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Native File Formats

Occasionally, it is useful to post documents in their native file formats such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This page describes the requirements and best practices for linking to these kinds of files.

Keep in mind, links to native documents will not be accessible to site visitors who do not have the native software program available on their system.

Requirements

These are required for all EERE Web sites.

Formatting Links to Native File Formats

EERE supports the following native file formats for direct placement on the Web (any other formats must be approved before use):

  • Word (.doc)
  • MS Excel (.xls)
  • PowerPoint files (.ppt)
  • PC executable files (.exe)
  • PC archived files (.zip)
  • Macintosh archived files (.hqx, .bin, .sit, .sea).

When referencing these types of files in a Web page, use the following format and link scheme: Title of Document (Software 54 KB).

Examples:
The Value of Renewables (MS Word 54 KB)
The Value of Renewables (Excel 54 KB)
The Value of Renewables (PowerPoint 54 KB).

Keep native file format documents in a separate directory (such as a "docs" directory).

Optimize PowerPoint Files for Accessibility

Most Office documents can be read by screen readers. For information on how to maximize accessibility for PowerPoint files, see Webaim's PowerPoint Accessibility page.

Best Practices

Following these best practices will result in a better search results for native documents.

Add Meta Tags to Native Files

Adding meta data to the title and subject fields of these types of documents creates better search engine summaries. Be sure to use these meta fields correctly; incorrect use or lack of meta fields adversely affects searches in the EERE's search engine. For more information on using meta fields to improve search results, review the information on the "Techniques for Optimizing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Documents for the EERE Search Engine" page or contact the EERE Search Specialist.

  • Title field – for every document, be sure the title field is filled in accurately.
  • Subject field – for every document, be sure the subject field is filled in accurately. Enter a summarized description of the document content, not to exceed 200 characters. The most important words should be in the first 150 characters.