages), whether in an industry standard format or alternative format, should be organized into sections or chapters and linked together. Organizations should also provide a link to download the entire document since some readers may prefer to print the entire document for later reading.
Examples:
- http://www.ihs.gov/GeneralWeb/HelpCenter/WebMaster/standards/file.htm – Your web policy or guidance documents should include information on appropriate file formats, including information to help content providers decide which format is appropriate. The Indian Health Service of HHS offers policy standards and guidelines.
- http://www.ihs.gov/generalweb/webcomponents/downloads/plugins.cfm – The Indian Health Service offers links to plug-ins or applications needed to read content in PDF, MSWord, or other alternate formats.
- http://www.opm.gov/Forms/html/sf.asp – The Office of Personnel Management Standard Forms webpage has information about the type of file as well as the size of the file.
This practice is common on many federal public websites. The Interagency Committee on Government Information (ICGI) recommended that OMB endorse this practice, in its June 2004 report: Recommended Policies and Guidelines for Federal Public Websites.
Last Reviewed: September 29, 2004
