When a folder contains a large number of PDF contracts with temporary file names like 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, subsequent retrieval and archiving will be very inefficient. This article uses contract PDFs as an example to introduce how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to extract an 8-digit contract number from the PDF body using a custom matching expression and batch apply it as the new file name. The article will include before-and-after processing effects and software operation screenshots to explain the complete workflow of importing files, setting expressions, choosing to overwrite file names, and completing batch renaming.
In document management scenarios involving contracts, orders, invoices, reports, and other PDF files, a very practical problem often arises: the file content clearly contains a contract number, order number, or project number, but the file name is a temporary one like "1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, 4.pdf". With a small number of files, you can open them one by one to view, copy the number, and manually rename them; but once the volume reaches dozens or hundreds, the repetitive operation is not only time-consuming but also prone to copying errors, missed changes, or overwriting the wrong files.
The problem this article aims to solve is: how to use wildcard expressions or similar regex matching methods to batch extract specific text from PDF file content and use the extracted text as the PDF file name. In the example, the PDF body contains an 8-digit contract number, such as "10026877". We will use the "Rename PDF files using file content" feature of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch change the original numerical sequence file names to contract number file names.
This type of operation is very suitable for batch file organization in office scenarios. Its core value is not renaming a single file, but handing over a large number of repetitive, mechanical, and error-prone manual operations to office software for batch completion, thereby improving efficiency during archiving, retrieval, and data handover.
Applicable Scenarios: Which PDFs Are Suitable for Batch Renaming with Expressions
The prerequisite for using wildcard expressions or regular expressions to batch rename PDF files is that there is identifiable and matchable fixed-format text within the file content. For example, in the contract PDF screenshot in this article, the page has "Contract No." followed by a string of 8 digits. As long as such numbers are consistently formatted in each file, they can be extracted in one go using an expression.
Common applicable scenarios include:
- Contract PDFs: Use contract number, agreement number, or client number as the file name.
- Order PDFs: Batch rename using order number, purchase order number, or waybill number.
- Invoice or Receipt PDFs: Archive using invoice number, serial number, or date plus number.
- Project Document PDFs: Unify naming using project number, task number, or archive number.
- Scanned PDFs: If the body text can be recognized after OCR, you can also try renaming based on the number in the body.
If the target text in the file content is a fixed-length number, such as an 8-digit contract number, you can use "\d{8}" for matching as in the example. The logic here is similar to wildcards: you don't need to specify each number individually; instead, you use a rule to describe "I want to find 8 consecutive digits". The software will find matching text in each PDF content according to the rule, and then use the matching result for file naming.
Effect Preview: File Names Before Processing and Numbers in PDF Content
Before processing, the PDF file names in the folder are just simple serial numbers. Such file names cannot directly determine which contract each PDF corresponds to, nor is it convenient to search for a specific contract number in the file explorer.
From the pre-processing screenshot, you can see the file names are "1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, 4.pdf". To find a specific contract, you would have to open the files one by one to view their content. For batch contract archiving, this naming convention is clearly not standardized enough.
Opening one of these PDFs reveals a clear contract number in the body text. The screenshot highlights the number "10026877" following "Contract No." in a red box. This is the key information we want to extract and use as the file name.
That is to say, although the current file name has no business meaning, the PDF content itself contains a valuable number. What HeSoft Doc Batch Tool needs to do is automatically identify these numbers from the content and replace the original file names.
Post-Processing Effect: PDF File Names Become 8-Digit Contract Numbers
After processing, the original sequential file names have been replaced by the 8-digit numbers extracted from the PDF body. This way, you can know the corresponding contract number for each PDF without opening the file, making subsequent querying, sorting, and archiving more convenient.
From the post-processing screenshot, you can see the file names have become "10026877.pdf, 20036655.pdf, 20100511.pdf, 33952100.pdf". This indicates the software successfully extracted the corresponding 8-digit number from different PDF file contents and completed the batch renaming.
This result is more stable than manual renaming: as long as the expression is set accurately, each file will be executed according to the same rule during batch processing, reducing errors caused by repeatedly opening, copying, pasting, and modifying file names manually.
Operation Steps: Batch Rename PDFs Using File Content
Step 1: Enter the "Rename PDF files using file content" feature
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "File Name" in the feature category on the left. The main interface will display multiple function cards related to file name processing, such as find and replace file name keywords, insert text, add prefix and suffix, etc. Since this article requires extracting text from the PDF body as the file name, select "Rename PDF files using file content".
The purpose of this step is to enter the processing flow specifically for "renaming by PDF content". It differs from ordinary file name replacement; it's not about modifying a character in the existing file name, but reading the internal text of the PDF, and then using the matched content to generate a new file name.
Step 2: Add PDF files that need batch processing
After entering the function page, the top of the interface displays the current function name "Rename PDF files using file content". The first step is "Select records to process". You can import single or multiple PDFs via "Add Files", or import PDF files from a specific folder in one go via "Import files from folder".
