Bates stamping software: how to choose

• Prefix, start number, and padding control. You need to match the format agreed in the ESI protocol exactly, including the separator and the number of digits.
• Sequence continuity across productions. The tool should remember the last number used in a matter so the next batch resumes without a gap or an overlap.
• Exhibit and confidentiality stamps. Applying Exhibit A and CONFIDENTIAL in the same pass saves a second round of processing.
• A production index. A CSV mapping each filename to its Bates range is what opposing counsel and your own privilege log both need.
• Placement that respects margins. Stamps must not cover original content, or you have altered the document.
• Confidentiality of the files themselves. Local processing avoids sending privileged material to a third-party server.

1. 01Count the pages in a typical production. Under a few thousand, a browser tool is enough.
2. 02Check the ESI protocol for the required prefix format, padding, and placement.
3. 03Decide whether you also need redaction, native conversion, or a review database. If yes, look at eDiscovery platforms.
4. 04Confirm how the tool handles confidentiality. Local processing removes the upload question entirely.
5. 05Run one test production and open the index CSV before you commit to a workflow.

The expensive errors are almost never about the software's feature list. They are restarting the sequence at 1 for a second production, changing padding width mid-matter so ACME-123 and ACME-000123 both appear, stamping over content in the footer, and stamping the wrong version of a file. Keep originals in a separate folder and verify the first and last page of every batch.