Auto Numbering in Adobe Illustrator Using Scripts

If you're a graphic designer or production artist working with batch layouts—like tickets, labels, or packaging you've likely faced the repetitive task of adding sequential numbers. Doing it manually is time-consuming and error-prone. Fortunately, you can automate this process with simple scripting in Adobe Illustrator.

What You’ll Need:

• Adobe Illustrator (any version that supports scripting)

• Basic JavaScript knowledge (optional)

• A text editor like Notepad or VS Code

• A sample Illustrator file

Here’s a simple script that creates numbers from 1 to 100 on your artboard: 

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var startNum = 1;
var totalNums = 100;
for (var i = 0; i < totalNums; i++) {
    var number = startNum + i;
    var textFrame = doc.textFrames.add();
    textFrame.contents = number.toString();
    textFrame.position = [100, -(i * 20) + 800]; // Adjust position as needed
}

How to Use It:

1. Open your Illustrator file.
2. Copy the above script into a .jsx file (e.g., autoNumber.jsx).
3. In Illustrator, go to File > Scripts > Other Script…
4. Select your .jsx file and click Open.
5. Watch as your numbers appear automatically!
6. Ready file here

5 major benefits of using Illustrator scripts:

1. Save Hours of Manual Work
Instead of typing or placing numbers one by one, a script can generate hundreds of labels, tags, or tickets in seconds. This is perfect for print jobs that require serial numbers, seat numbers, or packaging units.

2. Minimize Human Error
Manual entry often leads to missed or duplicate numbers. Scripts eliminate these mistakes by using logic and loops, ensuring your data is consistent and accurate every time.

3. Customizable for Any Project
Illustrator scripts are written in JavaScript and can be customized to fit your needs—change font sizes, colors, positioning, or even apply styles automatically. You can create personalized automation for virtually any design task.

4. Works Across Artboards and Layers
Scripts can target multiple artboards or layers, making it easier to apply changes across a full project. For example, you can place one number on each artboard in a batch layout—great for multi-page documents.

5. Boost Productivity
Scripting lets you focus on creative decisions, not repetitive clicks. Once set up, you can reuse scripts for future projects, increasing long-term productivity.