From the screenshot, you can see 4 PDF files have been imported. The table lists information such as serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time. The current file names are still "1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, 4.pdf", with the extension pdf. The bottom of the interface shows the record count is 4, indicating these 4 files will be the objects of this batch processing.
At this step, it is recommended to check if the file list is correct and confirm no irrelevant files were imported by mistake. If a file does not need processing, you can use the delete operation on the right side of the list to remove it; if there are many files, you can also use the filtering and sorting functions on the interface to assist in verification.
Step 3: Set the search area, select custom matching text
After importing the files, click "Next" to enter "Set processing options". In the "Search Area", the interface provides multiple options, including "First line of text", "First barcode image", and "Text matched by custom formula". The goal of this article is to extract the 8-digit contract number from the PDF body, so select "Text matched by custom formula".
This step is crucial. After selecting custom matching, the software will search for text in the PDF content according to the expression filled in below. For fixed-format contract numbers, order numbers, or archive numbers, this method is more flexible than a fixed extraction of the first line and is more suitable for files with different layouts but consistent numbering rules.
Step 4: Fill in the expression "\d{8}" to match 8-digit numbers
Fill in "\d{8}" in the "Regular Expression" input box. This expression means matching 8 consecutive digits. The contract numbers in the example PDF are exactly 8 digits, so this expression can match numbers like "10026877", "20036655", "20100511".
If you think of it as a wildcard renaming concept, "\d" represents a digit character, and "{8}" represents it appearing 8 consecutive times. This way, you don't need to enter each contract number separately; the software will automatically find text that matches the "8-digit number" rule in each PDF.
Note that the expression should be as consistent as possible with the actual file content. If there are other 8-digit numbers in the PDF, such as dates, partial phone numbers, or amount codes, it might match unwanted text. In such cases, you can further narrow the matching rules based on the actual file content, for example, by combining fixed text before and after the number for a more precise expression setting. The screenshots in this article only show the "\d{8}" setting, so the example focuses on matching 8-digit numbers.
Step 5: Select naming position to overwrite the entire file name
In the "Position" area, the screenshot shows "Overwrite the entire file name" is selected. This means the matched text will directly replace the main body of the original file name. For instance, the original file name "1.pdf" will become "10026877.pdf" after processing, with the extension still preserved as the PDF file extension.
If you only want to add the number before or after the original file name, you could also choose "On the left side of the file name" or "On the right side of the file name" based on the position options in the interface. But since the goal of this article is to completely standardize the file name to the contract number, choosing "Overwrite the entire file name" is the most direct.
Step 6: Proceed to the next step, set the save location and start processing
After setting the expression and position, click "Next" at the bottom. The subsequent process will enter "Set save location" and "Start processing". After selecting the save method according to the interface prompts, execute the processing. Once completed, go back to the folder to check the file names, and you will see that the PDFs have been batch renamed to the contract numbers from their body text.
Before formally processing a large number of files, it is recommended to test with a small sample first. For example, import 3 to 5 PDFs first to confirm that the matching and naming results meet expectations before batch processing the entire folder. This can reduce the risk of batch naming errors caused by inaccurate expression settings.
Common Issues and Precautions
1. Why use "\d{8}" instead of directly entering the contract number?
Directly entering a specific contract number can only match a single file, while "\d{8}" describes a category of text: 8 consecutive digits. The significance of batch renaming lies in using a unified rule to process multiple files, so it's more suitable to use an expression to match different numbers in different PDFs.
2. What if there are multiple 8-digit numbers in a PDF?
If multiple 8-digit numbers appear in a single PDF, the software may match one of them. To avoid inaccurate naming results, you need to optimize the expression based on the characteristics of the file content, trying to make the rule only match the target number. It is very necessary to spot-check several PDFs before processing to confirm whether the number format is unique.
3. Can scanned PDFs be renamed this way?
If the PDF is purely a scanned image and the body text has not been recognized as copyable text, content-based matching may fail to obtain the number. Such files usually need text recognition first to make the PDF content readable, and then the rename-by-content function can be used.
4. Is a backup needed before batch processing?
It is recommended to keep a backup of the original files, especially when using expression-based batch renaming for the first time. Although batch processing can significantly improve efficiency, if the expression rules are set inaccurately, it could also lead to a batch of file names not meeting expectations. Backing up first or testing on a small batch is a safer habit for office file processing.
Summary: Replace Manual Renaming with Rules to Improve PDF Archiving Efficiency
Through the example in this article, you can see that using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool can turn the work that originally required opening PDFs one by one, finding the contract number, copying, pasting, and renaming into a process of importing once, setting an expression once, and completing batch processing. For contract PDFs, order PDFs, invoice PDFs, and various archive PDFs, this method of batch renaming based on content is very practical.
If your folder also contains many files with names like "1.pdf, 2.pdf, scan.pdf" that lack business meaning, and the PDF body contains contract numbers, order numbers, or archive numbers, it is recommended to test the expression matching effect with a few files first, and then batch process the entire set of data. Reasonable use of wildcard expressions or regular expressions can significantly reduce repetitive labor, making PDF file organization more standardized and efficient.