When the names of a batch of Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, image, or text files are prefixed with useless characters of fixed length, renaming them one by one is not only time-consuming but also prone to omissions. This article uses the example of batch-deleting text within a custom range from file names to demonstrate how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool in the file name feature to select and delete text from file names. By using the position range 1:5, you can remove the first 5 characters from file names in one go, retaining the following date numbers and extensions. This is suitable for organizing multiple types of files such as docx, doc, xlsx, pptx, pdf, jpg, txt, and csv.
In daily office work, you often encounter the issue of inconsistent file name formats. For example, in the same folder, there are Word documents, Excel tables, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, images, text files, etc., with file names starting with an English prefix, followed by the date number that you actually need to keep. For names like Alpha2024010101.docx, Bravo2024020202.doc, Chart2024030303.pptx, if you want to uniformly remove the Alpha, Bravo, Chart prefixes and keep only 2024010101, 2024020202, 2024030303, you need to batch delete text at a specified position in the file names.
If there are only two or three files, manually renaming them is acceptable; but when the number reaches dozens, hundreds, or even more, right-clicking to rename each one is very inefficient and prone to issues like deleting wrong characters, missing files, or accidentally changing extensions. This article addresses a typical batch file renaming requirement: batch deleting specified text from file names based on a custom position range, for example, deleting characters 1 to 5, transforming file names from an English prefix + date number to a uniform format with only the date number.
The following, together with screenshots, demonstrates how to complete the operation using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . It is a batch document processing software designed for office scenarios, with core values of batch processing files, reducing repetitive work, and improving file organization efficiency. The file types covered in this article's example include docx, doc, pptx, ppt, xlsx, xls, jpg, txt, pdf, csv, etc., suitable for standardizing names across different file formats.
Applicable Scenarios: Which file names are suitable for deleting text by custom range
Batch deleting custom range text from file names is suitable for processing cases where the position of unwanted content in file names is fixed. The key here is not that the characters to be deleted are entirely identical, but that their location within the file names is consistent. For example, the first 5 characters of each file name are unnecessary English codes. Although these codes are Alpha, Bravo, Chart, Delta, Eagle, Frame, Graph, Hotel, Index, Judge respectively, their length is all 5 characters, so you can uniformly set the deletion range to 1:5.
This method is common in the following office scenarios: First, file names exported from systems have project codes, personnel codes, or classification codes prefixed, but only the date, number, or client name is needed for subsequent archiving; Second, downloaded or received material file names have fixed-length source tags at the beginning, requiring uniform cleanup; Third, when organizing Word documents, Excel tables, PPT files, PDF reports, and image materials in bulk, prefixes need to be removed from file names for easier sorting by number; Fourth, file names come from multiple departments or platforms, and although the prefix text differs, the length of unwanted characters is consistent, enabling one-off deletion by position range.
It's important to note that deleting text by position range is suitable for file names with clear character position patterns. If some files need 5 characters deleted and others need 3, you should first confirm whether batch processing is needed. In this article's example, the first 5 characters of all file names need deleting, so using a position range is the most direct and efficient method.
Result Preview: File names contain English prefixes before processing
Before processing, the file names in the folder consist of an English prefix plus a date number, with extensions maintaining their respective file types. For example, Alpha2024010101.docx, Bravo2024020202.doc, Chart2024030303.pptx, Delta2024040404.ppt, Eagle2024050505.xlsx, Frame2024060606.xls, etc. The position marked in red is the prefix part that needs to be deleted.
From the screenshot, you can see that these files do not all belong to the same format. There are Word docx and doc, PowerPoint pptx and ppt, Excel xlsx and xls, as well as jpg, txt, pdf, csv files. For office workers, uniform organization of cross-type files is very common. Manually opening the folder and changing names one by one is time-consuming, and you constantly need to confirm whether the extension is preserved, significantly increasing the operational burden.
The goal of this processing is clear: delete the leftmost 5 characters of each file name. That is, only process prefixes like Alpha, Bravo, Chart in the main file name, without changing the subsequent date number, nor the extensions like .docx, .doc, .pptx, .ppt, .xlsx, .xls, .jpg, .txt, .pdf, .csv.
Result Preview: After processing, only the date number and extension are kept
After completing the batch processing, the English prefixes in the file names have been deleted, leaving a uniform date number plus the original extension. For example, Alpha2024010101.docx becomes 2024010101.docx, Bravo2024020202.doc becomes 2024020202.doc, and Chart2024030303.pptx becomes 2024030303.pptx.
The file list after processing is neater, with file names starting with numbers, making it easier to sort by time, number, or batch. More importantly, the original file formats are not changed; Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, image, and text files still maintain their corresponding extensions. Such results are very suitable for subsequent archiving, uploading to systems, sending to colleagues, or unified management as project materials.
Operation Steps: Using the File Name Feature to Delete Specified Range Text
Below, the process is explained following the software screenshots. The overall steps can be summarized as: enter the File Name tool, select Delete Text from File Name, import the files to be processed, set the deletion range, set the save location, and start processing. Each step has a different purpose, so it is recommended to confirm the file name pattern before proceeding with the batch execution.
Step 1: Enter the File Name Category and Select Delete Text from File Name
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select File Name in the left-side function navigation. The interface will display multiple tools related to file name processing, such as Find and Replace keywords in file names, Insert Text into File Name, Add Prefix and Suffix to File Names, etc. As the goal of this article is to delete a segment of text from file names, select the Delete Text from File Name function.
The purpose of this step is to enter the specific file name text deletion workflow. Since we are not converting file formats or processing the content of Word, Excel, or PDF files, but directly modifying file names, this should be done under the File Name category. After entering this function, the software will guide the user through a wizard-style process to select files, set processing options, set the save location, and start processing.
