This article is aimed at office users who need to batch modify docx content, explaining how to use the formula fuzzy text search function through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch replace regularized content such as English abbreviations and consecutive numbers in Word documents. The article combines before and after processing effects and software operation screenshots to illustrate file import, rule setting, saving, and processing workflows, and reminds users to pay attention to the matching scope of regular expressions and to back up the original file.
Batch modifying the content of docx files is a high-frequency requirement in many office scenarios. For example, a batch of course descriptions, project materials, contract templates, or policy documents all contain the same types of English abbreviations and numbers. Users want to uniformly replace these contents with new tags. If you open each Word document one by one to modify them manually, it not only wastes time but also makes it easy to miss content hidden in paragraphs or lists.
This article will combine actual screenshots to demonstrate how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to complete batch find and replace in docx files. The example uses the "Formula-based fuzzy text find" function, matching three-letter uppercase English abbreviations using the regular expression rule [A-Z]{3}, matching consecutive numbers using \d+, and replacing them with A and B respectively. After reading this article, you will master a reusable method for batch replacing keywords in Word documents.
Applicable Scenarios: Batch Processing Docx Contents Instead of Opening Word One by One
When the number of files is very small, opening Word and using find and replace can solve the problem. But when the number of files increases or the replacement rules become numerous, manual processing becomes inefficient. The screenshot example shows 6 docx files; in actual work, there might be dozens or even hundreds. Here, the value of a batch processing tool becomes very clear.
Scenarios suitable for using the method described in this article include:
- Batch replacing course codes, department codes, and English abbreviations in multiple docx files.
- Batch replacing numerical content in Word documents with uniform placeholders for desensitization or presentation.
- Cleaning up content in a batch of template files, replacing old content that matches a pattern with new content.
- Uniformly processing Word reports exported from a system, reducing manual per-file checks.
- Needing to use regular expressions, wildcards, and formula rules to match non-fixed keywords.
HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is batch processing software geared towards office files, focusing on streamlining repetitive, mechanical, and error-prone document operations. For processing files like Word, Excel, and PDF files, adopting a batch processing approach usually saves a significant amount of time.
Result Preview: Multiple Word Files Pending Before Processing
The screenshot of the files before processing shows that the current folder contains 6 Word documents: 1.docx, 2.docx, 3.docx, 4.docx, 5.docx, and 6.docx. They may all contain keywords that need to be replaced. Using a manual method would mean opening, finding, replacing, and saving each one individually.
Looking next at the screenshot of the Word content before processing, the document contains multiple English abbreviations and numbers. For example, BOT in the title position, ELA in the body text, and the number 60 representing hours. These contents are distributed across different paragraphs and are easily missed during manual checking.
The goal to achieve in this example is not just to replace BOT or just 60, but to uniformly replace all content that matches specific rules. Therefore, formula rules must be used, rather than a regular word find.
Post-Processing Effect: Keywords Replaced with Specified Content According to Rules
In the screenshot after processing, content that originally matched the three uppercase letter rule has become A, and the original numerical content has become B. The yellow highlighted parts show the replacement results. For example, BOT in the title has been replaced by A, and the abbreviations and numbers in the body text have also changed accordingly.
It can be seen from the results that batch replacement does not just target one place in the text, but can cover multiple matching contents throughout the Word document. For batch modifying docx files, uniformly replacing keywords, and cleaning up patterned text in documents, this method is more efficient.
Operation Step 1: Open the Software and Enter the Word Find and Replace Function
First, open HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . On the left side of the main interface, select "Word Tools," then find "Find and Replace Keywords in Word" on the function card. In the screenshot, this function is located as the first item in the Word tools list, indicating it is the dedicated entry point for Word content replacement.
The purpose of this step is to ensure that subsequent operations are centered around the content of Word files. There are other Word tools in the software interface, such as adding watermarks, deleting images, converting to PDF, converting Docx format, etc., but this article is about keyword replacement, so "Find and Replace Keywords in Word" should be selected.
After entering this function, the interface will display a step-by-step process: Select records to process, Set processing options, Set save location, Start processing. Following this flow can reduce the chance of missing a step.
