At Zoho Creator, we are committed to empowering users to build accessible applications that can be perceived, operated, and understood by everyone—including people with disabilities. Our goal is to ensure that the apps created on our platform foster inclusive, equitable experiences in line with global accessibility standards. 

Accessibility Conformance Report

Zoho Creator’s Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) is based on a completed VPAT® Version 2.5, the industry-standard reporting format developed by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). The ACR helps buyers and evaluators understand the accessibility features of our platform.

To support transparency and compliance, Zoho Creator has published an Accessibility Conformance Report that you can download.

Feedback and support

We value user input in making our platform more inclusive. If you encounter accessibility barriers or have suggestions, please reach out to us via email: accessibility@zohocreator.com. Our team will review and respond to accessibility-related feedback to ensure timely resolution.

We continually improve the user experience for everyone and apply relevant accessibility standards as required. 

1. What is WCAG compliance?

Zoho Creator now supports WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility guidelines and allows its users to implement these guidelines instantly to ensure apps are accessed by everyone, regardless of their abilities. Learn more about the levels of WCAG compliance

1.1. Why making your Creator apps accessible matters

1. Inclusivity: Promotes equal app access for a diverse set of users, including those with
   
2. Compliance: Follow legal and industry standards, such as WCAG to ensure accessibility compliance and prevent legal or ethical concerns.
   
3. Usability: Provides a seamless user experience by offering multiple ways to interact with your app content.
   

1.2. Use cases

1. David increases the text size for better readability when filling out employee information forms or reviewing reports.
   
2. He applies a high-contrast color theme to easily distinguish fields, buttons, and sections, reducing eye strain.
   
3. Instead of using a mouse, David navigates through the app using the TAB key and keyboard shortcuts in Quick Access to move between form fields and pages effortlessly.
   
4. He also adjusts letter spacing slightly wider, making text less cramped and easier to read for his visual needs.
   

1. When filling out long onboarding forms for new employees, Carol can save form drafts if she needs a break without losing progress.
   
2. The app focuses on disabled fields too, so Carol can clearly identify fields that are non-editable without guessing.
   
3. Carol adjusts letter spacing slightly wider, making text less cramped and easier to read for her visual needs.
   
4. When updating employee details, mandatory fields are clearly marked with text (like "Mandatory"), ensuring she doesn’t miss critical information, even when using a screen reader.
   
5. When accessing employee training materials, embedded videos have clear play, pause, and mute controls.
   
6. When applying for benefits, links are clearly labeled such as "Learn about Health Insurance Options", rather than vague terms like "Click Here," helping her know exactly what to expect.
   
7. Titles and navigation buttons remain consistent throughout, helping Carol always know where she is and what to do next.
   

2. An App Developer’s Guide to building inclusive and accessible apps

We recommend adhering to the established accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG, to ensure your apps are designed and built with inclusivity in mind.

2.1 General guidelines for Creator apps

1. Clear component names: Ensure that component names, such as names of forms, reports, pages, and so on, and their descriptions (if any) clearly convey their purpose. Also, provide descriptive labels and tooltips for form fields, making form submissions faster and easier.
   
1. For example, instead of "Application Form," use something more specific like "Job Application Form" or "Membership Application Form" for the form name.
   
2. A sample description in the above example could be "Fill out this form to apply for a position at our company. Provide your personal details, work experience, and qualifications."
   
3. For the Name field, you could change it from "Name" to "Enter your full name."
   
2. Keep language straightforward and inclusive: Avoid jargon, idioms, abbreviations, and unfamiliar phrases. Instead, use clear, straightforward language to enhance user understanding and accessibility.
   
3. Consistency: Maintain consistent and clear labeling for page titles and navigation buttons across all components.
   
4. Testing and user feedback: Periodically test your apps with users who have disabilities and incorporate their feedback into the app design process to create truly accessible user experiences.
   

2.2 Guidelines for Creator forms

1. Avoid using symbols or special characters while creating your forms.
   
2. Organizing form fields in a logical order is crucial for a smooth and intuitive user experience, especially for those relying on screen readers. Here's a suggested logical order for arranging form fields.
   
1. First Name
   
2. Last Name
   
3. Phone Number
   
4. Address
   
3. Choose a single column layout for fields in your form. This ensures:
   
1. A linear reading order  for screen readers
   
2. Improves keyboard accessibility by enabling smooth TAB navigation
   
3. Minimizes physical effort for those with motor impairments by eliminating the need for excessive movement.
   
4. Ensure that images have alternative text to assist users with low vision, who may struggle to see images clearly, and screen reader users, who rely on image descriptions to understand visual content.
   
1. The alt text should accurately reflect what is depicted in the image.
   
5. The field label width for your form should be set to auto to prevent text truncation, ensuring labels are fully visible, especially for long labels.
   
6. Captcha can be avoided in forms since clicking small checkboxes or dragging objects can be difficult for users with limited dexterity. Additionally, image-based captchas are unreadable for screen readers.
   
7. Enable the save form as draft option to provide flexibility for users who navigate forms at different speeds.
   
8. Use clear, distinct, and descriptive labels for each field to ensure a meaningful and accessible experience for all users. You can use tooltips or help texts for additional information about each field.
   
9. Ensure sufficient color contrast when selecting a custom theme to enhance readability and accessibility.
   
1. Users with low vision or color blindness rely on high contrast to distinguish text from the background.
   
2. Ensures clear visibility of content, buttons, and icons.
   
10. Avoid setting time limits for form completion unless necessary. If a time limit is required, provide a minimum of 20 hours to ensure users have sufficient time to fill and submit the form.
    
11. Position labels either above or beside fields to enhance accessibility for users who rely on screen readers.
    
12. If you have included a link in your form, ensure that the link name is meaningful and gives the purpose of the link to the user. Examples of good link texts:
    
1. "Read Our Terms and Conditions" (instead of just "Read More")
   
2. "Contact Us for Support" (instead of "Click Here")
   
13. Avoid placeholder text as a substitute for field descriptions. It disappears when users start typing, which can confuse users.
    
1. For the  email field, consider having a description as "Enter your work or personal email in the format abc@zylker.com." instead of a placeholder text.
   
14. For mandatory form fields, include the text 'Required' in the field label to ensure clarity for all users, including those using screen readers.
    
15. Use fields that support single-point gestures to accommodate users with motor disabilities. For example, the signature field requires dragging, which may not be accessible to all users. If necessary, provide alternatives like allowing users to upload a pre-signed document
    

2.3 Guidelines for accessible media in your app components

1. Avoid embedding content that flashes more than three times per second. If flashing content is necessary, include a clear warning before playback.
   
2. Embed videos with sign language interpretation for ensuring that videos comply with accessibility requirements, making content inclusive for users who are hard of hearing.
   
3. Embed media with built-in playback controls, such as play and pause functions in YouTube videos, to help users manage content movement effectively. This enhances accessibility for users who may struggle with continuously moving elements.
   
4. Embed audio content without background audio, or ensure background sounds are at least 20 decibels lower than speech to enhance clarity and accessibility.
   

3. Related topics

1. Understanding accessibility controls