CivicPlus® has partnered with Allyant to bring its CommonLook Clarity solution to Agenda and Meeting Management Select. With the CommonLook Clarity integration enabled, PDF attachments that are uploaded to agenda items are automatically scanned for compliance with WCAG 2.2 (AA) standards. You can also retroactively scan previously uploaded PDF item attachments.
For more information about this integration and instructions on how to use it, see Scan PDF Item Attachments for Accessibility Compliance.
Important Notes
The following files will not be scanned by the CommonLook Clarity PDF validation tool:
Any files in formats other than PDF (such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or similar)
Untagged PDFs that cannot be read by screen readers
Files hosted in and shared from OneDrive or Google Drive
Because this integration requires access to item attachments, it is only available as an add-on for organizations with the Select Lite or Select Pro versions of the solution. The integration is not available to organizations with Select Starter.
This integration will alert you to a PDF's compliance and generate a report of what needs to be fixed. It does not automatically make the document compliant. You remain responsible for document remediation.
CommonLook Clarity Integration Functionality
With the CommonLook Clarity integration enabled, PDF validation scans can be run on both existing and newly uploaded PDF item attachments. Successful scans will result in the generation of a CommonLook Clarity File Compliance Report. This report can be reviewed to determine the accessibility of your documentation.
Uploading and Scanning New PDF Item Attachments
Once the CommonLook Clarity integration has been enabled, the system will automatically attempt to run PDF validation scans any time new PDF item attachments are uploaded. When your PDF validation scans are complete, icons in the PDF Validation column automatically update to reflect the outcome of the scan. You can click or hover over the icons in the PDF Validation column to review PDF validation scan results, as applicable.
Scanning Existing PDF Item Attachments
You can scan existing PDF item attachments on the agenda item’s Item Files page. PDF attachments eligible for scanning will have a Scan Now button to the right of their names, in the Attachments section. You can click this button to start a scan.
Once a PDF validation scan is complete, icons in the PDF Validation column automatically update to reflect the outcome of the scan. You can click or hover over the icons in the PDF Validation column to review your PDF validation scan results, as applicable.
PDF Validation Scan Results
Successful PDF Validation Scans
Successful PDF validation scans result in a checkmark or warning symbol (triangle and exclamation mark icon) appearing in the PDF Validation column. When either of these symbols is present, a CommonLook Clarity File Compliance Report has been prepared for the item attachment. You can click the icon to view the report.
Once the File Compliance Report window opens, you can scroll through the document to review areas in which the attachment meets or fails compliance checks against WCAG 2.2 (AA) standards.
Use the report as a guide to address any accessibility concerns within your document outside Agenda and Meeting Management Select. Once the document has been remediated, you can use the Edit function on the Item Files page to replace the old PDF and re-run the scan.
Unsuccessful Validation Scans
A red X icon to the right of an attachment name indicates that the system attempted to scan the PDF but failed to do so.
You can click the icon to view details about why the scan was unsuccessful.
Validation scan failures typically occur when a PDF that has been uploaded has not yet been tagged. Tagged PDFs include structural information to assist screen readers and other assistive technologies. Untagged PDFs cannot be read by screen readers and are therefore not accessible. You can learn more about Tagged PDFs and how to resolve this issue in our Tagged PDFs article.
Prevented PDF Validation Scans
PDF validation scanning is automatically blocked for documents that do not meet basic system requirements.
The letters N/A, short for Not Applicable, in the PDF Validation column indicate that a scan is not possible due to the file's format or origin. If the system detects any file type other than PDF (such as Microsoft Word or Excel documents), or determines that the files are shared from OneDrive or Google Drive, a scan will not be attempted.
A lock icon to the right of attachment names indicates that the system has detected that the file has been marked "Confidential." Confidential attachments will not be scanned.
Enable the Integration
The CommonLook Clarity integration can be added to Select Lite and Select Pro customer sites for an additional cost. For more information or to get access to PDF validation scans, please contact your CivicPlus Customer Success Manager.
Need Help?
The Agenda and Meeting Management Select Support team is happy to assist with technical questions related to our integrated CommonLook PDF Validation tool. Learn how to reach out to Support: Contact CivicPlus Support
For help with Allyant’s PDF Remediation Services, contact Allyant Customer Support.