Add Bates numbers
Bates numbers give every page a unique, sequential identifier such as ABC-000001, commonly used for legal and document-control work. In the app: Help ▸ Show me.
Add Bates numbers
- Open Document ▸ Bates Numbering….
- Fill in the fields (table below). The preview shows the current page.
- Choose Apply. A message reports the last number used.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Prefix | Text before the number, for example ABC- |
| Suffix | Text after the number |
| Start number | Number on the first selected page (default 1) |
| Digits | Zero-padded length, 1 to 12 (default 6) |
| Position | Header or footer; left, centre or right (default Footer, right) |
| Font, Size, Colour | Helvetica, Times or Courier; default 10 pt, black |
| Pages / Apply to | A range such as 1-3,5, and All, Odd or Even pages |
With prefix CASE-, start 101 and 6 digits, the first page reads CASE-000101.
Note
Numbering follows the pages you select. If you choose a page range, only those pages are numbered, in order.
Tip
To continue numbering from a previous file, set Start number to the next number after the earlier "last number" message.
Change or remove
Bates numbers are written into the page content and cannot be edited in place. If the document already has them, the dialog offers Replace the existing Bates numbers; keep it ticked to renumber.
To take them off, choose Document ▸ Remove Bates numbers. This is enabled only when the document contains Bates numbers. Encrypted (read-only) documents cannot be numbered.
Each apply or remove is one step you can reverse (Undo and redo). Save afterwards (Save and print). For other page text see Headers, footers and page numbers.