Folder names often contain source prefixes, project codes, temporary numbers, and other elements. If each name includes the same keyword, you can batch-delete all text before the keyword using a rule-based method. This article demonstrates how to use the "Delete text from folder names" feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to uniformly process multiple folders containing "START" so that their names begin with "START." The tutorial combines before-and-after screenshots and the software interface to explain key steps such as adding folders, selecting deletion rules, entering keywords, and confirming results, helping users quickly complete batch folder organization.
When organizing computer folders, a very typical naming issue often appears: the first part of a folder name comes from various sources, while the second part is the key information that needs to be retained. For example, some names start with Backup_, some start with Build_, others with Client_, or Project_, but they all contain START in the middle. Now you want to delete everything before START, so all folder names begin uniformly with START. If you manually rename them one by one, it not only takes time but is also prone to deleting too much, too little, or missing one.
This tutorial introduces an approach better suited for office scenarios: using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch delete all text before a specified keyword in folder names. The keyword in this example is START. The processing goal is to keep START and the content on its right, and delete the content on the left of START. Through this method, you can quickly standardize a large number of folder names, which is particularly suitable for project material archiving, contract directory organizing, report folder cleanup, uniform naming of asset directories, and similar tasks.
Applicable Scenarios: Why Delete Text Left of a Keyword
Deleting the content to the left of a keyword applies to situations where "names do not have completely consistent structures but share a common anchor point." Unlike deleting a fixed number of characters, this approach does not require each prefix to have the same length. As long as a specified keyword can be found in every folder name, the software can use that keyword as a boundary for batch processing.
For example, in the folder names below, the content to the left of START is Backup_, Build_, Client_, Data_, Design_, etc., respectively. Their lengths and meanings are not completely the same. If you delete them manually, you need to locate START one by one; if you delete by a fixed number of characters, errors may occur because the prefixes are of different lengths. By using the "all content to the left of a certain text" rule, you can directly set START as the anchor point and uniformly delete all text to its left.
This method is not only suitable for folders but can also provide ideas for organizing daily files. For example, when organizing Word document materials, .doc and .docx files might have export numbers appended; when organizing Excel spreadsheets, .xls and .xlsx filenames might have system batch numbers prefixed; when organizing PDF contracts or image materials, filenames might also have source platform markers prefixed. This article focuses on folder name processing. In actual work, you can choose the corresponding batch processing function based on the object type.
Effect Preview: From Messy Prefixes to Uniform START Beginning
Before Processing: Non-Uniform Prefixes on Different Folder Names
The screenshot before processing shows a set of folders pending organization. You can see that their names all contain START and END, but the content on the left of START is different. For example: Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final, Build_START_debugInfo_END_Release, Client_START_2024Draft_END_Archive, Project_START_alpha_END_Report, etc.
If these prefixes are only legacy information, export source information, or temporary classification information that holds no value in subsequent archiving, they can be batch deleted. After deletion, the sorting and identification of folders in File Explorer will become more uniform, and finding them by the content after START will be easier.
After Processing: Keyword and Content to Its Right Retained
The screenshot after processing shows that all folder names now start with START, indicating the content on the left of START has been deleted. For example, the original Data_START_sampleChunk_END_Clean becomes START_sampleChunk_END_Clean after processing, and Photo_START_rawSet_END_Edited becomes START_rawSet_END_Edited.
Note that this example does not delete START itself, but keeps it as the beginning of the new name. This point is critical: if you want to keep the keyword, make the deletion rule act only on the left of the keyword; if you want to delete the keyword together, you need to set that separately in the software options. Do not confuse the two.
Operation Steps: Batch Delete the Content Before START in Folder Names
Step 1: Open the Folder Name Related Function
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you will see multiple function categories on the left side of the software, including Home, Task Flow, All Tools, File Name, Folder Name, File Organizer, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, etc. This task involves processing folder names, so you should select "Folder Name".
In the "Folder Name" category, find the feature card for "Delete Text in Folder Names". The screenshot shows this function is used to batch delete text in folder names, which perfectly fits the current requirement of "deleting content to the left of START". Click this function to enter its operation page.
The purpose of this step is to select the correct entry point for batch processing. Many users easily mix up "File Name" and "Folder Name" when dealing with naming issues: the former is usually for processing specific file names, while the latter is for processing directory names. This tutorial processes directory names corresponding to the yellow folder icon, so you should enter the Folder Name tool.
Step 2: Add the Folders That Need Batch Renaming
After entering the feature page, the first step is "Select records to process". The upper right corner of the interface provides an "Add Folders" button. Click it to add target folders to the processing list. After adding, the software will list the records in a table format, containing information like sequence number, name, path, creation time, and modification time.
