When a large number of folder names contain unified separator text, such as END, START, version numbers, or project markers, and we only want to keep the text to the left of that text along with the text itself, deleting the unnecessary suffixes on the right, manually renaming them one by one is very inefficient. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to demonstrate how to use the "Delete text in folder names" feature to batch delete all content to the right of a certain text in folder names, suitable for project archiving, data cleanup, batch name standardization, and other scenarios.
In daily office work and file organization, many folder names include temporary suffixes, status descriptions, version notes, or archival labels. For example, Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final, Client_START_2024Draft_END_Archive, Invoice_START_batch001_END_Paid—the first part of these names usually contains the core information we need to keep, while the content to the right of END, such as Final, Archive, or Paid, is just a temporary note. When there are only a few folders, you can rename them manually, but if you have dozens or hundreds of folders needing unified processing, deleting the suffixes one by one is not only time-consuming but also prone to omissions, accidental deletions, or breaking naming conventions.
The problem addressed in this article is: batch deleting all content to the right of a specific text in multiple folder names. This means using a fixed text string as an anchor point, such as END, keeping END and everything to its left, and deleting all characters to the right of END. The following sections, with screenshots, will demonstrate the complete workflow using the folder name processing capabilities of the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool .
Use Cases: When is it suitable to truncate folder names based on a specific text?
This batch renaming method is applicable to all scenarios where "a uniform anchor text exists in the folder names." As long as all folder names contain the same keyword, delimiter, or marker, you can use it as a processing boundary to delete all superfluous content to its right in one go.
Common scenarios include:
- Removing status suffixes from project folders: For example, Project_START_alpha_END_Report is kept only up to END, deleting Report.
- Archiving client materials: For example, Client_START_2024Draft_END_Archive, delete archiving descriptions like Archive to keep a uniform main body.
- Cleaning up design drafts, images, and video assets: For example, Photo_START_rawSet_END_Edited, remove the Edited suffix for easier subsequent unified classification.
- Standardizing financial or invoice folder names: For example, Invoice_START_batch001_END_Paid, delete status words like Paid.
- Organizing backup directories: For example, Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final, remove Final to keep the naming concise.
Although this example deals with folder names, the approach is very similar to batch file name processing. For common office documents like Word docs, docx, doc files, Excel spreadsheets, xlsx, PDFs, images, and other materials, if you need to standardize file or folder naming in batches, you can adopt the approach of "identifying a keyword first, then batch processing based on the keyword's left or right side."
Preview of Results: Folder names before processing containing superfluous suffixes on the right
Before processing, multiple folder names contain different texts following _END_, such as Final, Release, Archive, Clean, Approved, Paid, Public, Edited, Report, Done. The parts marked in red are precisely the content that needs to be deleted. As you can see, these suffixes vary in length and have different meanings. Deleting them manually one by one is not only inefficient but also makes it easy to miss a folder or forget to process one.
From the screenshot, the folder naming follows a common pattern: a fixed text, END, exists in the middle, and the information to its right needs to be removed. Therefore, we don't need to delete a fixed number of characters or input new names one by one; we just need to tell the software "delete all content to the right of END."
Preview of Results: Unified retention up to the specified text END after processing
After processing, each folder name is kept up to END. Suffixes like Final, Release, Archive to the right of END have been batch deleted. The processing results are shown in the following image.
For example, Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final becomes Backup_START_tempFiles_END, Build_START_debugInfo_END_Release becomes Build_START_debugInfo_END, and Task_START_removeThis_END_Done becomes Task_START_removeThis_END. This result is very suitable for office scenarios like batch cleaning folder name suffixes, unifying project directory names, and deleting temporary status text.
Operation Steps: Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch delete content to the right of END
Step 1: Enter the "Folder Names" category and select "Delete text from folder names"
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select Folder Names in the left-side function category. On the page, you can see several functions related to folder naming, including Find and Replace, Insert Text, Add Prefix Suffix, Case Conversion, and more. Our goal this time is to delete content to the right of a specified text, so select the Delete text from folder names function in the interface.
The purpose of this step is to enter the processing flow specifically designed for batch deleting text from folder names. Unlike manual renaming, the software reads multiple folder names in batch and processes them uniformly according to the rules set in subsequent steps. For users who frequently need to organize project materials, client directories, or asset directories, the value of this type of office software lies in reducing repetitive labor, turning operations that require numerous clicks and inputs into rule-based processing.
Step 2: Add the folders to be processed and confirm the record list
After entering the function page, the top of the interface shows the current function is Delete text from folder names. You can see action buttons like Add Folders, Clear, and More in the upper right corner. Click Add Folders to add the folders that need batch renaming to the list.
After adding, the page lists the pending records in a table, including sequence number, name, path, creation time, modification time, and an actions column. The screenshot shows 10 records added, with names containing prefixes like Backup, Build, Client, Data, Design, Invoice, Notes, Photo, Project, Task, and each name includes END. At this point, it's recommended to check the list first to confirm that all added items are the folders needing processing. If a record doesn't need processing, you can remove it from the list using the delete icon in the actions column. If the list was added incorrectly, you can also use the Clear button on the page to re-add. After confirming the list is correct, click Next at the bottom of the page to enter the processing rule settings page.
