The Basics of Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates

What is a VPAT, what is an ACR and what do they mean in terms of digital accessibility? 

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a standardized document used to show how your product or service meets accessibility guidelines. A VPAT is a great way to demonstrate how conformant you are with accessibility standards, and they are commonly used in both public and private sectors.

After an accessibility audit has been completed, the VPAT template can be filled out based on the results, with each applicable line item documented for conformance status.

While the VPAT template is empty, once completed it is called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). The ACR can be presented in different ways but should contain the core information from the VPAT template. Done right, the ACR gives the reader an idea of how accessible your product/service is to people with disabilities.

Is an ACR an official certification?

No, an ACR is not an official certification of accessibility (or inaccessibility) and there are no official reviews of the document once it’s ready. The VPAT template allows for standardized reporting of conformance but the information is self-reported. There’s also no score that comes with the ACR, regardless of how many things are good or bad; it’s more of a summary than a pass/fail grade.

Do I need a VPAT/ACR?

That depends. Some companies require vendors to submit a VPAT template or an ACR as part of procurement. Similarly, if you are dealing with a government agency, you may need to show an ACR as proof of the accessibility of your product/service.

Even when not required, an ACR offers a useful snapshot of the accessibility of your product at a particular point in time. It can also be very helpful in determining progress in an organization’s accessibility journey, as the ACR should paint an accurate picture of how accessible your product is. The ACR can be used as a signpost for where our accessibility issues are at current state, and can inform the roadmap planning to resolve the issues that it highlights.

In addition, an ACR can serve as a reminder of your company’s commitment to accessibility, can demonstrate its strengths, and can encourage improvements. An ACR can offer a testament to the hard teamwork in getting to a given point in the organization’s accessibility journey. Teams should celebrate progress to continue to build a pervasive culture of accessibility. The ACR can be posted publicly to allow everyone to read how accessible things are currently, and may offer a competitive advantage when tendering for contracts.

What about the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?

There is no requirement for an ACR as part of the EAA, so you don’t need to do one by law. However, since it’s a standardized reporting format, it’s a useful tool to show your organization’s accessibility work and dedication to improvement. This can also help with local monitoring bodies who may be reviewing your website/application. The ACR should indicate that your company has done an accessibility audit and is aware of your current accessibility issues. Given that there are specific VPAT templates that have EN 301 549 (the European harmonized accessibility standard) in them, having an accurate ACR may be an advantage when it comes to the EAA.

Read more about the EAA over at our blog titled European Accessibility Act and EN 301 549 explained.

Can I fill out the VPAT myself?

Anyone can download the VPAT template and fill it out. There are no official VPAT writers or companies, but producing an ACR is a complex process that involves conducting an accessibility audit, and it requires specialized knowledge to complete the VPAT template accurately. It is recommended that accessibility professionals with the necessary expertise complete the audit and produce the ACR. You likely can update an ACR, depending on how detailed the update is. If in doubt, leave it to an accessibility specialist.

Which VPAT edition should I use?

There are currently four different VPAT template editions that incorporate different accessibility standards. While the overall formats are quite similar, each has a mix of different standards so you can choose the one that best suits your target audience, your contract requirements and the marketplace you are operating in. If in doubt, the Int version will cover the most ground.

Key components of a VPAT template

The VPAT template structure is very long, and the completed ACR is even longer, so let’s look at some of the more important sections.

Accessibility Conformance Report

This is found on page 10 of each document and serves as the starting point for the ACR.

This is a critical area that specifies what was tested, when it was tested and how it was tested; it contains information on the product, the date of the report, evaluation methods, standards and guidelines and additional notes. Readers of the ACR generally start here so it’s crucial that it’s correctly and thoroughly filled out.

