Bluebeam Tip: Batch Bates Numbering Workflow in Bluebeam Revu

Speed up discovery and production by adding Bates numbers to PDFs directly in Bluebeam Revu.

Workflow (Revu Complete/eXtreme):

• Open Revu and go to Batch > Bates Numbering.
• Click Add to load files, folders, or an entire Set (ideal for large matters).
• Define the numbering scheme:
  • Prefix/Suffix: e.g., “ACME-CASE123-”.
  • Starting number and digit padding (e.g., 000001).
  • Optional date/time or matter ID for compliance.
• Placement and style:
  • Select header/footer position (Left, Center, Right).
  • Set font, size, color, and opacity; add a background box to ensure legibility over drawings.
  • Use margins to avoid title blocks and stamps.
• Click Preview to validate spacing and carryover between files.
• Output:
  • Choose Save As to preserve originals, or overwrite when policy allows.
  • Save your Bates preset for reuse across cases and teams.

Best practices:

• Standardize a firmwide scheme (prefix, padding, placement) and share as a saved preset via Revu Profiles.
• Run OCR first on scans so Bates appears consistently and downstream search remains reliable.
• Combine with Page Labels (Document > Page Labels) to keep navigational labels human-friendly while Bates remains the legal index.
• Use Sets to apply Bates across rolling productions without breaking sequence.
• Add a digital signature after Bates application to protect chain of custody.
• Generate a Markups List Summary or PDF Summary to include Bates ranges in transmittals.

Procurement and training:

• Evaluate Bluebeam Revu options and licensing with NOVEDGE: novedge.com/collections/bluebeam.
• Ask NOVEDGE for deployment guidance and team enablement resources: novedge.com.

Tip: Save a “Legal Bates – Header Right – 7 digits” preset and include it in your shared Profile so every production is identical—no last-minute formatting fixes.