How to add PDF Bates numbering to your documents

What is Bates numbering?

Bates numbering was named after the man who patented the first Bates stamping device, Edwin G. Bates. Bates numbering is a method used to identify and label important documents, mainly in the legal profession. The very first devices were manual stamps, but since the creation of the electronic numbering system, the use of the stamp has become less and less popular.

How does it work?

Bates numbering is generally integrated within PDF software such as Soda PDF Anywhere. It’s used to index documents for quick identification and retrieval. Bates numbers can be numeric or alphanumeric, can contain a prefix and/or a suffix, and can be added to a certain page range or an entire document, depending on the situation.

Once the Bates numbering configuration is complete (positioning, font size, font type, page range, etc.), all that’s left to do is apply it to the document. The PDF software will automatically number the pages the user has selected (see image below).

Users also have the option of removing Bates numbers from a document, whether because they’ve made a mistake or because it is no longer necessary.

What are the benefits?

It would take a paralegal several hours to manually add Bates numbers to the pages of a lengthy document, and the chances of committing a human error are far greater than having the process digitally automated.

Having a PDF software that does the job with just a few clicks saves lawyers time and boosts overall efficiency levels. In this day and age, repetitive manual processes are slowly being replaced with automation, and it is saving companies money, time and resources.

Watch the tutorial video below to learn how to use Bates numbering in Soda PDF.

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