What the reader needs

Start a financial table with a clear question: what comparison should the reader make? Give each column a meaningful heading and identify units such as cards, US dollars or months. Keep totals visually distinct without making them the only legible numbers. If figures are assumptions or targets, label that status near the table. A striking presentation should not make gross sales look like profit or hide the period over which a target is intended to occur.

How to review it

Check the table in a narrow viewport and in a text-based reading order. Ask whether a reader can still connect each value with its row and column headings. Provide a concise written interpretation that explains the most important comparison and its limits. Use the implementation team’s accessible table structure rather than a screenshot of numbers where possible. Review rounding and totals separately from design, and make any downloadable model agree with the displayed figures.

Imagine this

Hypothetical example

A growth table shows country count, card target and gross retail value. The editor adds the US-dollar unit and an assumption note, then checks the mobile presentation. A nearby sentence explains that partner capital and retained profit are not included in the retail-sales column.

Make it practical.

Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.

References & further reading

Further reading: W3C WAI: Tables tutorial ↗

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