File Formatting
File Formatting
Set File Type & Name
- Is the file saved as a .xlsx (or CSV if this is a data set)?
- Is the file name lowercase with hyphens for spaces and NO special characters?
- Is the document file name concise, generally limited to 25 characters, and does it make the contents of the file clear?
How?
- Go to File > Save As.
- Save as a Excel Spreadsheet (,xlsx).
- Save your document with a descriptive filename using only lowercase letters with hyphens for spaces and NO other special characters (!@#$%^&*).
Why is this important?
The first piece of information a user will encounter is the file name. The file name should succinctly describe the purpose of the document. Some symbols are not recognized by operating systems and may result in a broken link. Search engines read hyphens as spaces, allowing your document to easily be found by search engines.
Resources
Provide Document Title
- Does the file have a document title?
How?
- Go to File and select Info in the left column.
- Then select the drop-down menu for Properties on the right side of the screen.
- Select "Advanced Properties" from the drop-down menu.
- Select the "Summary" tab in the "Properties" window.
- Enter the document title.
You may also want to enter the subject, author or keywords to improve search results – but only the document title is required.
Why is this important?
Screen readers and search engines use the document title to identify the purpose of the document. The full title in the body of the document may be used as the document title.