PDF & Document Standards
One of the most common questions we get is: "Should I make this a PDF or a Webpage?"
While PDFs are useful for specific tasks, they should not be the default way you share information. This guide explains when to use them, why we prefer webpages, and your responsibilities regarding accessibility.
The Golden Rule
Before uploading a file, ask yourself: Is this content for reading, or for printing/recording?
-
Make it a Webpage if: The content is purely informational (text, policies, instructions, event details).
-
Make it a PDF if: The document is a form that must be printed and filled out, or a resource intended for the user to download and keep offline (like a printable poster or a signed record).
Why do we prefer Webpages?
There are three major reasons we push for content to be on a webpage rather than locked inside a document:
A. Accessibility
The APSU website has built-in "guardrails" to help protect accessibility. When you type text into the CMS, the system helps ensure it can be read by screen readers.
-
The PDF Risk: PDFs do not have these guardrails. To make a PDF accessible, you must manually tag headings, reading order, and alt text using software like Adobe Acrobat. Most users do not know how to do this, resulting in a file that is completely invisible to users with disabilities.
B. User Experience (UX) & Mobile
-
Don't Break the Flow: When a user is browsing, clicking a link that forces a file download removes them from the website. It interrupts their journey and creates friction.
-
The "Pinch and Zoom" Problem: PDFs are static. On a mobile phone, a PDF is tiny and requires the user to pinch, zoom, and scroll side-to-side to read it.
-
Data & Speed: Large PDFs take a long time to load, especially for students on mobile networks with poor signal. A webpage is lightweight and loads instantly.
C. SEO (Google Rankings)
Search engines (Google) and AI tools analyze webpages much more effectively than PDFs. Information on a webpage is more likely to show up in search results than information buried inside a PDF attachment.
Common Scenarios
Scenario A: The Event Flyer
"I have a flyer we made in Canva for an event. Can I just upload that?" No. Graphics and Flyers are inaccessible to search engines and screen readers.
-
The Solution: You must type all the event details (Who, What, Where, When) as plain text on the webpage.
-
Optional: You may include a link to download the visual flyer after the text (e.g., "Download the Event Poster"), but the text must come first.
Scenario B: The Student Handbook
"I have a 50-page Student Handbook." Large, complex documents like handbooks or catalogs are an acceptable use case for PDFs, as users often want to save these for offline reference.
-
Size Warning: The CMS has a 1MB upload limit. Large handbooks will likely exceed this.
-
Action: Please contact webupdate@apsu.edu to help handle large file uploads.
Your Responsibility: PDF Accessibility
If you choose to upload a PDF, you are responsible for ensuring it is ADA compliant.
Simply exporting a Word Doc to PDF is not enough. You must ensure the document is "tagged" correctly so a screen reader can navigate it.
How to fix your PDFs: We recommend using Adobe Acrobat Pro (available to Faculty/Staff) to run an accessibility check and remediation.
Naming & Storage
Just like images, documents must follow strict naming conventions (lowercase, no spaces) to prevent broken links.
-
Learn More: Please review the CMS Help: Working with Files page for the full rules on naming and uploading.