Accessible PowerPoint (implementation guide)

8.3. Connected cells

Cells are not connected to each other.

What is meant by this?

Each row should have the same number of columns to ensure that the content can be assigned to the correct column heading. If the cells in a table are linked together, this can lead to confusion and ambiguity, as readers cannot be sure which column heading the content must be assigned to.

Why is it important?

If table cells are merged, this can lead to problems as the information can no longer be assigned to the corresponding column headings. This can lead to the information being interpreted incorrectly or incompletely, which can lead to errors or misunderstandings. This can happen in particular when the table is enlarged. Users of screen readers and speech output devices also face challenges in correctly assigning and interpreting the cells when they are linked together. To avoid such problems, tables should be formatted in such a way that each cell can be assigned to a specific column and the information is easy to interpret.

How can I implement/check it?

To ensure that the cells in a table are not connected to each other, table cells should not be merged. If it is necessary to place additional information in a cell, new rows or columns can be added for this purpose. However, it remains important to ensure that each row has the same number of columns so that the content can be assigned to the correct column headings. If too much information is placed in a table, either the table should be split into several tables or an alternative display format should be selected (see 8.5).

You can check whether the cells in a table are connected to each other by checking the table for cell overlaps. In PowerPoint, you can check the table structure and detect cell overlaps by carrying out the following steps:

1. Select the table by clicking on it. This activates the "Layout" tab in the menu bar.
2. Within the "Layout" section, there are various options with which you can check the table structure.
3. To display the cell borders, click on the "Display grid lines" checkbox. This will display the lines between the cells so that you can check the exact positioning of the cells.
4. To check cell overlaps, click on the "Arrangement" section. There you can choose between the options "Move cells forwards or backwards". By moving the cells forwards or backwards, you can determine whether cells overlap or cover each other.

If you notice cell overlaps, you can adjust the table accordingly to fix the problem. You can move cells or adjust the size of cells to ensure that they do not overlap. In addition to checking the table structure, you can also check the contents in the cells to ensure that they are correct and consistent.