How to add a row to a table in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Tables should be used for presenting rows and columns of data, not for layout, and column and row headers should be explicitly identified.

Table of Contents Show

Techniques for Word
Techniques for PDF
Techniques using Google Docs
Step 2. Expand the TagIn the tags tree, each table must start with atag. Thetag notifies assistive people using screen readers that they are entering a table. All the related table tags are set as children inside thetag.To check the table's structure, select thetag to expand a list of table rows (). The tags will be indented under thetag. You should have one tag for each row in the table including the header row(s).
Step 3. Expand the table row.
Step 6. Rename header column.
Building a New Table
Complex Tables
How do I add more rows to an existing Table?
How do I append a Row in a Table?
How do I edit a Table in Adobe PDF?
How do I extend a Table in PDF?

For an overview of this issue, see Tables in our IT Accessibility Checklist.

Techniques for Word

Word has limitations when it comes to making tables accessible. For a simple table with one row of column headers and no nested rows or columns, these applications are up to the task. However, more complex tables can only be made accessible within HTML or Adobe PDF (accessible table markup can be added to the PDF using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC).

Often complex tables can be simplified by breaking them into multiple simple tables with a heading above each.

For simple tables, the only step necessary for accessibility is to identify which row contains the column headers. The specific technique for doing this varies depending on which version of Word you’re using. Try either of the following methods:

Method 1

Select the table row that contains the headers (Table > Select > Row), then right-click the row and select “Table Properties.” This brings up the Table Properties dialog. In this dialog, click the Row tab, and check the checkbox that says “Repeat as header row at the top of each page.” This feature was designed for long tables that span multiple printed pages, but since it results in table header rows being explicitly identified, screen readers have long supported it as an accessibility solution.

Method 2

When a table is added to a document in Word, two new tabs will appear in the ribbon, “Table Design” and “Layout.” Selecting the “Table Design” tab (which is sometimes abbreviated as “Design”) will reveal the Table Style Options group where you can define your Header Row.

See the following Microsoft support pages for additional information:

Repeat table header on subsequent pages
Create accessible tables in Word (video)

Techniques for PDF

To get the best results for an accessible table in PDF, use the application that created the document to add headers then save your document as an accessible PDF. If the source document is not available, or to check and refine the tables in the PDF, use Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

Using the “Autotag Document” feature for remediation should produce a properly-recognized table. However, further investigation of the table will be necessary to determine if the content has been properly structured.

Use the Table Editor to check and correct table tags, and to determine if column and row headers have been identified accurately. To launch the Table Editor in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, follow these steps:

From the Accessibility Panel, launch the Reading Order tool
Right click anywhere in the table and select ‘Table Editor’ from the context menu
Right click in each cell and review the Table Cell Properties to ensure tag type, scope, and span are properly assigned

NOTE: Modifying PDFs can have unpredictable results. Save often! (Saving multiple versions is recommended.)

Techniques using Google Docs

Google Docs does not currently provide a means of identifying column or row headers in tables. If you’re authoring a document that includes tables, you should avoid doing so using Google Docs.

Having accessible documents is an important resource for our campus community. If you begin each document with accessibility in mind, more people will be able to access and use the information in your document.

Data tables are often used to present information in a concise manner. Simple data tables refer to tables with one column header and/or one row header designated for the data. Formatting the header row and column allows assistive technology to determine how the data is to be announced.

A table’s structure depends on to the content of the table. You will need to manually check tables in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Accessible tables include:

The same number of columns in each row
The same number of rows in each column
A designated header row, column, or both.

Open the tags panel to access the tags tree. You can edit the table tags here.

Step 3. Expand the table row.

Select the plus sign/arrow to the left of the first Table Row (

), a list of Table Data Cells (). In each table row, change the first) should appear.

If the first row of the table is a header row, double click on each column (

) to rename the element as a. Doing so formats the first cell in each column is a header. This formatting will also announce to assistive technology users each cell’s data and provide its relationship to the corresponding header as they navigate through the table.

Step 6. Rename header column.

The first column of the table may also be used as a header. If this is so, expand each of the remaining Table Rows (

tag to atag to mark it as a table header.

Building a New Table

If you are building a table from scratch, follow the format from above by adding the new tags and associating the content from the document through the "Create Tag from selection" feature.

Complex Tables

Tables with merged cells, more than one header row or column require more attention to how the cells will be represented by screen readers. If you are working with complex tables, contact [email protected] for assistance.

How do I add more rows to an existing Table?

Add a row or column.

Click where you want in your table to add a row or column and then click the Layout tab (this is the tab next to the Table Design tab on the ribbon)..

To add rows, click Insert Above or Insert Below and to add columns, click Insert Left or Insert Right..

How do I append a Row in a Table?

Add a row above or below.

Click in a cell above or below where you want to add a row..

Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, do one of the following: To add a row above the cell, click Insert Above in the Rows and Columns group. To add a row below the cell, click Insert Below in the Rows and Columns group..

How do I edit a Table in Adobe PDF?

You don't. PDF files are not meant to be edited in such a way. You should either edit the original file and then create a new PDF, or export the PDF file to another format (like Word), edit it there and then create a new version.

How do I extend a Table in PDF?

Resize the entire table. Using the Type tool , position the pointer over the lower-right corner of the table so that the pointer becomes an arrow shape , and then drag to increase or decrease the table size. Hold down Shift to maintain the table's height and width proportions.