Skip to main content

Alpha This guidance is in development. You can find current content and publishing guidance on GOV.UK.

Skip past section navigation
Attachments

Choose an attachment file type and file name

You need to choose the right file type and an appropriate file name for any attachments.

You should [choose a content type](link tbc) before you start with this step, as this can affect which file types you can attach to the page.

Choose an open file type

Choose the right file types so that your attachments meet the open standards principles.

These standards make sure attachments are uploaded in file types that can be opened with most free or paid-for software. This means they:

  • can be read and used by more people
  • help people to share their work more easily
  • make it easier and cheaper to do business with government

The open standards are different to the [guidance about creating accessible documents](link tbc), which you need to follow whatever file type you use.

You need to choose a file type based on the purpose of your attachment and the content type you’re using.

Attachment type File types to use
Guidance, papers, reports and other documents that users only need to read Use HTML if the content type is a publication, call for evidence or consultation and it’s in English or another [foreign language option](link tbc).

If it’s a different content type or language, use both ODT and another format like DOCX or PDF/A so users with different software can open it
Forms and other documents that users need to edit on their computer Use ODT and another editable format like DOCX or PDF, so users with different editing software can open it
Leaflets, booklets, forms that users need to print out and fill in by hand, as well as other documents with a fixed layout for printing Use PDF/A
Easy reads Use PDF/A, as you cannot create Easy Reads in HTML
Specialist Publisher documents like tribunal decisions or medical safety alerts that can be misused if edited Use PDF/A so the documents cannot be edited
Statistical data Use either ODS (if people need to read the data) or CSV (if machines need to read the data)
Command papers, House of Commons papers and unnumbered act papers (known collectively as ‘official documents’) Use both HTML and PDF/A

You can add attachments in these file types:

  • CHM
  • CSV
  • DIFF
  • DOC
  • DOCX
  • DOT
  • DXF
  • EPS
  • GIF
  • GML
  • ICS
  • JPG
  • KML
  • ODP
  • ODS
  • ODT
  • PDF
  • PDF/A
  • PNG
  • PPT
  • PPTX
  • PS
  • RDF
  • RIS
  • RTF
  • SCH
  • TXT
  • VCF
  • WSDL
  • XLS
  • XLSM
  • XLSX
  • XLT
  • XML
  • XSD
  • XSIT
  • ZIP

Consider online alternatives to form attachments

You may want to talk to your organisation’s digital team about using a form building platform like GOV.UK Forms or building a service so the user can provide the information online instead of using a form attachment.

If you want to link off to a form created on a third party service, like SurveyMonkey or SmartSurvey, check if your organisation has approved its use. If in doubt, ask your organisation’s data protection team.

Choose a meaningful file name

Do not use vague file names, for example, v62.pdf or application-form.pdf.

A good file name will make sense to the user if they find it in their download folder. It also makes it easier to analyse data about it.

The file name must:

  • be written entirely in lowercase
  • use hyphens or underscores instead of spaces
  • make sense out of context – for example, ‘v62-application-vehicle-registration-certificate.pdf’

The file name must not include:

  • a version number, ‘draft’, ‘clean’ or ‘final’, unless those words are part of the document title
  • a date, unless the date is part of the document title – for example, a business plan for 2016 to 2017