guide
Continuing Bates numbers on a supplemental production
The second production in a matter starts at the number after the last page of the first, with the same prefix and the same zero padding. Get that wrong in either direction and the set either overlaps numbers already used or leaves a gap that a receiving party will ask about in writing. Continuity is checkable arithmetic, and it is the one thing a rolling production cannot verify by eye.
Finding the start number
Take the highest Bates number in the previous production - not the page count, and not the last number you remember. If the previous set ended at PROD001234, this one starts at PROD001235. Then keep the prefix identical, including hyphens and case, and keep the padding: if the last set used six digits, a five-digit start will sort and print inconsistently.
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Record the last number
From the previous production's index or its final page.
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Increment by one
The next page takes the next integer; do not restart at 1.
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Keep prefix and padding
Same characters, same digit width.
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Verify the join
The audit compares the two sets and names any overlap or gap.
What goes wrong, in order of frequency
- Padding changes: the new set starts at 999 and prints six digits, so the join looks like a jump of a thousand.
- Prefix changes: PROD becomes PRODUCTION, and the two sets no longer sort together.
- Overlap: the second set restarts one number too early and reuses the last page.
- Gap: the last page of the first set was excluded from the count, so the second set starts one too high.
Why continuity needs both sets
Continuity is a property of the pair, so the check needs both. Upload the previous production alongside the new one and the audit reports the join: the last number it saw, the first number of the new set, and whether they are adjacent. Cross-volume continuity is a Matter-tier check; a single set is checked for internal order only.
Frequently asked questions
What if the previous production used a different prefix on purpose?
A deliberate prefix change is reported as a warning, not a blocker. The audit cannot know your intent, so it tells you what it found and lets you decide.
Can I check a supplemental set on the $49 tier?
The set is checked on its own at any tier. Cross-volume continuity against the previous production is a Matter-tier check, because it needs both sets in one run.