How to Bates Stamp with Adobe
For several decades, the Bates numbering system has been the standard method of numbering legal documents for organization and ease of reference. Until recently, the only way to accomplish Bates numbering was to use a manual Bates stamp, a self-inking stamping device that imprints sequential six- or seven-digit numbers on documents. However, Adobe Acrobat Professional software (versions 8 and higher) now allows users to electronically apply Bates numbering to any document created on or scanned into a computer in just a few short steps.
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Instructions
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1
Open Adobe Acrobat Professional.
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Click the "Advanced" tab on the menu bar at the top of the screen and select "Document Processing." Select "Bates Numbering" and "Add" from the pop-up menu.
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3
Select the files to which you wish to add Bates numbering. Add files to the list in the "Selected Files" column by clicking "Browse" under the "Add Files" menu to search your computer for the desired files and clicking "Add."
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4
Arrange the files in the order you wish to number them in the right column of the Bates Numbering menu. Click "Next."
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Enter the font type, color and size, the location of the numbers and any accompanying text in the pop-up menu. Click "OK."
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Enter the number of total digits, the starting number and any prefix or suffix text in the "Options" menu. Click "OK."
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Tips & Warnings
If your documents have text that covers the entire page including the margins, click "Appearance Options" in the font selection menu and check the box labeled "Shrink document to avoid overwriting the document's text and graphics." This will prevent the Bates numbering from overlapping the images or text on the document.