Operation Step 2: Add Files or Import Docx from Folder
In step 1, "Select records to process," you can select single or multiple documents via "Add Files," or batch import Word files within a folder via "Import Files from Folder." In the screenshot example, 6 docx files have already appeared in the processing list.
The list contains fields such as Name, Path, Extension, Creation Time, and Modification Time. This information allows you to confirm whether the files were imported correctly. In the example, the path is located at D:\test, and the extension is docx for all, indicating that the current task will process the 6 Word documents imported from this directory.
If you only want to process a subset of these files, you can check the list after importing and remove the unwanted records; if you imported incorrectly, you can also use "Clear" and then re-import. After confirming everything is correct, click "Next."
Operation Step 3: Select Formula-based Fuzzy Text Find
After entering step 2, "Set processing options," you need to first determine the find method. The interface provides "Exact text find" and "Use formula-based fuzzy text find." Exact find is suitable for replacing completely fixed terms; formula-based fuzzy find is suitable for replacing a class of text that matches a rule. This example selects "Use formula-based fuzzy text find."
In "Keywords list to find", enter:
- [A-Z]{3}
- \d+
In "Replace with keywords list", enter:
- A
- B
This represents two sets of replacement relationships: The first set replaces sequences of 3 uppercase letters with A; the second set replaces consecutive numbers with B. Since the software supports list-based input, users can set up multiple find-and-replace rules at once, reducing repetitive configuration.
If your actual needs differ, you can replace them with your own rules. For example, if only processing numbers, keep only the \d+ line; if only processing uppercase abbreviations, keep only the [A-Z]{3} line. The key is to ensure that the find rules correspond line by line with the replacement content.
Operation Step 4: Confirm Additional Options and Proceed to the Next Step
Below the rule setting area, you can see the "Ignore letter case" option. This option affects the scope of letter matching. This example uses [A-Z]{3} with the goal of matching uppercase letters, so if you only want to process uppercase English abbreviations, do not arbitrarily expand the matching scope. For scenarios that require matching both upper and lower case letters simultaneously, you can select based on actual needs.
After completing the settings, click "Next" at the bottom of the page. You will then proceed to "Set save location." When batch processing multiple Word documents, it is recommended to output to a new folder rather than directly overwriting the original files. This allows for easy comparison of the effects before and after processing and also prevents irreversible modifications caused by incorrect rule settings.
Finally, enter the "Start processing" step to execute the batch replacement. The software will perform batch find and replace on multiple docx files according to the imported file list and the configured rules.
Common Questions and Considerations
1. Why back up files before processing?
Regular expressions match text according to rules. If the rule scope is too broad, it might replace content you did not anticipate. Backing up the original Word files or outputting to a new directory can reduce the risk of batch errors.
2. Does [A-Z]{3} only match BOT as shown in the screenshot?
No. It matches all sequences of 3 consecutive uppercase letters. BOT, ELA, etc., in the screenshot may all be matched. If there are other three-letter uppercase abbreviations in the document, they will also be processed.
3. Is \d+ suitable for all number replacement scenarios?
\d+ will match consecutive numbers. It is suitable for scenarios where you need to uniformly replace numbers, but if you only want to replace a specific type of code or numbers in a specific position, you will need to design a more precise rule.
4. Is it mandatory to fill in the "Replace with keywords list"?
If you want to replace the matches with specific content, you need to fill it in. The interface prompt indicates "Leave blank to delete," so if a row on the right side is empty, the matched text may be deleted. You should check carefully before processing.
5. How to verify results after a batch replacement?
It is recommended to first open a few output files, focusing on checking positions where keywords might appear, such as titles, body text, lists, headers, and footers. After confirming the results meet expectations, use the output files for formal work.
Summary
For keyword replacement tasks across multiple docx files, if the content follows a pattern, using regular expression wildcard formulas is more efficient than entering keywords one by one. HeSoft Doc Batch Tool provides a batch find-and-replace workflow for Word files; users simply need to import files, select formula-based fuzzy text find, fill in the find and replace lists, set the save location, and start processing.
The example in this article used [A-Z]{3} and \d+ to replace English abbreviations and numbers respectively, demonstrating the basic concept of batch processing Word content. In actual use, it is recommended to first test the rules with a small number of files, confirming the processing effect before applying them batch-wide to the entire folder, thereby ensuring accuracy while improving office efficiency.