COURT OF APPEAL FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA
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Combining Multiple Documents (Files) into one PDF (eBook or portfolio) with a
*PDF Tool
This is one method describing how to combine together multiple different documents in one PDF file or
eBook for e-filing using *Adobe Acrobat Pro. This includes but is not limited to appeal books, appeal
records, application books and books of authorities.
Last Updated: July 18, 2022
Requirement
Description
Completed
STEP 1:
Scanned Records:
Optical Character
Recognized - OCR
• If scanning is necessary because the original text-based
document is paper or requires a handwritten signature (ex.
affidavits), the scan must be Optical Character Recognized
(OCR’ed)
• This allows the PDF to be copied from and pasted into
another document and made text searchable.
How to OCR using Adobe
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STEP 2:
Combine Multiple Files
into one PDF
(eBook or portfolio)
In the cases of appeal books, appeal records and motion books
when multiple documents (exhibits, orders etc.) are required to
be compiled together with a title page, index (table of contents)
and sequential page numbers this can be done using a PDF
tool such as Adobe Acrobat Pro.
How to combine multiple documents using Adobe.
☐
STEP 3:
Page Numbering
• page numbered (1, 2, 3) sequentially (or Bates numbered)
• top centre of page
• can start after Table of Contents or on cover page
• Table of Contents must match page numbering (or Bates
numbering)
• Page searching must match page numbering (or Bates
numbering) (if page numbering starts after the table of
contents this is done using the Page Labels function in
Adobe otherwise page 1 will be the cover page when
searching
How to add Page Numbering using Adobe.
☐
STEP 4:
Bookmarking Required
Bookmarks must be:
• consistent;
• clear and;
• meaningful.
The combined files (documents) must also contain bookmarks,
which consistently, meaningfully, and clearly describe the
individual documents or sections of the book.
For example, Bookmarks should describe the contents of the
Exhibit (e.g. “Exhibit 1 – June 1, 2019 - Letter from John Doe to
Jane Doe.”)
How to add bookmarks to PDF using Adobe.
☐
COURT OF APPEAL FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA
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Requirement
Description
Completed
STEP 5:
Create Table of
Contents
Manually create Table of Contents in Word based on page
numbering (or Bates numbering) in eBook (PDF portfolio) and
with header style applied for title “Table of Contents”
☐
Step 6
Create Cover Page
Create title page in Word using this template. Template content
required with header style applied to document name. i.e.
“Appeal Book”
☐
Step 7:
Insert Table of Contents
& Cover Page
Insert Word Table of Contents and cover page into eBook (PDF
portfolio)
How to create and insert table of contents and cover page
☐
Step 8:
Organizing Bookmarks
in PDF
Ensure the table of contents and cover page are the first 2
bookmarks.
How to organize bookmarks in PDF
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Step 9:
Update Page Numbers
with Page Labels for
Searching
Page searching must match page numbering (or Bates
numbering) in PDF.
If page numbering starts after the Table of Contents, the
Page Labels function in Adobe needs to be used otherwise
page 1 will automatically be the cover page. If this step is
missed when searching for specific page numbers it will
always be incorrect by the number of pages including
your cover page and Table of Contents.
How to update page numbers for searching using Page Labels.
☐
Step 10:
Automatically Display
Bookmarks Panel
You can set the initial view so that the Bookmarks Panel is
shown by default when the PDF is opened.
How to automatically display bookmarks panel in PDF.
☐
Step 11:
Check file size
100 MB maximum
CSO e-filing limitation
• Court Services On-Line e-filing will accept one (1) PDF file
(including title/cover page and index (table of contents)) with
a file size maximum of 100MB.
• If the document is larger than 100MB, the material cannot
be electronically filed. The court record can be submitted in
paper or spit into volumes.
Check the file size of your PDF
Reduce the file size of your PDF
☐
COURT OF APPEAL FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA
Page 3 of 3
Requirement
Description
Completed
Volumes:
File size greater than
100 MB
Files greater than 100 MB:
• Can be split into volumes based on file size not number of
pages.
For example: an 150MB appeal book, could be split into two
75MB volumes including:
• title page identifying 1 of 2 volumes,
• sequentially numbered page numbers matching the index
(table of contents) and updated for searching;
• Full index (table of contents) in both volumes
• Consistent, clear and meaningful bookmarking for each
volume
• try not to split exhibits between volumes
Files less than 100 MB:
one (1) file including:
• title/cover page;
• sequentially numbered page numbers matching the Table of
Contents and updated for searching;
• not spilt into separate files based on number of pages
☐
