In many office scenarios, file names often include numbers, years, version numbers, or random digits, such as EnglishVocabulary2468.docx and StudyPlan2024.docx. If you modify them manually one by one, it is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. This article, using the actual operation interface of the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ", demonstrates how to use fuzzy wildcard formulas to batch-find numbers in file names and uniformly replace them with specified content, such as replacing any four-digit number with -2026. After reading, you can quickly master the methods for batch renaming Word documents, docx files, and even files with similar rules, significantly reducing repetitive work and improving file organization efficiency.
In daily office work, many file names contain numbers, such as years, batch numbers, version numbers, course numbers, etc. When there are many files, manually modifying the numbers in file names one by one is not only inefficient but also prone to omissions and errors. For those who often organize Word documents, docx files, and doc files, batch modifying numbers in file names is a very common requirement.
The problem this article aims to solve is clear: How to use office software to find numbers in file names with a fuzzy wildcard formula in one go and batch replace them with unified content. Below, using the actual interface of " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " as an example, it demonstrates the complete operation flow for uniformly replacing four-digit numbers in file names with -2026.
Applicable Scenarios
This method will be very practical if you have the following situations:
- The file name contains a year, and you want to uniformly change it to a new year, for example, changing 2024 to 2026;
- The file name contains four-digit codes, but these codes need to be uniformly replaced with fixed text;
- A batch of Word documents, docx files, or doc files follow similar naming rules and need to be renamed at once;
- You need to organize course materials, contract documents, report files, learning materials, and other batch files.
Compared to manual renaming, the batch processing method of office software is more suitable for a large number of files, significantly reducing repetitive labor and improving file organization efficiency.
Effect Preview
Before Processing
From the sample files, you can see the original file names are:
- EnglishVocabulary2468.docx
- ExamReview5820.docx
- LearningGoals3091.docx
- MathNotes1357.docx
- StudyPlan2024.docx
The common feature of these file names is: They all have four digits after the main text.
After Processing
After batch processing is complete, the file names become:
- EnglishVocabulary-2026.docx
- ExamReview-2026.docx
- LearningGoals-2026.docx
- MathNotes-2026.docx
- StudyPlan-2026.docx
In other words, any four digits in the original file names were uniformly replaced with -2026. This method is especially suitable for batch modifying years, codes, or fixed numeric fields in file names.
Operation Steps
Step 1: Enter the File Name Batch Find and Replace Function
After opening the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ", you can see the file processing categories on the left. According to the interface display, the current area entered is related to File Names.
In the function list, select "1. Find and replace keywords in file names". As the name suggests, this function is used for batch finding and replacing specified content in file names, suitable for this number modification requirement.
Purpose of this step: Enter the correct entry point for batch renaming.
Expected result: Open the "Find and replace keywords in file names" processing page.
Step 2: Add Files to Be Processed
After entering the function page, the software will first stay at step 1, "Select records to process". In the upper right area of the interface, you can see the "Add Files" and "Import files from folder" buttons.
If you are only processing a few files, you can click Add Files; if you want to process Word documents, docx files, or other files in an entire folder at once, using Import files from folder will be more efficient.
After importing, the list will display information such as file name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time. In the example, 5 docx files have been imported.
Purpose of this step: Load all files to be modified uniformly into the software.
Expected result: File records needing batch processing appear in the file list.
Step 3: Enter Processing Option Settings
After confirming the files are correct, click "Next" at the bottom to enter step 2, "Set processing options".
This step is the core of the entire workflow, because here we configure the fuzzy wildcard formula, i.e., let the software automatically identify the numeric parts in the file names.
Purpose of this step: Set file name find and replace rules.
Expected result: Enter the "Set keyword options" page.
Step 4: Select "Use formula to fuzzy find text"
In the "Set keyword options" area, the screenshot shows two search methods:
- Precise text search
- Use formula to fuzzy find text
You need to select "Use formula to fuzzy find text" here. Because this time we are not looking for a fixed number, but want to match any four digits in the file name. Using precise search would only match one specific value, unsuitable for batch processing different codes.
