Accessibility Statement for Sage Business Cloud Accounting

Version 1.0 - Updated October 31, 2019

This accessibility statement applies to Sage Business Cloud Accounting, a web-based accounting product for sole traders and small business owners.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use Sage Business Cloud Accounting. For example, that means you should be able to:

• Use the web product on tablets with landscape (horizontal) orientation and on larger screens without the need to scroll the page horizontally. Separate mobile apps are available which will be covered by their own accessibility statements.
• Navigate using consistent menus.
• Zoom in to 200% or change the size and spacing of text without the text spilling off the screen. Listen to most of the product using a screen reader (such as VoiceOver).

We have made the text in the product as simple as possible to understand.

If you have a disability, AbilityNet also has advice on making your device easier to use.

Important note: Sage Business Cloud Accounting is currently updating the technology that it is built on. We’re bringing in improved accessibility support as we go, but not all features benefit from this technology yet.

• If you use the web product on tablets with portrait (vertical) orientation or on smaller screens such as smartphones, you’ll need to scroll horizontally to see all content.
• When working in message boxes using the keyboard, sometimes people might become trapped and are unable to continue.
• You cannot use our site navigation and certain buttons with the keyboard alone.
• When using the tab button to move around, the sequence of movement is sometimes unusual.
• If you use a screen reader, you may not be informed of error messages.
• Error messages may not provide suggestions on how to correct the error.
• Some fields or buttons may have poor visual contrast against the background.
• There is no way to navigate around the product other than by using menus.

There are several other improvements we could make to our code to help the product work as well as it can for everyone.

If you need support, you find any problems not listed on this page or if you think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact us.

• Email: [email protected]
• Web chat (available to Sage Business Cloud Accounting account holders during office hours)

We will read all requests and get back to you as soon as possible.

Non-compliance with the accessibility guidelines

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-text content

We would like all objects on a page that have meaning to have a text alternative. However, sometimes text alternatives aren’t available, they aren’t easy to understand or they don’t match what is presented visually. We’re working to fix this by replacing older code and resolving identified bugs.

WCAG Reference 1.1.1

Identify input purpose

We would like the type of each field on the page to be apparent in code so fields can be presented in the most useful way to users, but sometimes this isn’t the case right now. To fix this, we’re working on updating the code for all fields.

Sometimes we intentionally disable autocomplete where it wouldn’t be helpful.

WCAG Reference 1.3.5

Contrast (minimum)

We would like the visual presentation of text to have good contrast against background colors to support people with visual impairments. However, in some places this isn’t the case. To fix this, we’re working on improved visual styles and phasing out the use of placeholder text.

WCAG Reference 1.4.3

Non-text contrast

We would like the visual presentation of everything that’s interactive to have good contrast against background colors to support people with visual impairments. However, in some places this isn’t the case. To fix this, we’re working on improved visual styles.

WCAG Reference 1.4.11

Keyboard

We would like everything that’s interactive to be accessible using the keyboard alone. However, our site navigation, tables, and some buttons aren’t yet keyboard accessible. To fix this, we’re working on new navigation, tables and buttons.

WCAG Reference 2.1.1

No keyboard trap

We would like to avoid situations where you might get stuck if using the product with the keyboard alone. Right now, tabbing to the end of some message boxes means keyboard focus is lost and you need to press the Esc key to exit. To fix this, we’re rebuilding our message boxes.

WCAG Reference 2.1.2

Bypass blocks

We would like to provide features in code to allow users to bypass repeated blocks of content. For example, navigation that appears on every page; this may help some users. These features aren't present in the product today, but we will add them.

WCAG Reference 2.4.1

Focus order

When using the tab button to move around, we would like the sequence of movement to be logical. However, our testing revealed some situations in which the order isn’t as we’d expect. We’re working to fix this.

WCAG Reference 2.4.3

Multiple ways

We would like to offer users more than one way to navigate around the product. However, today we only provide navigation menus. To fix this, we’re investigating adding features such as a search.

WCAG Reference 2.4.5

Label in name

We would like the text we use for the field labels to be the same as the text we use for the field’s name in code to support speech input or text-to-speech users. While the code does contain the label text, it is combined with other content that makes it difficult to understand. To fix this, we will use different naming conventions.

WCAG Reference 2.5.3

Page language

We would like to set the language of each page in code so content is always presented correctly. This code isn’t present in the product today, but we plan to add it.

WCAG Reference 3.1.1

Error identification

We would like all errors to be apparent, especially if you use a screen reader. However, errors that appear after certain actions aren’t always apparent. To fix this, we’re working on new error messages and reviewing the mechanism we use to present errors.

WCAG Reference 3.3.1

Error suggestion

We would like people to receive appropriate suggestions for the correction of an error if possible. However, some error messages are worded broadly and many don’t include specific suggestions for correction. We will review our error message content.

WCAG Reference 3.3.3

Parsing

We would like IDs in code to be unique so the product works well for all users, but today some IDs are not unique. We have logged these cases to fix.

WCAG Reference 4.1.1

Name, role, value

We would like each field on the page to be associated with a label in code, however in some situations this isn’t the case. For example, checkboxes indicating table row selection or fields in tables. To fix this, we are working on updating how cases like this are coded.

We would also like all icons to have text descriptions in code so that it is clear to all users what they do. We found some that don’t have descriptions and we’ve logged them to fix.

WCAG Reference 4.1.2

Status messages

If a message appears, we would like it to be clear to all users. Right now, messages aren’t coded in a way that users of some assistive technologies would notice. To fix this, we’re developing how our messages are coded.

WCAG Reference 4.1.3

Reflow

Without the need to scroll the page horizontally, it is possible to use the web product on tablets with landscape (horizontal) orientation, as well as on larger screens than this. (separate mobile apps are available which will be covered by their own accessibility statements.)

However, if you use the product on tablets with portrait (vertical) orientation or on smaller screens such as smartphones, you will need to scroll horizontally to see all content.

All pages of the product would need to be fixed, including many pages with large tables of data. This would be costly. It’s often difficult to offer responsive variants of large tables without losing meaning and some WCAG guidance suggests that ‘two-dimensional layout for usage or meaning’ may be acceptable.

We believe that offering support for smaller screens would be a disproportionate burden within the meaning of the accessibility regulations. We will make regular further assessments.

WCAG Reference 1.4.10