VPAT tables

The main parts of the ACR are the completed tables. Each VPAT can contain WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 tables that have three column headers:

• Criteria – Which of the standards/guidelines are being evaluated. Each is listed in a single row with a definition. The format of this column can differ depending on the table, but the overall cell content is similar.
• Conformance Level – The main event. Here the cell indicates the conformance level of the standard/guideline tested. In general, the more “Supports” you have, the better.
  • Supports – The product/service supports the standard/guideline, i.e. it passes.
  • Partially Supports – Only some of the product/service meets the standard/guideline, i.e. it fails in some places.
  • Does Not Support – Most of the product/service does not meet the standard/guideline, i.e. it fails in most places.
  • Not Applicable – The standard/guideline is not relevant to the product/service.
  • Not Evaluated – The product/service has not been evaluated against the standard/guideline.
• Remarks and Explanations – This will contain information about why a particular conformance level was selected. For items that are deemed Partially Supports, or Does Not Support, it can provide more information of why that is. For example, it can list inaccessible areas or components encountered during the accessibility test, can note if it’s a single occurrence or multiple, can contain short notes on plans to address the gaps, or technical difficulties that may have caused issues to occur.

Creating an effective ACR from the VPAT template

Consider these pointers when filling out a VPAT template to create an effective ACR:

• Know your audience. Consider who would be reading it and tailor the content accordingly. For example, if an accessibility SME working with a government organization is reviewing your ACR during procurement, would they get the information they need?
• Be truthful. When there are gaps and accessibility issues, it’s a good time to be transparent and document them in the VPAT template and ACR. Don’t feel the need to gloss over accessibility problems, it’s best to be upfront about them.
• Be descriptive. The Remarks and Explanations column can be used to elaborate for the individual rows. Further information about accessibility gaps, supporting links, indications of future plans, and more can be provided here to flesh out the current conformance level.
• Note the good. Don’t be afraid to include the positive accessibility elements too. If your team has worked to include accessible video players, or provided accessible alternatives to complex components, you can briefly note these in the Remarks and Explanations for the related row. The reader will appreciate the effort!
• Don’t add too much detail. An ACR is not the place to add JIRA tickets, to list every accessibility issue, or to get too detailed on non-conformance. A clear, concise note about the cause of a Does Not Support or Partially Supports conformance level is generally sufficient.
• Strive for accuracy. This will be related to the results of your accessibility audit. If you are claiming Supports on a particular conformance level, this is expected to be correct for the entire product/service that is being documented. A reader may check this against your product/service so it needs to be correct. Don’t hesitate to double check if needed.
• Fix your bugs first. Put your best foot forward and fix as many of the accessibility issues that you can before producing the VPAT template. While it’s possible to produce immediately after the audit, it will reflect better on your product/service if you can minimize  Does Not Support and Partially Supports. 
• Keep things updated. Establish a timeline to review and refresh the VPAT template and ACR. This can serve as a great indicator of accessibility improvements over time. This could be done after major product updates, after the accessibility bug backlog has been cleared, and/or at a defined time each year.
• Keep things accessible. When producing an ACR document about the accessibility of your product/service, ensure that the document itself is accessible whether it’s a PDF, Word document, or webpage.

Is there an example of a completed VPAT / ACR available?

Here’s an example from Adobe that showcases how they publish their ACRs: Adobe Stock ACR. The format remains very close to the original VPAT template but is presented as a webpage that is easy to read. The Remarks and Explanations column is sufficiently detailed to get an idea of how accessible the pages are and gets very detailed in some areas. 

From reading the ACR, it’s clear that Adobe is being upfront and honest on the accessibility issues on the website and the published document gives a realistic look at how ACRs tend to look with lots of Supports and Partially Supports present.

Where can I find more VPAT resources?

• The VPAT templates are available from the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) VPAT page
• The ITI also have a useful series of VPAT training sessions
• You can find additional information and a link to a handy ACR editor on Section508.gov’s ACR page
• You can also find completed ACRs publicly published by companies. For example:
  • Google
  • Adobe
  • Microsoft

The bottom line on VPATs

A completed VPAT template, an ACR, enables your company to confidently showcase accessibility conformance and accessibility commitment to diverse audiences, including government entities, potential clients and customers. Whether your company is embarking on its first steps toward accessibility or building on years of dedication, an ACR can serve as a building block in your accessibility strategy.

At Applause, we help companies embrace accessibility as an ongoing journey rather than a one-time task. We promote cultural and process dedication to accessibility, driving innovation, improving quality, and delivering inclusive user experiences that benefit everyone.

Partnering with accessibility experts at Applause helps ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of your ACR by leveraging deep global conformance testing experience, combined with real-world feedback from users with disabilities. We understand that a strong ACR not only strengthens your brand reputation, but also broadens your market reach while minimizing legal risks and demonstrating a long-term commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.