Documents

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This section explains how to upload, manage, and link to documents on your website.

Recommended File Format

Whenever possible, use the PDF format when publishing documents to the website. Other file types, such as .docx, .pptx, and .xlsx, are supported, but regardless of the format you choose, all documents must be accessible. See Creating Accessible Documents for accessibility guidance and best practices.

7.1 PDFs vs. Web Pages

Before You Upload a PDF

Before adding a PDF to your website, consider whether the content would be better presented as a webpage instead.

While converting a Google Doc or Microsoft Word document to a PDF can be a convenient way to share information online, it is not always the best option for several reasons:

1. PDFs often present major accessibility issues. Microsoft has a built-in tool for all its products. For the Google Workspace suite, everyone on campus has access to Grackle. Very Important: Departments that publish PDFs online are responsible for ensuring the files meet all of Swarthmore's accessibility standards. Inaccessible PDFs are subject to removal.
2. PDFs are harder to update than HTML pages. Updating a PDF requires fixing the original source document, rerunning accessibility checks, uploading a new version, and updating any links that reference it. Updating a webpage avoids these additional steps.
3. Older PDFs often continue to appear in search engine results even after they have been removed from a website. This can result in visitors accessing outdated information. A webpage, by contrast, typically presents only the current version.

To learn more about creating accessible PDFs with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, see Creating PDFs.

When should your content be a PDF?

Rarely is the simple answer. There is one situation where a PDF may be the better choice:

• Does the document require highly precise formatting that must be preserved for printing or distribution? If so, a PDF may be appropriate. Important: Even in this case, the PDF must still be fully accessible.

Otherwise, publishing the content as a webpage is usually the better option.

7.2 Accessibility Requirements

All documents hosted on Swarthmore.edu must comply with the College's ICT Accessibility Policy. Departments are responsible for ensuring that all documents shared online are accessible.

Our Creating PDFs guide provides step-by-step instructions for creating accessible documents. If you need assistance or encounter problems, please submit a support request and request an accessibility consultation.

Department Responsibility

Correcting accessibility issues is the responsibility of the department that published the document. Documents that do not meet the College's accessibility requirements are subject to removal.

7.3 Hosting Options

When hosting PDFs online, you have two primary options: Drupal or Google Drive. Each has advantages and disadvantages depending on your department's needs.

• Drupal — PDFs can be uploaded directly into Drupal.
  • Pros: Quick and easy to use. Documents can be indexed by search engines and appear in search results.
  • Cons: Drupal provides only a single document library. Creating subfolders is not supported, and there are no document-level permission settings.

File Organization

Because all Drupal documents are stored in a single document library, it is important to use clear, consistent file names. Following good file naming practices will make documents much easier to locate and manage over time.

• Google Drive — Documents can also be uploaded to your department's Google Drive folder. Every department has a Google Drive folder managed by ITS that can be used to share documents on your website.
  • Pros: Supports nested folders for organization and provides robust sharing and permission controls. For example, you can restrict a document so that it is available only to members of the Swarthmore community.
  • Cons: Requires signing into Google Drive, uploading the document, and creating a share link before it can be added to your website.

7.4 Uploading a Document to Drupal

1. Highlight the text that should become a link to the document. Be sure to include the file type by appending [PDF] to the end of the link text. This lets visitors know they are opening a document rather than another webpage.

2. Click the Link icon in the editor toolbar, or press Command + K (Mac).

Figure: Select the text and click the Link button.

3. The link dialog will appear next to the selected text. Click the Link to a Document button.

Figure: Select Link to a Document to browse or upload files.

4. The Link to a Document window will open. Choose either:

• Upload Document to upload a new file.
• Select Document to choose a document that has already been uploaded.

5. Select the appropriate document using the radio button to the left.

6. Click Select Document.

Figure: Select an existing document or upload a new one.

You will be returned to the previous dialog.

7. Expand the Advanced section.

8. Toggle Open in new window so it is enabled (green).

9. Click the green checkmark to save the link.

Figure: Enable Open in new window before saving the link.

1. The selected text will now appear as a link.
2. Save the page as either Draft or Published, then verify that the link works.

Figure: Save the page before testing the link.

Testing Document Links

You cannot test a document link directly from within the editor. Clicking the link while editing will reopen the link editor instead. Save the page first (as either Draft or Published) and then test the link from the rendered webpage.

Figure: Links clicked while editing will open the link editor instead of the document.

7.5 Uploading a Document to Google Drive

To learn more about sharing files from Google Drive, see Sharing a File from Google Drive.

1. After uploading your document to Google Drive and creating a share link, highlight the text that should become the link. Be sure to include the file type by appending [PDF] to the end of the link text. This lets visitors know they are opening a document rather than another webpage.

2. Click the Link icon in the editor toolbar.

Figure: Select the text and click the Link button.

3. The link dialog will appear next to the selected text. Paste the Google Drive share link into the Link URL field.

Figure: Paste the Google Drive share link into the Link URL field.

1. Expand the Advanced section.
2. Enable the Open in new window toggle so it is active (green). This will cause the document to open in a new browser tab.
3. Click the green checkmark to save the link.