Explainer
What is Bates numbering?
Bates numbering is a way to add a unique page-by-page reference to a document
production so every page can be cited clearly. The most common format is a
prefix plus a zero-padded number, such as SMITH-000001.
What a Bates number looks like
A Bates number usually combines three parts: a prefix, a delimiter, and a
running number. For example, CLIENT-000245 uses the prefix
CLIENT, a hyphen, and a six-digit sequence.
The important part is consistency. Once a production starts at page 1, the numbering should continue in order through every page of every file in the set.