Add Bates numbers to PDFs on Mac

What is Bates numbering?

Bates numbering gives every page in a set of documents its own number, like SMITH000001, SMITH000002 and so on. Lawyers use it so everyone in a case can point to the exact same page. You'll see it on discovery documents, exhibits, court filings and records requests.

A Bates number usually has two parts:

• A prefix, like a client name, case code or party name
• A number with leading zeros, so every number is the same length

How to add Bates numbers to one PDF (free)

1. Open the PDF in PDFBirdie.
2. Choose Tools > Watermark, Header and Footer.
3. Turn on Bates numbers.
4. Type a prefix, like SMITH.
5. Set the start number and how many digits to use. Six digits turns 1 into 000001.
6. Pick the Position, the corner where the number goes.
7. Check the preview, then click Apply.
8. Save the PDF.

You can undo it in one step if something looks wrong.

How to Bates number many PDFs at once

When a production has lots of files, number them all in one run so the numbering continues from file to file.

1. On PDFBirdie's start screen, click Batch.
2. Drop in your PDFs, or click Choose PDFs. Put them in the order you want them numbered.
3. Choose Add Bates numbers, then set the prefix, start number, digits and corner.
4. Click Preview First File to check it.
5. Click Run on [number] Files.

If the first file ends on SMITH000040, the second file starts at SMITH000041. PDFBirdie saves new numbered copies and leaves your originals alone.

Bates stamp PDFs from Finder or Shortcuts

If you number documents often, set it up once and run it from Finder.

PDFBirdie adds an Add Bates Numbers action to the Shortcuts app. Build a shortcut with that action and a Save File action, then turn on Use as Quick Action for Finder. After that, select PDFs in Finder, Control-click and choose Quick Actions.It works in AppleScript too, through Shortcuts Events, if your office runs scripted workflows.

Bates numbering software for Mac without a subscription

Most Bates tools are Windows apps, small single-purpose apps or part of a pricey subscription. PDFBirdie covers Bates numbering along with the other things a legal team does to the same files:

• Redact names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers and email addresses before production. Redact PDFs
• Compare two drafts to see every word that changed. Compare two PDFs
• Save as PDF/A, the format many courts ask for.
• Stamp pages Received, Approved or Confidential.
• Remove metadata like the author name before you send a file. Remove PDF metadata

All of it is free.