When you set position to Auto, Hintyr scans each page and places the Bates stamp in the first available clear corner. This prevents the stamp from overlapping existing content like text, images, tables, or page numbers.
How auto position works
When you select Auto in the Bates numbering settings, Hintyr analyzes each page before placing the stamp. It examines the four corners, looking for the first one with enough clear space to fit the stamp without overlapping existing content.
This analysis runs independently for every page. In a multi-page document, different pages may get stamps in different corners depending on their layout. The stamp is always legible and never obscures important content.
Corner priority order
Hintyr evaluates corners in this priority order:
- Bottom right - The most conventional location for Bates stamps in legal practice.
- Bottom left - Tried next if the bottom-right corner has content.
- Top right - Used when both bottom corners are occupied.
- Top left - The final corner option before page expansion.
This priority puts the stamp in the most expected position whenever possible. Reviewers and counsel typically look for Bates numbers in the lower-right corner, so the system tries that location first.
Content detection
Auto position detects all types of page content that could conflict with stamp placement: body text, headers and footers, page numbers, images, charts, tables, form fields, and watermarks. Detection operates on the rendered page content, so it accounts for elements regardless of how they were added to the document.
A margin buffer around each detected element keeps the stamp from crowding adjacent content, even when a corner is technically clear. This buffer maintains visual separation between the Bates number and the nearest document element.
Page expansion fallback
In rare cases where all four corners contain content, Hintyr expands the page margin to make room. A thin strip of white space is added to the bottom of the page, and the stamp goes in that new area. The original page content stays unchanged and keeps its original dimensions.
This fallback ensures every page gets a Bates stamp, even documents with edge-to-edge content like architectural drawings, full-page images, or dense spreadsheets. The added space is minimal and doesn't affect the readability or layout of the document.
When to use auto position
Auto position works best when your document collection has varied page layouts. Production sets with letters, contracts, spreadsheets, and images benefit from smart placement because each page type may have content in different areas. A fixed corner for all pages risks overlapping important content on some documents.
If your production requires an exact corner (for example, a court order mandating bottom-right placement on all pages), select that fixed position instead. Fixed positions override auto detection and place the stamp in the same corner on every page. See numbering options for all available position settings.