Bates Number Range Planner

Estimates the last Bates number of a production, the next safe starting number and how much room your digit padding has left, for paralegals and litigation support staff.

Your estimate

Last Bates number (padded)...

Next production starts at...

Pages left before the padding overflows...

Digits the last number actually needs...

Estimates only. Assumptions are listed below, and you can change every input.

Before a production goes out, someone has to answer a few small but consequential questions: what will the last Bates number be, does the six digit padding we picked still fit, and what number should the next volume start at so nothing overlaps? Getting this wrong means re-stamping, a corrected production letter, or worse, duplicate numbers across sets that opposing counsel will notice before you do.

This planner does plain counting. It takes your starting number and page count, works out the ending number, compares it with the largest value your digit width can hold, and optionally rounds the next start up to a clean block so there is a visible gap between productions. It does not know about your prefix, your review platform or your load file; it only handles the arithmetic so you can check it in seconds instead of on a legal pad.

How to use this tool

Enter the first number of this production without its prefix.
Enter the total page count and the digit width you use for padding.
Choose whether the next volume should start at a rounded block, then read the last number, the headroom and the next start.

What the math assumes

Numbers run consecutively with exactly one number per page and no skipped or reserved numbers inside the production.
The ending number equals the start plus the page count minus one; a zero page count returns the start unchanged.
Padding overflow is checked against the largest value the digit width can hold, for example 999999 for six digits.
The next start is the number after the last one, rounded up to the chosen block; choosing no gap gives the very next number.
Prefixes and suffixes are ignored; only the numeric part is calculated, so add your prefix in front of the result.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my page count pushes past the padding width?

The tool reports an overflow and the number of digits the last number actually needs. Fix it by starting at a lower number, splitting the set, or moving to a wider padding for the whole matter and telling everyone who stamps documents for it.

Should I leave a gap between productions?

Many teams do, because it makes each volume easy to identify by number alone and leaves room for late supplements. A gap is optional; staying consistent with what you have already produced matters more than the size of the gap.

Does this handle prefixes like ABC or DEF_?

No. Prefixes are labels, not numbers, so the tool ignores them. Put your prefix in front of the padded result exactly as you have used it in earlier productions for the same matter.

Link to this toolhttps://pdfstampr.com/tools/bates-range-planner/

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