Bates numbering puts a unique identifier on every page of a set of documents, such as SMITH000001, SMITH000002 and so on. Once pages are numbered, anyone in a case can refer to an exact page without confusion, even across thousands of files.
The term comes from law, but auditors, HR teams, medical records departments and businesses use it too. Here's what it is, what a Bates number looks like, and how it's applied today.
01
Bates numbering, in plain terms
A Bates number is a page ID. Each page gets one, the numbers run in sequence across the whole set, and no two pages share a number. If a set is 4,000 pages across 300 files, the pages are numbered 1 to 4,000 continuously, with no restart per file.
The name comes from the Bates Automatic Numbering Machine, a hand stamp patented by Edwin G. Bates in the 1890s that moved to the next number after every press. Today the stamping is done in software, but the idea is the same.
Quick answerBates numbering is the practice of stamping a unique, sequential identifier on every page of a document set so each page can be tracked and cited.
02
What a Bates number looks like
Most Bates numbers have a prefix and a zero-padded number, and sometimes a suffix:
| Example | What it means |
|---|
| ABC000001 | Prefix ABC (a party or client code), six-digit number |
| SMITH-PROD-000154 | Party name, production label, number |
| DEF0000123-CONF | Number with a suffix marking the page confidential |
| ABC000001 to ABC000250 | A range: how a 250-page document is cited |
Zero padding keeps every number the same length so files sort correctly. Our Bates number format guide covers prefixes, padding and placement in detail.
05
How Bates numbers are added today
- One PDF: the free online Bates numbering tool stamps a number at the top or bottom of every page in your browser, with no upload.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro: has a built-in Bates numbering feature.
- Folders of PDFs: Magic Soft PDF Bates Numbering stamps whole folders offline, with prefixes, suffixes, live preview and a CSV log of what was stamped.
Step-by-step instructions are in how to add Bates numbers to a PDF.
06
Are there rules for Bates numbers?
There's no single universal format. The rules usually come from the case: an ESI protocol, a protective order, a court's local rules, or simply what the parties agree. Check those first, and keep the format the same from the first production to the last.
Summary
Bates numbering gives every page in a set a unique, sequential ID, usually a prefix plus a padded number. It makes large document sets traceable and citable. To number a set of PDFs, see how to Bates number multiple PDFs at once.
