DocuSign

Reviewing a DocuSign document for accessibility issues is a bit different from reviewing a regular PDF, because:

• Once a document is signed and finalized in DocuSign, it becomes locked and uneditable.
• Accessibility tags cannot be added or fixed after signing.
• DocuSign’s platform does not perform accessibility remediation, nor does it create accessible tags automatically.

Accessibility Review Process for DocuSign Documents

Here’s the process to check a document intended for DocuSign before it is signed and locked.

Step-by-Step Accessibility Review Before Using DocuSign

1. Start with a Source Document (e.g., Word).
   • Run the Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker.
   • Fix:
     • Missing alt text
     • Poor heading structure
     • Table headers not defined
     • Improper reading order
   • Save as:
     • Word (.docx) for backup
     • PDF for accessibility review
2. Check the PDF in Adobe Acrobat
   • Open the saved PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
   • Run the Full Accessibility Check (Tools > Accessibility > Full Check).
   • Fix issues such as:
     • Missing document title
     • Untagged content
     • Improper reading order
     • Missing alt text or language specification
   • Use the Tags panel to ensure all elements (headings, lists, tables) are tagged correctly.
   • Save the fully remediated PDF.
3. Optional: Insert Signature Placeholder
   • If needed, insert a blank signature line or placeholder image (e.g., “Signature Here”) before signing.
   • Add alt text to any visual placeholder indicating it’s for a signature.
4. Sign the Document
   • Once the PDF is fully accessible, sign it using DocuSign.
   • Note: After signing, you cannot add or change accessibility tags.

Important Accessibility Notes About DocuSign PDFs

• DocuSign’s finalized PDFs do not always preserve tag structures or reading order.
• Signatures often appear as images without alt text or untagged content, triggering errors in Adobe’s accessibility checker.
• Best practice: insert the signed timestamp as an image into the original Word document and re-export it to PDF, rather than relying on DocuSign’s locked version.

How to Document the Review

If required for compliance tracking, keep a record of:

• Accessibility check results (screenshots or reports)
• Final review prior to signature
• Confirmation that no accessibility issues existed before signing