Step 2: Add or Import the Files to Be Batch Processed
After entering the Delete Text from File Name page, you first arrive at the Select Records to Process step. At the top right of the interface, you can see buttons like Add Files, Import Files from Folder, Clear, More, etc. For this case where there are multiple file types in the same folder, you can use Add Files to select specific files, or Import Files from Folder to batch import all files in the entire folder.
After importing, the software displays the file records in a list, including sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and an action column. Here, you can see 10 records to be processed. The name column shows files like Alpha2024010101.docx, Bravo2024020202.doc, Chart2024030303.pptx, and the extension column shows docx, doc, pptx, ppt, xlsx, xls, jpg, txt, pdf, csv respectively. Through the list preview, you can confirm that all files needing the prefix deleted have been imported and check if any files that shouldn't be processed were accidentally included.
The expected result of this step is: all files needing batch file name prefix deletion appear in the record list, and the file paths are correct. If a file shouldn't be processed, it can be removed via the action column in the interface; if the wrong batch was imported, you can use Clear and re-add. After confirmation, click Next to enter the processing options settings.
Step 3: Select Position Range and Enter 1:5
On the Set Processing Options page, the software provides multiple ways to delete text from file names, including all digits, all spaces, the rightmost few characters, all content between two texts, all Chinese characters, all content, all content to the left of a certain text, position range, all English letters, the leftmost few characters, all content to the right of a certain text, etc. What this article aims to achieve is deleting the first 5 characters by character position, so select Position Range.
After selecting Position Range, enter 1:5 in the Range input box below. This can be understood as deleting the content from the 1st to the 5th character in the main file name. Taking Alpha2024010101.docx as an example, Alpha is exactly the first 5 characters, and deleting it results in 2024010101.docx; taking Bravo2024020202.doc as an example, Bravo is also the first 5 characters, and deleting it results in 2024020202.doc.
This step is critical because it determines exactly which segment of the file name text will be deleted. Before filling in the range, it's recommended to spot-check a few file names in the list to confirm the length of the characters to be deleted is consistent. In this example, each file name prefix is exactly 5 English characters, so entering 1:5 can batch delete all prefixes. If your file names need deleting characters from the 3rd to the 8th position, you should fill in the corresponding range based on the actual situation, rather than copying the example.
Step 4: Set Save Location and Start Processing
After completing the processing option settings, continue by clicking Next. Following the interface flow, the next steps will be Set Save Location, then Start Processing. Since this is a batch file renaming operation, it is recommended to confirm the save location and processing range before officially starting, to avoid adding files that shouldn't be modified to the task.
When setting the save location, follow the interface prompts to choose an appropriate save method or location. For important files, it is advisable to first copy a set of test files for verification. After confirming the deletion range meets expectations, then perform the batch processing on the actual data. After entering Start Processing, the software will execute the file name text deletion rule on the records in the imported list one by one.
The expected result of this step is: the file names in all records uniformly have the specified range of text removed, while the extensions remain unchanged. After processing is complete, you can go back to the folder to check the results and compare whether the names before and after processing meet expectations.
Common Questions and Notes
1. Will the position range 1:5 delete extensions?
From the results in this example, the deletion is applied to the text at the specified position in the main file name. After processing, extensions like .docx, .doc, .pptx, .xlsx, .pdf are still retained. That means the goal of this article's example is to clean prefixes from file names, not to change file types. In practice, it's still recommended to check the preview list before processing to ensure the rules meet your needs.
2. Can different file types be processed together?
Yes. As seen in the record list in the screenshot, this example simultaneously imported docx, doc, pptx, ppt, xlsx, xls, jpg, txt, pdf, csv and other format files. Because this operation targets the file name, not the file content, it is suitable for cross-format batch renaming. For the common organization of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF materials in offices, this method can significantly reduce repetitive work.
3. Must all file name prefixes have the same length?
If you use Position Range and enter 1:5, the software will process all imported files with the same range. Therefore, the ideal scenario is that the part to be deleted has the same length in every file. If some file prefixes are 4 characters and others are 6, it is recommended to process them in groups first, or choose a deletion method more suitable for the current pattern. Otherwise, some files may have too many or too few characters deleted.
4. Why check the file list before processing?
Batch processing is highly efficient, but this also means the rules are applied to all imported records at once. Checking the names, paths, extensions, and record count before processing can prevent accidentally processing data in other folders. Especially when importing files from a folder, confirm whether that folder contains temporary files, backup files, or files that should not participate in the renaming.
5. Is it suitable for deleting Chinese characters, digits, or spaces?
The processing options in the screenshot include types like all digits, all Chinese characters, all spaces, all English letters, and also position range. This article focuses on deleting text by custom range. If the unwanted content in file names consists of Chinese characters, digits, or spaces at fixed positions, you can similarly choose an appropriate deletion method based on the actual need; if you just need to delete the first few characters, position range is usually the most intuitive.
Summary: Replace Repetitive Renaming with Batch Processing to Improve File Organization Efficiency
Batch deleting custom range text from file names is a very practical operation in file organization. Through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , this article's example uniformly deletes the first 5 characters from files like Alpha2024010101.docx, Bravo2024020202.doc, Chart2024030303.pptx, finally obtaining standardized names such as 2024010101.docx, 2024020202.doc, 2024030303.pptx. The entire process requires no right-click renaming one by one, nor opening file content; just import files, set the position range 1:5, and process according to the workflow.
For users who frequently organize Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, image, text, CSV and other office materials, this type of batch file name processing feature can significantly reduce repetitive work, lower the probability of manual errors, and make archiving and delivery more efficient. It is recommended to test the deletion range on a small sample before formally processing large batches of files, and only execute the batch operation after confirming correctness. This ensures accurate results and fully leverages the efficiency value of office software for batch file processing.