Span Tags in CommonLook Office

What's with all these Span tags in my CommonLook Office-generated PDF?

When CommonLook Office generates a PDF, it takes the source file and, with the help of the decisions and verifications the user makes, generates the appropriate PDF tags. One thing you might notice, if you poke around in the PDF Tags tree, is that CommonLook Office has placed the content in Span tags nested inside the Heading, P, and other "structural" tags.  Have no fear - this is entirely by design, is in complete compliance, and will have no negative impact on the accessibility of your document. 

Span tags serve a variety of purposes.  They can be very helpful to ensure "nesting rules" for tags and their content are being followed.  They also allow for the manipulation of tag properties and attributes while not changing the "semantics" of the tag itself.  CommonLook Office uses Span tags to make some of these needed adjustments, but the reality is that the vast majority of tags will not need them. The decision to use Span tags within the PDF tags was made by our development for two main reasons. 

• It does not affect the accessibility of the document negatively in any way. The use of Span tags will not inhibit proper reading of the document or jeopardize compliance in any way, 
• Using Span tags to contain the content, directly, helps ensure the tag "nesting rules" are being followed, according to the PDF specifications (ISO 32000 and PDF/UA),
• Including Span tags allows CommonLook Office to add the needed properties and/ or tag attributes whenever the situation calls for it. 

In summary, having Span tags can be a bit confusing for some curious users, but has no negative effects on the accessibility of your document.