DOCUMENT CENTER For local governments
A searchable document center for local governments.
Document Center keeps ordinances, budgets, reports and forms in folders residents can browse, with search that looks inside the files. Every upload is checked for accessibility problems against WCAG 2.1 AA before it goes live, so your staff catch a missing title or untagged PDF before a resident does.
- Every tool included
- WCAG 2.1 AA
- Works with BS&A
Why do residents call for documents that are already online?
Years of uploads end up in folders named after the person who made them. Files are named scan_0412.pdf, search only reads page titles, and nobody knows which of three budgets is current.
What residents run into
- A resident searching for the dog ordinance gets nothing, because search can't see inside the PDF.
- Folder names make sense to the office, not to someone looking for a building permit form.
- An outdated fee schedule sits next to the current one with no way to tell them apart.
What your staff deal with
- Your staff answer calls and records requests for files that are already posted.
- Nobody learns a PDF is inaccessible until a resident complains.
- Old files can't be removed safely, so they stay mixed in with current ones.
How does uploading a document work?
The checks happen while you upload, not months later in an audit.
Choose a folder and tags
Your staff file the document in a folder residents will recognize, like Budgets or Permits, and add tags such as the year or department.
The file is checked
Each upload is checked for common accessibility problems, like a missing title, no tags or a scanned page with no text, with a note on what to fix.
It goes live and becomes searchable
Once published, the text inside the file is part of search, so residents find it by what it says, not just by its name.
Older records get flagged
When a document is superseded, flag it as archived so residents can tell current files from historical ones.
What does Document Center include?
The files you already post, made easier to find and easier to keep accessible.
Folders and tags residents can browse
Organize by what residents look for, like Permits, Budgets or Elections, and add tags so the same file can show up under its year and its department.
Search inside documents
Search reads the text inside PDFs and other files, so typing "snow emergency" finds the ordinance that mentions it even if the file name says nothing useful.
Accessibility check on every upload
Problems like a missing document title, untagged headings or a scanned page with no real text are flagged before the file goes live, with a clear note your staff can act on.
Archive flag for older records
Mark superseded budgets, past reports and old plans as archived. They stay available for anyone who needs them, clearly separated from current documents.
Built accessible
Catch PDF problems at upload, not in a complaint
Under ADA Title II, the PDFs and other documents on your community's website have to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, the same as the pages around them. Automated checks catch only some issues, so a flagged file still needs a person to look at it, but finding problems at upload is far cheaper than finding them later. Our PDF guide covers what to fix first.
Which state rules put documents on the website?
Some state laws name the website as a place for specific documents, or reward you for posting records there. These rows come from our state guides. Follow the state for the full section and statute.
| State | Requirement | What the law says | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | Records posted online | A fully searchable website lets the office limit digital delivery to 10 records a month per requester, with exceptions | R.C. 149.43(B)(7) (opens in a new tab) |
| Indiana | Municipal advisor contracts | Publish in a prominent location on the website and upload to the Gateway | IC 5-1-14-19 (opens in a new tab) |
| Wisconsin | Budget changes | Class 1 notice or a notice posted on the website within 15 days | Wis. Stat. § 65.90(5) (opens in a new tab) |
Questions about Document Center.
Short answers, linked to the law where it applies. Ask us anything else on a demo.
Do PDFs on a local government website have to be accessible?
Yes. The ADA Title II rule covers documents you post, including PDFs, Word files and spreadsheets, and applies WCAG 2.1 AA to them. There are limited exceptions for some older files (28 CFR 35.201 (opens in a new tab)), and the PDF guide explains which ones to fix first.
Does marking a document as archived make it exempt?
Not on its own. The archive exception covers content made before your compliance date, kept only for reference, research or recordkeeping, not changed since and stored in an area clearly marked as archived (28 CFR 35.201 (opens in a new tab)). The archive flag helps with that last condition, but the others still have to be true.
Will search find text in scanned PDFs?
Only if the PDF has a text layer. A scanned page with no text is just a picture, which is also why W3C calls it inaccessible (W3C PDF7 (opens in a new tab)). The upload check flags those files so your staff know which ones need text added before search or a screen reader can use them.
Does the upload check guarantee a document is accessible?
No. Automated checks catch common problems such as missing titles, missing tags and image-only pages, but they can't judge everything, like whether alt text makes sense or reading order is right. Treat a clean check as a good start and spot-check important documents by hand.
Can we move our existing documents over?
Yes. When we build your community's new website we move your ordinances, budgets, forms and reports and sort them into folders residents can browse, so nothing you posted over the years is left behind. See what else moves over on the websites page.
Want to see an upload get checked?
Bring a real PDF to the demo. We'll upload it, show what the check flags and how residents find it in search.