Purpose of this step: Enable the fuzzy wildcard formula matching rule.
Expected result: The software searches file name content based on the formula, not fixed text.
Step 5: Enter the Numeric Formula to Find
In the "Keyword list to find" on the left, enter:
\d{4}
It is reasonable to judge from the interface content that this is a formula syntax used for matching four digits. Its function is: Find consecutive 4 digits appearing in the file name.
Taking the sample files as an example:
- 2468 will be matched;
- 5820 will be matched;
- 3091 will be matched;
- 1357 will be matched;
- 2024 will also be matched.
This is why the same set of rules can process file names with multiple different numbers simultaneously.
Purpose of this step: Tell the software what type of numeric content to look for.
Expected result: The software identifies all four-digit numeric segments in file names.
Step 6: Enter the Replacement Content
In the "Replacement keyword list" on the right, enter:
-2026
After processing this way, any matched four digits will be uniformly replaced with -2026. Therefore, the numeric part in the original file name will disappear and be replaced with the new standard format.
For example:
- EnglishVocabulary2468.docx → EnglishVocabulary-2026.docx
- StudyPlan2024.docx → StudyPlan-2026.docx
Purpose of this step: Uniformly set the content for the replaced file names.
Expected result: All matched numbers are batch changed to the same result.
Step 7: Continue Subsequent Flow and Execute Batch Processing
After settings are complete, click "Next" on the page to continue to the subsequent save location and start processing steps. According to the interface flow, the software will go through two more stages: "Set save location" and "Start processing".
Once completed, the software will batch modify the numbers in the file names according to the established rules. The final effect is the post-processing result shown in the example: all docx files are uniformly renamed with the -2026 format.
Purpose of this step: Officially execute batch renaming.
Expected result: The four-digit numbers in the file names are replaced in one go.
FAQ or Precautions
1. Why use a fuzzy wildcard formula instead of directly entering numbers?
Because the numbers in each file name are different. For instance, 2468, 5820, 3091, 2024 are not the same. Replacing them one by one with precise matching is very inefficient. Using a fuzzy formula like \d{4} allows the software to match all four-digit numbers at once, which is more suitable for batch file processing.
2. Can this method only process docx files?
From the example, it processes docx files among Word documents currently. But judging by the function name "Find and replace keywords in file names", it processes file names, so it is generally applicable to files with similar naming rules. In practice, if the file name structure is consistent, doc, docx, and other file types can all be handled with the same approach.
3. Can the replaced content be something other than a year?
Yes. This example uses -2026 as the replacement to demonstrate how to uniformly change numbers into a standard year format. In actual use, you can also replace it with a project code, version number, department identifier, or other fixed text, as long as it conforms to your file naming rules.
4. What if there are multiple numbers in a file name?
If a file name contains multiple numbers matching the rule, it is recommended to test with a small number of files first to confirm the match results are as expected before executing in batch. This is more prudent and better aligns with file management standards in office scenarios.
5. What should I pay attention to before batch modification?
It is recommended to first check if the files in the imported list are correct and confirm that files not needing exclusion have been removed. For formal documents, contracts, and archived documents, it's best to verify the effect with a small test batch first, then process all files.
Summary
For office scenarios requiring batch modification of numbers in file names, using office software like " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " is much more efficient than manual renaming. Through the Find and replace keywords in file names function, combined with the fuzzy wildcard formula \d{4}, you can quickly identify four-digit numbers in file names and uniformly replace them with specified content, such as -2026.
The entire process is not complicated: select the function, import files, enable formula fuzzy search, fill in the search formula and replacement content, and execute. For those who frequently organize Word documents, docx files, and doc files, this batch processing method can significantly reduce repetitive work and improve file management efficiency.
If you are also facing the problems of messy file name codes, the need to unify years, and heavy batch renaming workloads, it is recommended to follow the steps in this article directly, test with a few files first, and then expand to the entire batch processing. The efficiency improvement will be very noticeable.