When a file name contains a serial number, order number, contract number, purchase order number, or transaction number, manually creating folders one by one and then dragging files into them is not only time-consuming but also error-prone. This article explains how to use the file organization features in office software to automatically batch-sort files by the first number in the file name and place them into corresponding folders. Whether it's PDF, Word, doc, docx, Excel, images, or other common file types, as long as there is a number in the file name, you can quickly organize them using the same rule. With reference to actual operation screens, this article will cover applicable scenarios, effects before and after processing, specific steps, and important notes to help you batch-organize files more efficiently.
In daily office work, many file names contain numbering information, such as contract scans, order attachments, receipt images, PDF documents, Word documents (doc, docx), Excel spreadsheets, and even compressed packages and pictures. If there are many such files, manually sorting them into different folders by number can be very tedious. Especially when you only want to categorize them by the first number in the file name, manual processing is not only slow but also prone to misplacement.
The problem this article aims to solve is: How to automatically place a batch of files into the same folder based on the first number in their file names. As seen in the screenshot, using the "Classify files by file name" feature in the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool allows you to quickly complete this type of batch organization task, significantly reducing repetitive labor.
Applicable Scenarios
"Classifying files by the first number" is suitable for the following office scenarios:
- Archiving contracts, invoices, receipts, and scans by the beginning of their serial number or the first number in the file name;
- Saving order information, logistics documents, and customer files grouped by number;
- Mixed organization of different file types such as PDF, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, jpg, png;
- Quickly sorting a batch of files into folders by rule for easier subsequent searching, uploading, or handover.
If your file names resemble "366984326281532.pdf", "428905671234890.pdf", or similar numerically named files, this method is very suitable for batch organization.
Effect Preview
Before Processing
All files are piled up in the same directory. Although the file names contain numbers, there is no grouping, making searching and archiving inconvenient.
After Processing
The software will classify based on the first number in each file name. For example, files with the first number 3 go into one folder, files with the first number 4 go into another folder, and files with the first number 5 go into their corresponding folder. In this way, the originally mixed files are automatically sorted by the rule, leading to a clearer directory structure.
Operation Steps
Step 1: Enter the file organization feature and select "Classify files by file name"
As seen from the screenshot, in the left menu of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , first enter the "File Organization" module.
After entering, click "1. Classify files by file name" in the tool list. The purpose of this step is to enter the functional page for batch file organization based on file name rules.
Expected Result: Opens the processing interface for "Classify files by file name," ready to import the files needing organization.
Step 2: Add files to be batch processed
After entering the function page, you can see the "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder" buttons at the top of the interface. The red arrow in the screenshot points to "Add Files," indicating that you can import the files to be organized here first.
If the file sources are scattered, you can click "Add Files" to select them individually or in batches; if the files are already concentrated in one directory, you can use "Import Files from Folder" to read all files in the entire folder at once.
After the import is complete, the table will display information such as the file's serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time, allowing you to confirm the scope of files for this processing.
Expected Result: PDF, Word, doc, docx, Excel, images, and other files to be classified are successfully displayed in the list, ready for the next step of setup.
Step 3: Select "Classify by first number" in the classification method
After clicking next, you will enter the "Set Processing Options" page. According to the screenshot, in the "Classification Method" area, you can see multiple options, such as classify by first character, classify by first Chinese character, classify by first English letter, etc.
Here you need to check: "Classify by first number".
This step is very critical because it determines the basis upon which the software will create folders and classify files. In other words, the software will not classify by the complete file name, but will only extract the first number in the file name for grouping.
Expected Result: The software is set to use the "first number" as the classification rule and will subsequently place files with the same first number into the same folder.
Step 4: Continue with the wizard to set the save location and start processing
As seen from the step bar at the top of the interface, the current process uses a wizard-style approach, which also includes "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing" later.
Therefore, after checking "Classify by first number," click the "Next" button at the bottom of the page to continue completing the save location settings, and then enter the start processing phase.
The purpose of this step is to determine where the organized files will be output and formally execute the batch classification.
Expected Result: The software places the files in batches into the corresponding numbered folders according to the rules you set, completing the automatic organization.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. Must there be numbers in the file name?
If you want to use "Classify by first number," the file name must contain at least a recognizable number. For files without numbers, it is recommended to first check the naming rules or switch to other classification methods in the interface.
2. Which file types can be processed?
Looking at the functional logic, this is classification by file name, so it is generally not limited by the specific file content. Common types like PDF, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, jpg, png, txt, etc., can all be organized as long as the file names meet the rules.
3. Why recommend batch import over manual drag-and-drop organization?
When the number of files reaches dozens, hundreds, or even thousands, manually creating folders and moving files one by one is highly inefficient and prone to misclassification. The batch processing method of office software is more suitable for standardized, repetitive file organization tasks.
4. Should file names be checked before processing?
It is recommended to first do a simple check of the file name format to ensure that the current batch of files is indeed suitable for grouping by the first number. This can avoid inconsistent classification results that don't match expectations due to non-uniform naming.
Summary
For office scenarios requiring batch organization of numbered files, placing files into the same folder based on their first number is essentially a very typical batch file processing requirement. By using the "Classify files by file name" feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you only need to import files, select "Classify by first number", set the save location, and start processing to quickly complete archiving.
Compared to manually creating new folders and dragging files one by one, this office software-style batch organization method is more stable, time-saving, and more suitable for daily high-frequency file management work. If you often handle large volumes of PDFs, docs, docx, Excel files, images, etc., it is recommended to directly use such rule-based tools to complete the organization, freeing up time for more valuable work.