As shown in the screenshot, the current list has 10 records added, and the summary shows that the record count is 10. Don't rush to click next; it's recommended to first check whether every name in the list contains START and whether the paths belong to the directory intended for this processing. For example, the path column shows these folders are located under D:test, and you can verify whether the correct directory was added through the path.
If you find a specific folder should not be included in this batch processing, you can use the delete button in the operation column to remove it. If all were added incorrectly, you can click "Clear" to reselect. After confirming the list is correct, click "Next" at the bottom.
Step 3: Set the Deletion Rule to "All Content to the Left of Certain Text"
After entering the second step "Set processing options", the interface displays multiple operation types. Because we want to delete all text to the left of START, you should choose "All content to the left of certain text". This option means: first find the specified text in the folder name, and then delete all characters to its left.
Then, fill in START in the "Text" input box. START here is the anchor keyword and must exactly match the actual text in the folder names. Once filled in, the software will know to use START as the boundary to process each folder name.
In the screenshot, you can see the "Include this text" toggle. The processing result for this example is to keep START, so this toggle is off. Folders after processing will thus start with START, rather than the content after START. Once set, click "Next" to continue the subsequent steps.
The advantage of this rule lies in its flexibility. No matter if the prefix before START is Backup_, Build_, or Project_, as long as START exists, the software will delete the content to its left. For a large number of folders with prefixes of different lengths, this is more reliable than manual operation and fixed-length truncation.
Step 4: Confirm the Save Location or Processing Location
From the step bar at the top of the software, you can see the third step is "Set save location". In batch processing tasks, this step usually confirms where the processing result is saved or applied. Since processing strategies may differ across tasks, it's recommended to follow the prompts on the actual software interface for setting and pay key attention to verifying the target path is correct.
If you are handling directories containing important business materials, such as contract archives, client delivery folders, or project source file directories, it is recommended to ensure backups exist before this step or first test the rule with a small sample of folders. Batch processing is highly efficient, so it's even more crucial to confirm the rules and scope clearly before execution.
Step 5: Execute Processing and Check Folder Names
After completing the save location setting, enter the "Start processing" step. Double-check the number of pending records, the keyword START, and the deletion rule "All content to the left of certain text". Once confirmed, start the process. After processing is complete, open File Explorer to review the results.
As shown in the post-processing screenshot, the folder names have been changed according to the rule: Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final becomes START_tempFiles_END_Final, Invoice_START_batch001_END_Paid becomes START_batch001_END_Paid, Notes_START_privateText_END_Public becomes START_privateText_END_Public. In this way, the originally scattered and non-uniform prefixes are cleaned up in one go, making the folder name structure more standardized.
Common Questions and Precautions
1. What happens if the keyword is entered incorrectly?
If the keyword filled in the text box does not match the actual content in the folder names, the software may not be able to locate the deletion position as expected. Therefore, when entering a keyword like START, pay attention to details like letter case, underscores, and spaces. It is recommended to copy the keyword directly from a folder name to reduce input errors.
2. Can I delete the content to the right of START?
You can see the "All content to the right of certain text" option in the interface. If your requirement is to keep the content on the left of START and delete the content on its right, you should choose the corresponding rule. The goal of this article is to delete all content to the left of START, so "All content to the left of certain text" was chosen.
3. Why is manual renaming not recommended?
Manual renaming is suitable for very small numbers of folders. Once the count increases, repetitive tasks consume significant time and are prone to inconsistencies. Batch processing tools allow you to set rules once and apply them to all records, especially suitable for handling dozens or hundreds of folders with similar structures.
4. How to avoid name conflicts after batch processing?
After deleting the content to the left of the keyword, different folders might end up with the same name. Before processing, you can observe whether the content to the right of START is sufficient to distinguish between different folders. If the content on the right is also identical, you need to adjust the naming rules to avoid duplicate name issues after processing.
5. Any suggestions for processing office material directories?
If folders contain important office materials like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF documents, it's best to confirm that no other programs are using these directories before renaming and keep necessary backups. For project materials like docx, doc, xlsx, xls, pptx, pdf files, once directory names are standardized, subsequent retrieval, archiving, and sharing become more convenient.
Summary: Using Rule-Based Batch Renaming to Boost File Organization Efficiency
Batch deleting all text before a specified keyword in folder names essentially transforms repetitive manual renaming actions into rule-based processing. Through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you just need to select "Delete Text in Folder Names", add folders, set "All content to the left of certain text", enter START, and complete the subsequent steps according to the wizard to clean up prefixes across multiple folders at once.
For users who frequently organize project directories, customer materials, system export folders, or office document archive directories, this kind of batch processing capability can significantly reduce repetitive labor. It is recommended to confirm the keyword and processing scope in actual operation before executing the batch task; once the rule is verified to be correct, you can confidently use the tool to complete extensive folder name organization work.