In most cases, content should be published as a webpage. Downloadable documents—such as PDFs, Word files, and PowerPoint presentations—are discouraged for public-facing websites and must meet clear purpose and accessibility criteria.
Content may be provided as a downloadable document if it meets one of the following purpose requirements:
- It is a form that must be printed and submitted with a physical signature.
- It is an official report or policy document that requires fixed formatting for compliance, archival, or formal distribution.
Content that can be published as a webpage must not be provided solely as a downloadable file.
All downloadable files must meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
Document File Naming and Formatting
Use the following document file naming and format standards to avoid upload and download errors, support accessibility, and improve the site visitor experience:
- Keep file names short (under 25 characters) and meaningful.
- Use only letters, numbers, and hyphens in document file names.
- Do not use spaces, punctuation (except hyphens or underscores), or special characters in image file names.
- Use only the following file formats: .pdf, locked .docx
Related Regulations and Policies
Federal and Accessibility Standards
Section 508 – Accessible Documents Guidance
WCAG 2.1 AA – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W3C Quick Reference)Commonwealth of Virginia Regulations
Virginia IT Accessibility and Website Standards (VITA)
VITA Application Domain Report – includes document accessibility requirements (PDF)University Policies
1301 – Responsible Use of Computing
1203 – Non‑Discrimination and Reasonable Accommodation on the Basis of Disability
1114 – Data Stewardship Policy
Limitations of Document-Based Content
- Not accessible to assistive technologies: Documents that are not properly formatted cannot be read by screen readers or other assistive tools.
- Disruptive to read: Files interrupt browsing flow and require users to open and navigate them outside the website.
- Dependent on additional software: Downloadable documents often require separate applications (such as Adobe Reader or Microsoft Word), which may not be available or functional on all devices.
- Not mobile-friendly: Downloadable documents do not resize automatically and often require zooming or scrolling.
- Obscured from analytics: User interactions with documents—especially when accessed directly from search engines—are not consistently captured in site analytics.
- Lower search visibility: Search engines prioritize webpage content, making downloadable files less visible in search results.