Bates Numbering
Batch Bates numbering across an entire production set
One continuous counter across every page of every file. Configurable prefix and suffix, digit padding, six-position placement, confidentiality labels, skip-first-page with counter-advance control. Built for ediscovery production.
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Bates numbers are how a 50,000-page production becomes referenceable
A litigation discovery set is rarely one document. It is a thousand documents totalling forty thousand pages, half of them produced by your client and half by opposing counsel, half from email exports and half from custodial collections, half privileged-log entries that never leave your office. Without page-level identifiers, a deposition exhibit reference ("see exhibit 12 of the production at the section on the WidgetCo deal") is unverifiable. Without continuous numbering across files, an in-camera review by a special master can't reconstruct what was disclosed when.
Bates numbering is the technical solution: every page in the production gets a unique stamp, the stamps run sequentially, and the prefix identifies the production. SMITH000001 through SMITH004500 is one production. SMITH004501 through SMITH008200 is a supplemental production. Every reference, citation, motion, and privilege-log entry uses these numbers as the canonical handle.
Numbering format
Prefix, counter, suffix — with a live preview
The stamp is constructed as prefix + zero-padded counter + suffix. The configurable pieces:
Prefix Free text (matter code, party name, set ID)
Starting number Where the counter begins (often 1, sometimes resumed at N)
Digit padding 1 to 10 zeros (most productions use 6 or 7)
Suffix Free text (rare, but supported for special formats)
Examples:
Prefix=ABC, pad=6, start=1 → ABC000001, ABC000002, ABC000003
Prefix=SMITH-, pad=7, start=1 → SMITH-0000001, SMITH-0000002
Prefix=REG-, pad=6, start=1001 → REG-001001, REG-001002, REG-001003
Prefix=ABC, pad=6, suffix=-CONF → ABC000001-CONF, ABC000002-CONFA live sample updates as you type, so you can verify the format matches your production-protocol spec before committing to a 4,500-page run. Common sense applies: pick a padding wide enough that you won't run out of digits halfway through the production. Six digits handles up to 999,999 pages; seven handles up to 9,999,999.
Placement and labels
Six positions, configurable margin, paired confidentiality label
Six standard positions
Top-left, top-center, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-center, bottom-right. Bottom-right is the most common discovery convention; top-right is common in technical documents. Pick one position per production set so receiving counsel knows where to look.
Margin and font size
Margin from the page edge in inches; font size in points. The defaults work for most letter and A4 source documents, but oversized engineering drawings or condensed forms may need adjustment to keep the stamp clear of body content.
Confidentiality label
A second piece of text stamped on the opposite edge of the same page — CONFIDENTIAL, ATTORNEYS' EYES ONLY, HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL, or any custom string. Most stipulated protective orders require this designation alongside the Bates number on every page.
Skip first page
Optional toggle to leave each file's cover page unstamped. Independent control over whether the counter advances on skipped pages or holds — required by some production protocols, prohibited by others. Both behaviors are supported.
The continuous counter
One counter, every file, in list order
The counter starts at the configured starting number and advances continuously through every page of every file in the queue. The last page of file 1 flows straight into the first page of file 2. There are no gaps and no resets — the production reads as one numbered set even though it spans hundreds of source documents.
After the run, per-file results report the first Bates number, the last Bates number, and the total page count for each file. The operation log records the full mapping — file42.pdf was Bates-stamped SMITH001247 through SMITH001293, 47 pages — so the production index is complete the moment the run ends. That index is what gets attached to the production cover letter.
Use Cases
Every production set, numbered correctly the first time
Initial Discovery Production
A litigation team produces 4,500 pages of responsive documents. Prefix SMITH, six-digit padding, starting at 1. One run stamps the entire set as SMITH000001–SMITH004500, ready to ship to opposing counsel with the production index auto-generated from the operation log.
Supplemental Production
Three months later, additional documents come in scope. Same prefix, same padding, but starting at 4,501 to continue the original sequence. Output reads SMITH004501–SMITH006200 — immediately recognizable as a supplement to the prior production.
Privileged Review Binder
A paralegal builds a privileged review binder. Prefix PRIV, six-digit padding, confidentiality label ATTORNEYS' EYES ONLY on the opposite edge. Skip-first-page is on with the counter holding so cover sheets stay unstamped and the count matches the privilege log.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Bates numbering matter for discovery production?
Bates numbering gives every page in a document set a unique, citable identifier. Counsel can reference SMITH004127 and the receiving party knows exactly which page is meant — across thousands of pages spread over hundreds of documents. Without consistent Bates numbers, a deposition citation, a motion exhibit reference, or a privilege-log entry has nothing stable to point at. It is the technical baseline for every meaningful discussion of a discovery set.
How do prefix, suffix, and digit padding combine?
The stamp is constructed as prefix + zero-padded counter + suffix. Prefix ABC, padding 6, suffix empty produces ABC000001, ABC000002, ABC000003. Prefix SMITH-, padding 7, suffix -CONF produces SMITH-0000001-CONF, SMITH-0000002-CONF. The live preview shows what the first stamp will look like before you commit. Padding 1 to 10 digits supported.
Where on the page does the stamp land?
Six standard positions are available: top-left, top-center, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-center, bottom-right. Page margin is configurable in inches. Bottom-right is the most common for discovery production; top-right is common for technical documents. Pick one consistent corner per production set so receiving parties know where to look.
Can I add a confidentiality label alongside the Bates number?
Yes. The Confidentiality label field stamps text like CONFIDENTIAL, ATTORNEYS' EYES ONLY, or HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL on the opposite edge of the same page. Each stamped page carries both the Bates number and the protective-order designation, which is what most stipulated protective orders require.
Can the counter skip cover pages?
Yes. Enable Skip first page and every file's cover sheet is left unstamped. You also choose whether the counter advances through skipped pages or holds. Holding produces a tighter Bates range; advancing keeps cover pages numbered (just unstamped) so total page count matches the counter range — both behaviors are sometimes required by court rules or production protocols.
Does Bates stamping invalidate existing signatures?
Yes — stamping modifies the page content, which invalidates any signature attached to those pages. For signed source documents, the typical production workflow is to redact, Bates-number, watermark, and encrypt as the production output, while keeping the signed originals separately as a custodial reference.
Production-ready Bates stamps in one click
Continuous numbering across every file, confidentiality labels, six-position placement. Complimentary 14-day trial.
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