Success Criterion 3.3.4
Conformance level AA

Timeout That Auto-Submits and Commits a Final Transaction

3.3.4 — Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)

Scenario

Setting

An online spreadsheet's toolbar

What’s wrong

Auto-submitting final steps on timeout (compound with 2.2.1) committing the transaction.

Example

<button onclick="submitPayment()">Pay Now</button> <!-- no review step -->

Why it matters

Everyone in legal, financial, or data-changing flows — especially people prone to input mistakes.

How to test

Let a timed step expire: if it auto-submits and commits the transaction rather than warning first, it fails (also relevant to 2.2.1).

How to fix

The submission must be reversible, checked with a chance to correct, or confirmed through an editable review step.

<button onclick="showReviewStep()">Review Order</button>

<!-- review screen --> <button onclick="submitPayment()">Confirm Payment</button>

Legal, financial, or data-deleting submissions need a chance to review, correct, or confirm before they're final.

Outcome

On an online spreadsheet's toolbar, this barrier is gone for everyone in legal, financial, or data-changing flows — they can complete the task without hitting this wall.

Who is affected