A digital document is any document that exists as an electronic file or web page rather than on paper, so it has to work on a screen: readable, searchable, copyable and easy to pass on. The key judgement is the format, because an editable file, a file meant to stay unchanged and a web page each suit a different reader and a different next action.
Digital document: 390 average monthly searches.Google Ads Keyword Planner · 2026-10-09 · United States
One sentence that says what the document is for, who should act on it and the date the content reflects. A reader who opens a link from a chat message should know within ten seconds whether it concerns them.
Three to five points a reader needs if they stop here. Write them as complete statements, such as the decision reached or the deadline that applies, not as topics.
Short sections, each with a heading that states its content. Keep one idea per section and move long tables or lists into their own section so the reader can skip them.
Every action you need from a reader, with the name of the person responsible and the date it is due. Leave the due date marked as to be confirmed when it has not been set.
Links to supporting material, each with one line on what it contains and whether it is current. A link with no description forces the reader to open it to learn what it is.
Who maintains the document, when it last changed and whether it is a draft, final or superseded. Put this at the top or the bottom, where it is easy to find without scrolling past the body.
Total: 730 words
Weak: Background
Strong: Background: the supplier contract ends on March 31, so a replacement needs approval by February 1.
The heading states the stakes, so a reader can decide whether the detail below affects them.
Weak: Next steps
Strong: Next steps: Dana sends the revised quote by Friday, October 16. The team decides on October 20.
Each step has an owner and a date, which turns a list of intentions into a schedule.
Weak: See attached
Strong: Vendor scoring method (4 pages, last updated October 6): how each bid was weighted.
The reader knows what the file contains, its length and how current it is before opening it.
Weak: Click here for more
Strong: Read the full vendor scoring method
Link text that names the destination works for screen reader users who jump from link to link.
If colleagues will change the text, they need an editable file. If the wording must stay fixed once shared, give them a copy they cannot edit. A web page suits material with many links and short sections, and it opens on a phone without a separate download step.
Screen readers and the navigation pane in most editors move between sections by heading level. Mark sections with heading styles or heading tags, keep one top-level title, and do not use bold or a larger font alone to show structure.
Give every image a short text description of what it shows and why it matters. Repeat the key number from a chart in a sentence, because a chart that depends on colour alone fails some readers and cannot be read aloud.
A name such as vendor-review-2026-10-09-v2 lets people tell their copy from the current one. Move earlier versions into an archive folder instead of deleting them, so a question about a past decision can still be answered.
Send the page to colleagues when they should read it in a browser. Before you send it, check that nothing in it is meant only for a smaller group, such as pay details or a draft personnel decision.
Publish a public link only for text that anyone may read. Business documents often contain prices, names of staff or plans that are not announced, so review the whole page first.
Download the page as an HTML file when you need a copy to keep or to send as an attachment. The file is self-contained, so it can be opened as a single document in a browser, and it should carry the date and version in its name.
The WhatsApp share button sends the link to a phone. Add one sentence to the message that says what the document is and what the reader must do, because a link alone gives no context.
No. A PDF is one file format a digital document can take. A digital document can also be an editable word-processing file, a spreadsheet or a web page, so choose the format by what the reader will do with it rather than by the file extension.
No. The output is a single HTML page, so the only sharing routes are a link and an HTML download. A reader who needs a Word, PDF or spreadsheet copy should get it from the original text, which stays in the editor you wrote it in.
It depends on the document, the jurisdiction and how the signature and records are handled, so ask your own counsel before you rely on one. A web page or an unsigned file is not a signed agreement, and this guide does not give legal advice.
Use real heading levels, link text that names its destination, text descriptions for images and enough contrast between text and background. Then read the finished page from top to bottom without the layout to check that the order still makes sense.
Follow the eight-step wizard: type, assets and description, images, branding, contact and call to action, Atty Suggestions, blueprint, and generate. Atty generates one HTML page in the background. Review it, then publish and share the page link or download the HTML file.
