---
title: "Associate data-table values with the correct headers"
description: "Verify a prepared table presents clear visible headers and a separate semantic audit confirms each sampled value has the intended row and column context."
canonical_url: "https://vostride.com/agent-library/accessibility-flows/table-header-association.md"
md_url: "https://vostride.com/agent-library/accessibility-flows/table-header-association.md"
content_kind: "recipe"
topic: "accessibility-flows"
---

# Associate data-table values with the correct headers

Verify a prepared table presents clear visible headers and a separate semantic audit confirms each sampled value has the intended row and column context.

## Risk

A visually aligned table can expose a flat sequence of values to assistive technology. Use ambiguous numeric values in different columns so incorrect header relationships are detectable in the semantic evidence.

## Fixtures

- A test capacity table has columns Team, Planned hours, and Actual hours with Cedar values 8 and 5 and Maple values 5 and 8.
- The fixture manifest records all four team-and-measure associations independently.
- A prepared accessibility-tree or manual screen-reader audit inspects column headers, row identity, and the context announced for each sampled cell.

## Steps

1. Open the capacity table and verify its three visible column headers and both team rows.
2. Verify Cedar displays planned 8 and actual 5, while Maple displays planned 5 and actual 8.
3. Run the separate semantic or screen-reader procedure on all four numeric cells.
4. Verify the evidence associates each number with the correct team and measure rather than merely announcing the number.
5. If the table supports horizontal scrolling, inspect its supported narrow layout and verify visual headers and the audited associations remain coherent.

## Expected results

- The rendered table matches the independent four-cell data oracle.
- Each sampled cell has the intended row and column context in separate accessibility evidence.
- The tested layout preserves those associations; interactive grid behavior and full compliance require additional purpose-specific checks.

## False-pass traps

- A number announced without its team and measure is insufficient because identical values occur in different columns.
- A screenshot of aligned headers cannot establish programmatic table semantics.

## Cleanup

- Delete the capacity table fixtures and restore the default table layout preference.

## Use with agent-qa

Adapt this test design to your application's acceptance criteria and configured target using the [recipe execution guide](/agent-library/software-factory/turn-a-recipe-into-an-agent-qa-test.md). External fixture setup and non-UI checks require your own supported hooks or test tooling. Validate the authored test, execute it, and inspect the completed evidence; this recipe is not a recorded test result.

## References

- [agent-qa test](/docs/agent-qa/configuration/test.md)
- [agent-qa first test](/docs/agent-qa/guides/first-test.md)
- [agent-qa web testing](/docs/agent-qa/guides/web-testing.md)

- [Accessibility workflow QA recipes](/agent-library/accessibility-flows.md)
- [Software factory QA library](/agent-library.md)