This guide explains legal Bates workflows. BatesFast applies the identifiers; it does not replace review, redaction, or production validation.
What Are the Core Parts of a Bates Number?
A Bates format can include a prefix, a sequential number and an optional suffix. The prefix distinguishes the producing party or matter; leading zeros keep the sequence sortable. Any suffix must be defined in the agreed format. A changeable confidentiality designation is usually easier to manage separately from the stable page identifier.
ABC-000123 identifies page 123 in the ABC series. ABC-000123-CONF is an illustrative agreed-format suffix, not a universal legal standard. If a designation later changes, follow the agreed correction procedure without silently reusing or renumbering the page identifier.
Some matters also insert a short separator segment between prefix and number for readability on very long prefixes, though this is the exception rather than the rule. The overriding design goal for any format decision is the same: a reader unfamiliar with the case should be able to look at one Bates number and correctly infer who produced it and roughly where in the sequence it falls, without needing to consult a separate key.
| Scenario | Example format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single-party production | ABC-000001 | Prefix ties every page back to the producing party |
| Confidential page under a protective order | ABC-000123-CONF | Only if the agreed protocol requires a stable suffix |
| Attorneys' eyes only | ABC-000456-AEO | Protocol-specific example; keep changeable treatment separate where possible |
| Large multi-custodian matter | SMITH-00000001 | 8-digit padding gives headroom past 1,000,000 pages |
| Plaintiff vs. defendant productions | PL-000001 / DEF-000001 | Distinct prefixes prevent citation collisions between parties |
How Many Digits Should You Pad?
Padding exists so that every number in the sequence has the same character length, which keeps the numbers sorting correctly as plain text and keeps citations visually aligned in briefs and exhibit lists. Six digits, covering 000001 through 999999, is the de facto default and comfortably covers the overwhelming majority of matters.
Larger productions, or ones where several custodians' documents will eventually be merged into a single running sequence, are safer with 7 or 8 digits from the outset. Re-padding a sequence after numbers have already gone out in a production is disruptive: every prior citation would need to be reissued, so the better move is to over-provision digits up front rather than guess conservatively.
Choosing a Prefix Convention
The prefix is usually a short abbreviation: the party name (SMITH), a role (PL for plaintiff, DEF for defendant), or a custodian or vendor code in a multi-custodian matter. Keep it short — three to six characters is typical — because it repeats in front of every single page number for the life of the case.
Agree on prefixes with opposing counsel before production begins whenever possible. Two parties independently choosing the same prefix is a common and entirely avoidable source of confusion, since it produces two different pages that could be cited by an identical-looking string.
Confidentiality and Redaction Suffixes
Some agreed formats use suffixes such as -CONF or -AEO. Treat these as protocol-specific examples, not a default requirement. A handling designation may later change, while the page identifier should remain stable. Read the confidentiality designation guide before combining the two.
Some productions also use a suffix or a separate marker for redacted pages, so reviewers can immediately see that a page's Bates number corresponds to content that has been withheld in part. Whatever suffix vocabulary a matter adopts, document it once in the numbering protocol and apply it consistently, since inconsistent suffix use is one of the more common sources of rolling-production disputes.
Where Should the Stamp Sit on the Page?
The bottom-right corner of the page is the long-standing convention, chosen because it rarely overlaps existing content and stays visible even when documents are stapled or bound along the left edge. Placing the stamp consistently across an entire production also makes it easy to spot at a glance during a manual review of printed pages.
Coordinating Format Across Multiple Vendors or Reviewers
Large matters often involve more than one law firm, e-discovery vendor, or internal reviewer applying numbers at different points in the case. Without a shared reference, it is easy for one team to pad to six digits while another defaults to seven, or for one reviewer to write a suffix as -Conf while another writes -CONF. Text-based sorting and search treat these as different strings, which quietly breaks citation consistency even though the numbers look almost identical to a human reader.
The fix is procedural rather than technical: write the numbering protocol down in one page, share it with every vendor and reviewer before stamping begins, and spot-check a sample of early output against that protocol before the bulk of a production goes out. A five-minute check on the first batch is far cheaper than reissuing thousands of pages after a formatting drift is discovered midway through review.
Common Formatting Mistakes That Cause Rework
The most frequent error is under-padding a sequence and running out of headroom mid-production, which forces an awkward format change partway through a case. A close second is letting two different vendors or reviewers apply numbers with slightly different prefix casing or punctuation, producing a technically inconsistent sequence that looks unified only at a glance.
- Starting with 4-digit padding on a matter that turns out to exceed 10,000 pages.
- Mixing upper and lower case in the same prefix across different batches.
- Allowing a stamp to overlap existing text or a signature block.
- Forgetting to document the suffix vocabulary before multiple reviewers begin stamping.
BatesFast applies legal Bates identifiers with the custom prefix, zero padding and continuous numbering that carry across every file in the set.
Common questions
How many digits should my Bates numbers use?
Six digits (000001 to 999999) covers most matters, but if the case could plausibly run past a million pages, or if several custodians will be merged into one sequence, pad to 7 or 8 digits from the start rather than reformatting later.
Can I change the prefix partway through a production?
It is best avoided. Changing the prefix mid-sequence forces everyone tracking the case to remember which range belongs to which prefix. If a new custodian or entity must be distinguished, start a new sequence with its own prefix rather than altering the existing one.
What happens if two productions use the same prefix?
Colliding prefixes create ambiguous citations, since the same string could point to two different pages from two different parties. Counsel typically agree on prefixes in advance, or one side appends a distinguishing suffix, to keep every number unique across the whole case.
Should Bates numbers include dashes?
A single dash between the prefix and the digits (SMITH-000001) is the most common convention and reads cleanly in citations. Extra punctuation beyond the prefix separator and an optional suffix separator tends to make numbers harder to scan and type accurately.
What is the difference between Bates numbering, naming and stamping?
Numbering assigns the identifier to a record, naming saves each file under that identifier, and stamping burns the mark visibly onto the page. A production may involve all three, and an ESI protocol that specifies only one of them tends to produce disagreements later about what was actually required.
Can a Bates number be changed after production?
Not unilaterally. Once documents are produced the identifiers are relied on by every party, so corrections generally require notifying the other side and issuing a formal correction. Courts and ESI protocols expect one continuous numbering system for the matter rather than a revised one.
Further reading: EDRM E-Discovery Glossary.