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Missing id's in a table when checking in Acrobat

Forum|Forum|24 days ago
August 31, 2026
12 replies
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When I create a table in InDesign 21.5.1 for an accessible PDF, IDs are not automatically generated. In Acrobat, the ID fields remain empty. In tutorials, however, I see that these are automatically filled in. Am I overlooking something?

Correct answer Ramanjulu24343519g94g

Hi @Frans v.d. Geest @Rudi Spitzers,

A useful distinction between simple and complex tables is:

Simple tables contain a single column header row and/or a single row header column, with no merged or spanned header cells. The relationship between data cells and their headers can be determined directly from the table structure.
Complex tables contain multiple column header rows, multiple row header columns, merged/spanned header cells, nested headers, or other structures where header relationships cannot be reliably inferred from the structure alone.

InDesign automatically generates IDs for complex tables, where explicit associations between data cells and their corresponding row and column headers are required. This helps screen readers correctly identify and announce the applicable headers during table navigation.

For simple tables, InDesign intentionally does not generate IDs because they are typically unnecessary. Screen readers can determine the row and column header context directly from the table structure. This behavior was adopted based on feedback from accessibility experts and standards discussions to avoid adding unnecessary ID/Header associations when the relationships are already programmatically determinable.

This approach is consistent with the intent of accessibility standards such as PDF/UA and WCAG, which require header relationships to be programmatically determinable, but do not require explicit ID/Header associations for every table. Such associations become necessary primarily for complex tables.

Could you let us know whether you are experiencing any actual accessibility issues with the generated PDF? For example, are screen readers unable to identify the correct row or column headers, or is Acrobat or PDF accessibility checker(PAC) reporting a specific accessibility error related to the missing IDs? If the table is structurally simple and assistive technologies are correctly announcing the headers, then the absence of IDs in Acrobat is expected behavior and should not, by itself, be considered an accessibility issue

Thanks.

Rama,

R

Ramanjulu24343519g94g

Participant

@Frans v.d. Geest

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We understand that you have already raised a ticket regarding this behavior.

We are also reviewing the ID-generation logic internally to ensure the behavior is clear and intuitive for content creators, and to determine whether improvements are needed.

Based on your comments, our understanding is that you are requesting:

IDs to be generated for all table headers, regardless of the table structure.
The Convert to Header Column option to be available even when the table contains a row with fully merged cells.

Currently, InDesign enables the Convert to Header Column option only when each row contains at least two columns.

Could you please confirm whether the above accurately reflects your requirements, or if there are additional expectations that we should consider as part of our review?

Frans v.d. Geest

Community Expert

@Ramanjulu24343519g94g your points:

Not exactly, straight forward non-complex table headers do indeed not need the ID’s cell association, but it does not hurt either; so simply always creating them could be simpler to program than some ‘decision’ on when needed or not needed.
Yes, see the examples that I gave, Row headers are needed but InDesign’s option to convert parts of the column is now impossible.

So maybe instead of thinking on Row and Column level as complete blocks, think of it at CELL level, convert selected CELLS to a row/column header (like MadeToTag does!) Combined with associated ID’s for TD’s it solves empty header cells (for instance the left upper intersection when blank, see example above) that need to be TD and not TH, and it would make complex TH and TD cell tagging possible in tables like the examples on W3 org.(Although the design of this example should be simplified, the advice given also there, but sometimes clients won’t allow you to do so 😞)

R

Ramanjulu24343519g94g

Participant

Hi @Frans v.d. Geest @Rudi Spitzers

Could you please review the W3C guidance below regarding the use of header IDs and explicit header-to-data cell associations for complex tables?

If possible, please share a representative sample table. This will help us verify whether the table falls into a multi-level/complex table category where IDs are expected. Our current assessment is that InDesign is not generating these header IDs, when not required.

CC: @Gaurav Ahlawat @naina bhandari

Frans v.d. Geest

Community Expert

@Ramanjulu24343519g94g What would InDesign do with this one example on the w3c page for instance?

R

Ramanjulu24343519g94g

Participant

[Deleted]

Rudi SpitzersAuthor

Known Participant

I noticed that when merge cells in the header row it will add the id’s to the bodycells.

Thanks Rama and Frans

R

Ramanjulu24343519g94gCorrect answer

Participant

Hi @Frans v.d. Geest @Rudi Spitzers,

A useful distinction between simple and complex tables is:

Simple tables contain a single column header row and/or a single row header column, with no merged or spanned header cells. The relationship between data cells and their headers can be determined directly from the table structure.
Complex tables contain multiple column header rows, multiple row header columns, merged/spanned header cells, nested headers, or other structures where header relationships cannot be reliably inferred from the structure alone.

InDesign automatically generates IDs for complex tables, where explicit associations between data cells and their corresponding row and column headers are required. This helps screen readers correctly identify and announce the applicable headers during table navigation.

For simple tables, InDesign intentionally does not generate IDs because they are typically unnecessary. Screen readers can determine the row and column header context directly from the table structure. This behavior was adopted based on feedback from accessibility experts and standards discussions to avoid adding unnecessary ID/Header associations when the relationships are already programmatically determinable.

This approach is consistent with the intent of accessibility standards such as PDF/UA and WCAG, which require header relationships to be programmatically determinable, but do not require explicit ID/Header associations for every table. Such associations become necessary primarily for complex tables.

Could you let us know whether you are experiencing any actual accessibility issues with the generated PDF? For example, are screen readers unable to identify the correct row or column headers, or is Acrobat or PDF accessibility checker(PAC) reporting a specific accessibility error related to the missing IDs? If the table is structurally simple and assistive technologies are correctly announcing the headers, then the absence of IDs in Acrobat is expected behavior and should not, by itself, be considered an accessibility issue

Thanks.

Rama,

Frans v.d. Geest

Community Expert

@Ramanjulu24343519g94g You are right that for simple straight forward rows and columns you don’t need associated id’s, however it won’t hurt either. I guess the question is when the software decides a table is complex…

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @Rudi Spitzers,

Thanks for reporting this and for the additional testing shared by Frans.

I’ve reported the behavior to our product team for further investigation. I’ll update this thread once I have more information from the team.

Thanks for your patience!

Abhishek

Frans v.d. Geest

Community Expert

Hi Rudi, it seems pretty random, you need at least AND Row headers AND column headers for this to, sometimes, work. In my testing I got assigned ID’s on a table, then on another table I didn’t. You are not overlooking things, it seems the programmers did ;-)

Rudi SpitzersAuthor

Known Participant

Thanks Frans.

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