Error prevention and correction

Synonyms: Error message, error messages, input instructions, context-specific help

See also: Required field labeling, , description , help and support, , authentication , form

Error messages inform users about incorrect entries or incorrect operations. Error messages help with the correction of errors. Error messages can be displayed

• after submitting a form,
• when filling out a form, or
• when operating the software.

Input instructions help users to avoid errors. These can be displayed

• on the form,
• on the respective form field, or
• when operating the software.

time limits.

label so that their purpose is identifiable. | Must | EN 301 549:
9.2.4.6, 11.2.4.6, 9.3.3.2, 11.3.3.2 | | @!9 | Error prevention | If the expected form field inputs cannot be derived clearly from the label of the form fields, additional input instructions must be provided (also see

Beschreibungen).

Note: Examples of input instructions include:

• Required field labeling,

• Instruction on the required input format,
• Instruction on the permissible value range.

• a legal or financial commitment is made (e.g. when a contract is concluded),
• user-managed data in a database is changed or erased, or
• solutions are communicated in the context of an examination,

• The submission of the form can be undone.
• The data is checked by the application for its accuracy, and users can subsequently correct any errors.
• Users are asked to check their data for its accuracy and to correct incorrect inputs.

• The submission of the form can be undone.
• The data is checked by the application for its accuracy and the users can subsequently correct any errors.
• The users are asked to check their data for its accuracy and are able to correct incorrect inputs.

context-sensitive Help option should be offered. | Should | WCAG 2.1: 3.3.5 (AAA) | | @!13 | Error prevention | If it is necessary to enter information (such as a user name and password) when logging in, a variant must be available so that users do not have to remember this information.

Note: The software can save the login data and enable the addition of the information from the clipboard or using a password manager.

Note 1: This also applies to information that may potentially be different, such as delivery and billing addresses. After inputting the delivery address, users can be given the opportunity to accept the information for the billing address automatically instead of having to enter it again.

Note 2: This does not apply if inputting the data again is an essential requirement, is necessary for security reasons, or the data is no longer valid.

Note: This does not apply if it presents a risk to the security or the purpose of the application, in authentication processes, for example.

status message , it must be marked so that the assistive technology is able to output it automatically.

Note: If the error message is automatically focused, it is not considered a status message.

Note: If the Accessibility API you use does not allow error messages to be communicated with a form field, the error messages must be sent as part of the

Accessible Name oder der

Accessible Description . In this case, the Accessible Description should preferably be used, so that the Accessible Name is not excessively long.

Note: If the Accessibility API you use does not allow for the communication of input instructions, the error messages must be communicated as part of the Accessible Name or the Accessible Description. In this case, the Accessible Description should preferably be used, so that the Accessible Name is not excessively long.

Accessibility API.

Note: Depending on the technology, the error status may only mean “incorrect” or be communicated in a more differentiated way (with respect to the criticality, for example, as a “note”, a “warning” or an “error”, or with respect to the error type during a spell check, for example, as “spelling”, “grammar” and “expression”).

Information about this article

Date:

15.01.2024

License:

CC-BY-SA 4.0

Version:

1.0

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