The documents that need numbers are the ones assembled from parts
A document produced in one go usually has numbers already. The ones that do not are the assembled kind: a merged bundle, a scanned stack, a report stitched together from three contributors' exports. Those arrive unnumbered, and the moment more than one person has to discuss them, that becomes a problem.
Numbering is what lets someone say 'page eleven' and have it mean the same thing to everybody.
Format and starting number
Plain numerals are the default and usually right. 1 of 10 is better for anything printed and physically handled, because it tells the reader immediately whether they are holding the whole thing. Page 1 reads more formally and suits letters and reports.
The start number exists for a specific and common reason: covers. If your bundle opens with a title page that should not count, start the numbering at zero or begin from the second page so that page one is the first real page. Court filings, tenders and academic submissions all tend to be fussy about this.
Position
Bottom centre is the safe default. Bottom outer corners look better in a document that will be bound or printed double-sided, since the number always lands on the outside edge. Avoid the top on anything that already has a header, and keep clear of the very edge — printers clip more than you expect.
The preview is there to catch a number landing on top of a footer, which is the most common accident.
Numbering a bundle that already has numbers
Assembled documents often arrive with numbering already printed on the pages, from whatever each source document used. Stamping a second set on top produces two competing sequences and a reader who does not know which one you mean.
The convention that works is to make the new numbering visually distinct and consistently placed — bottom outer corner, say, when the original numbering sits centred — and then to reference only the new one. Legal bundles do exactly this, and it is why the numbering is often described as 'bundle pagination' rather than page numbers.
Keep the position clear of anything already there. Dropping a new number directly on top of an old one produces an unreadable smudge that looks like a printing fault, and the preview is there to catch it before you apply the stamp to a hundred pages.
What happens to your files
Every one of these runs in your browser. The file is read from your disk, processed in memory and handed back as a download — there is no upload, no server copy and no account.
Numbers are drawn on top of the pages; the underlying content is not rewritten or re-rendered.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip the cover page? Yes. Set the start number so the first real page becomes page one — that is exactly what the start offset is for. This is standard practice for legal bundles and tender packs, where the cover is not counted and the checklist assumes it.
Which format should I choose? Plain numerals for most things, 1 of 10 for printed bundles, Page 1 for formal documents. Mixing formats within one bundle is the thing to avoid, since two competing sequences confuse everyone reading it.
Where should the number sit? Bottom centre is safest; bottom outer corners suit double-sided printing. Keep clear of existing headers and footers. If the document already carries printed numbers, place the new ones somewhere visibly different so nobody has to guess which set you mean.
Is my document uploaded? No. The numbering is applied in your browser and the file is generated locally. Numbers are drawn as a layer on top, so the pages underneath keep their text, links and quality.
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