Step 3: Set the operation type to "All content to the right of a specific text"
On the "Set Processing Options" page, you need to select the specific deletion rule. The interface offers multiple operation types, such as deleting all digits, all whitespace, the rightmost few texts, all content between two texts, all Chinese characters, all content, all content to the left of a text, a position range, all English letters, the leftmost few texts, etc. Our goal is to delete all content to the right of a specified text, so you should choose All content to the right of a specific text.
After selecting this option, the software will use the text you enter as a delimiter, find the position of that text in each folder name, and then delete all content to its right. Since the example folders all use END as the retention boundary, enter END in the Text input box below.
There is one very important detail here: the interface has a switch for Include this text. The screenshot shows this switch is in the off state, which means the deletion will not include END itself; it will keep END and only delete the content to its right. The final result also proves this, as all processed folder names still end with END. If your requirement is to also delete END itself, you would need to adjust this switch based on the interface option; however, in our scenario, we want to keep END, so it should remain off.
Step 4: Continue to the next step, follow the process to set the save location, and start processing
After setting the processing options, click Next at the bottom of the page. From the step indicator in the interface, you can see the entire workflow includes: selecting the records to process, setting processing options, setting the save location, and starting the process. Since the processing target is folder names, the subsequent pages will continue to guide you through the settings related to the save location and ultimately execute the batch process.
Before entering the final processing stage, it's advisable to double-check two points: first, whether the pending records are all target folders; second, whether the keyword in the text box is entered accurately—for instance, in this case, it must be END, not _END_ or end. Different keywords will lead to different match positions and ultimately different resulting names.
After confirming everything is correct, follow the page flow to start processing. Once done, return to File Explorer to check the folder names, and you will see that all folders have uniformly had the content to the right of END deleted.
Processing Logic Explanation: Why suffixes of different lengths can be deleted
In this example, the superfluous content to the right of each folder name is not of equal length—Final is 5 letters, Release is 7 letters, Archive is 7 letters, Paid is 4 letters. If a traditional "delete N characters from the right" method were used, it couldn't adapt to all folders in one go because each suffix has a different length.
However, "All content to the right of a specific text" is a keyword-location-based processing method. The software doesn't care how many characters the right-side suffix has; it first locates END, then deletes all content after END. Therefore, as long as END exists in the folder names, a uniform result can be obtained. This is also the advantage of batch folder renaming tools in office scenarios: handling differentiated names through rules, reducing manual judgment.
Common Questions and Notes
1. What happens if a folder name does not contain END?
Generally, this type of text-location-based rule only takes effect when the specified text is matched. To avoid omissions, it is recommended to check the name list after adding folders to ensure all folders to be processed contain END. If some folders do not contain this text, it's advisable to remove them from the list first, or choose a keyword again based on the actual naming rules.
2. Does the case of END need to be consistent?
The screenshot shows uppercase END is entered, and the folder names also use uppercase END. To ensure accurate matching, it is recommended that the entered text be consistent with the actual text in the folder names, including details like case, underscores, and spaces.
3. Should I include underscores, like _END_?
This example inputs END, and the processed names are retained up to END, with underscores and suffixes to the right being deleted. If your naming rule is different—for example, if you want to keep or delete a certain underscore—you need to decide whether to enter END, _END, or _END_ based on the actual names. It's best to test with a small number of folders first to confirm the result meets expectations before batch processing.
4. How should I choose the "Include this text" switch?
If "Include this text" is off, it usually means the entered anchor text is retained, and only the content to its right is deleted; in this example, END is kept. If it's on, the anchor text might also be included in the deletion scope. This article's goal is to "delete all content to the right of a specific text and keep that text," so keep the switch in the off state as shown in the screenshot.
5. Do I need a backup before batch processing?
Batch renaming can affect multiple folder names simultaneously. Even though using office software can significantly improve efficiency, it is still advisable to confirm the list and rules before processing important data, and back up important directories if necessary to avoid names not meeting expectations due to keyword input errors.
Summary: Replace manual renaming with rules for more efficient batch folder organization
When numerous folder names contain a uniform text and you need to delete all content to the right of that text, manually renaming them one by one is not an efficient solution. Using the "Delete text from folder names" feature of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can transform repetitive operations into a single rule setting: add folders, select "All content to the right of a specific text," enter END, keep "Include this text" unchecked, and then execute the process according to the workflow.
This method is particularly suitable for office scenarios like project directory archiving, asset folder cleanup, client material standardization, and invoice directory organization. Compared to manual modification, it reduces repetitive work, lowers the probability of missed or wrongful modifications, and makes folder naming more uniform and easier to search and manage. If you also frequently face the need to batch rename many folders, you can follow the steps in this article to organize a batch of test directories first, confirm the effect, and then apply it to your official materials.