What is Bates numbering?
Updated November 4, 2026 · 5 min read
Bates numbering gives every page in a set of documents its own unique, sequential identifier, such as ACME000001, ACME000002 and so on. It is standard practice in litigation and common in audits, regulatory submissions and records management.
Where the name comes from
It is named after the Bates Automatic Numbering Machine, a mechanical stamp patented in the late 1800s that advanced its number by one with every press. Law firms used it to stamp paper documents; today the numbers are added digitally to PDFs.
Why it is used
- Precise references. “See ACME000417” points to exactly one page among thousands, in court, in depositions and in correspondence.
- Completeness. A continuous sequence shows that no page was removed or added.
- Organization. Productions from different parties can use different prefixes so pages never get mixed up.
Anatomy of a Bates number
- Prefix: a short code for the party, client or case, e.g.
SMITHorDEF-. - Number: a counter padded with leading zeros to a fixed width, e.g. six digits.
- Optional suffix or label, such as “CONFIDENTIAL”, often placed alongside the number.
Numbers are usually placed in the bottom-right corner, away from existing content.
How to add Bates numbers to a PDF
- If you have several files, merge them into one document in the right order, or number them one at a time and continue the sequence.
- Open PDFHeron’s Bates numbering tool.
- Set the prefix, the start number and the number of digits. The dialog shows a preview such as DOC000001, DOC000002…
- Keep the
{bates}placeholder bottom right, or move it to another position. Add a label like “CONFIDENTIAL” in another position if needed. - Apply and save.
To continue a sequence in the next file, set the start number to one more than the last page of the previous file.
Good practice
- Redact first, then number. Redacted pages are flattened when saved, and the Bates numbers you add are kept on top.
- Keep a log of which number ranges went to which recipient.
- Never reuse numbers. If a document changes, produce a new range.