Bates numbering
Bates numbering is the practice of stamping every page or native file in a document production with a unique, sequential identifier, typically an alphanumeric prefix identifying the producing party followed by a fixed-length number, such as SMITH-000148. It lets any party cite a specific page unambiguously in briefs, depositions and at trial.
Also called: Bates stamp · Bates label · Bates number · production number · endorsement
Updated September 6, 2026
How does Bates numbering work?
Every image page in a production carries its number in a consistent position, the lower right corner by convention, along with any confidentiality designation. Numbers are assigned in a single unbroken sequence per producing party, so the range SMITH-000001 to SMITH-004311 tells you the size of the production and lets a gap be spotted immediately.
The load file carries the beginning and ending number for each document (BEGBATES, ENDBATES) and for its attachment family (BEGATTACH, ENDATTACH). That is how a citation to a single page resolves back to a document, a custodian and a family.
Bates numbering was made for paper. Its awkwardness with electronic data (spreadsheets, databases, chat) is one reason productions of those types use a placeholder page carrying the number rather than imaging the content.
What does Bates numbering look like in practice?
A four-page email with a spreadsheet attachment produced natively:
| Document | Bates range | Form |
|---|---|---|
| SMITH-000148 – SMITH-000151 | Four TIFF images, each stamped | |
| Attachment | SMITH-000152 | One placeholder image; native file named SMITH-000152.xlsx |
The family range is SMITH-000148 to SMITH-000152.
Bates continuity across a rolling production is checked before each volume leaves; see the production checklist.
How does Bates numbering show up on an eDiscovery invoice?
Bates endorsement is applied during production and is normally priced inside the production or export fee. Where providers charge separately it appears as an endorsement or branding line, per page. A re-production caused by a numbering error (an overlapping range, a skipped number, a wrong prefix) is often billed as a new production. Ask whether re-productions to correct the provider’s own error are charged.
Sources
- The Sedona Conference Glossary, “Bates number.”
- EDRM production guidance on endorsements and numbering.
Related terms
Document production · Load file · OPT file · ESI protocol · Redaction
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Common questions
Why is it called Bates numbering?
After the Bates Manufacturing Company, whose hand-held automatic numbering stamp was used on paper documents from the late nineteenth century. The name stayed when the practice moved to electronic productions.
What is a Bates prefix?
The letters before the number, identifying the producing party or the matter, for example SMITH- or ACME_. The ESI protocol should fix each party's prefix and the number of digits so ranges never collide.
How are native files Bates numbered?
A native file has no pages to stamp, so it receives a single Bates number applied to a one-page placeholder image and to the file name, for example SMITH-000152.xlsx. The ESI protocol should say whether the number is also embedded in the file's metadata.