When a large number of folder names are prefixed with fixed letters, project codes, or temporary numbers, manually renaming them one by one is not only time-consuming but also prone to omissions or errors. This article uses the example of batch deleting text within a custom position range in folder names to demonstrate how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to uniformly delete the first through third characters in multiple folder names, batch organizing names like ABC20240101 into 20240101, helping users quickly complete batch folder renaming and name standardization.
In daily office work, document archiving, project delivery, and data organization, a common issue arises: a batch of folder names contain unwanted prefixes, such as ABC20240101, BCD20240110, DEF20240202. These prefixes may be temporary department codes, project identifiers, characters automatically added by export systems, or residual text left from data organization. If there are only a few folders, manual renaming is tolerable; but with dozens, hundreds, or even more folders, individually deleting a specified text range from each name becomes highly inefficient.
This article addresses: How to batch delete all text within a custom range from many folder names. In the example, we need to delete the first 3 English letters from each folder name, keeping only the subsequent date identifier, for instance, processing ABC20240101 into 20240101. Leveraging the folder name processing capabilities of the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , this repetitive batch folder renaming task can be completed centrally, reducing manual effort and error probability.
Applicable Scenarios: When to Delete Text from Folder Names by Position Range
Batch deleting specified text ranges from folder names is suitable for scenarios with relatively consistent naming structures. "Position range" means deleting based on character positions, such as deleting characters 1 through 3, or deleting characters 5 through 8. As long as the folder naming rules are similar, batch processing via a unified range is possible.
Common scenarios include:
- Deleting fixed-length prefixes: For example, folders named ABC20240101, DEF20240202 needing the first 3 letters removed, keeping only the date.
- Cleaning system export codes: Some systems prepend fixed-length codes to folder names during export, which need to be uniformly removed for archiving.
- Standardizing project document names: Project folders might have temporary identifiers at the beginning; for final delivery, extraneous characters need removing for cleaner names.
- Batch organizing date-type folders: The first few characters in folder names might be invalid classifications, with dates, batch numbers, or client codes following; the goal is to uniformly retain the valid parts.
- Name cleaning after data migration: Folders migrated from legacy systems, network drives, or compressed archives may contain unwanted characters that need centralized cleanup.
If your need is to delete "all numbers," "all Chinese characters," "all English letters," "the first few characters on the left," "content between two texts," etc., you can find corresponding operation types in the same functional interface. However, this article focuses on the Position Range deletion method shown in the screenshots, which deletes text from folder names in a batch based on a custom range.
Preview: Comparison of Folder Names Before and After Processing
First, look at the folder list before processing. Each folder name has 3 leading English letters, followed by date-form numbers. For example, ABC20240101, BCD20240110, DEF20240202, GHI20240303, and so on. The red highlighting emphasizes the prefix parts to be uniformly deleted.
The processed results are below. The original 3 leading English letters at the start of each folder name have been deleted, transforming them into 20240101, 20240110, 20240202, 20240303, etc. In other words, the software processed multiple folder names uniformly according to the set range, preserving the subsequent date identifiers.
This processing effect is ideal for batch renaming tasks where the name structure is consistent. Users don't need to enter rename mode individually, copy-paste, or repeatedly press the delete key. As long as the character position range to delete is confirmed beforehand, the same name cleaning rule can be applied to entire batches of folders.
Steps: Batch Deleting Custom Text Ranges from Folder Names
Step 1: Enter the Folder Name Tool, Select "Delete Text in Folder Names"
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select Folder Name from the tool categories on the left. On the right-side function cards, you'll see multiple functions related to batch folder renaming, such as finding and replacing keywords in folder names, inserting text into folder names, adding prefixes and suffixes to folder names, and converting folder name case.
This task is to delete a segment of text from folder names, so select the function card Delete Text in Folder Names. The screenshot shows this function highlighted, indicating it's the entry point for this operation.
The goal of this step is to enter the batch processing workflow specifically for "deleting text from folder names." Unlike ordinary file renaming, the processing target here is folder names, suitable for uniformly modifying directory names, project folder names, date folder names, etc.
Step 2: Add the Folder Records to be Processed
After entering the function page, the top interface shows the current function is Delete Text in Folder Names, which follows a wizard-style workflow. The first step is Select records to process. You can see the Add Folder button in the upper right corner, along with operation entries like Clear and More.
After clicking Add Folder, add the folders that need batch processing to the list. Once added, the table displays the folders' sequence number, name, path, creation time, modification time, and action column. In the example, 10 folders have been added, with names including ABC20240101, BCD20240110, DEF20240202, GHI20240303, JKL20240404, MNO20240505, PQR20240606, STU20240707, VWX20240808, YZA20240909.
The expected outcome of this step is to centralize all target folders into the task list and verify that the quantity, names, and paths are correct. The bottom of the screenshot shows a record count of 10, indicating the current batch task will process these 10 folder names. If folders that don't need processing are mistakenly added to the list, they can be removed via the delete button in the action column; if reselection is needed, use the Clear function to add again.
After confirming the list is correct, click Next Step at the bottom to proceed to set processing options.
Step 3: Select Operation Type as "Position Range"
The second step is Set Processing Options. On this page, the software offers various deletion methods, including all numbers, all whitespace, the rightmost 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 characters, all content to the right of a certain text, and more.
The goal of this example is to delete the 1st to 3rd characters from each folder name, i.e., deleting the leading three English letters like ABC, BCD, DEF. Since these characters are not entirely identical, they cannot be simply removed with a single fixed keyword; but their positions are consistent – all are the first 3 characters of the folder name. Therefore, select Position Range in the operation type.
The key in this step is understanding the function of "Position Range": it deletes based on character position, not specific text content. For a batch of folders with consistent formatting, this method is very direct. For example, regardless of whether the first 3 characters are ABC, BCD, or DEF, as long as the range is set to 1:3, the software will delete characters 1 through 3 from each name.
Step 4: Fill in the Range Value to Delete Characters 1 to 3
After selecting Position Range, a range input area appears below. The screenshot shows 1:3 filled in. Judging by the before-and-after effect, this setting deletes characters from position 1 to position 3 in the folder names.
Using the example names:
- ABC20240101 after deleting ABC (positions 1-3) becomes 20240101.
- BCD20240110 after deleting BCD (positions 1-3) becomes 20240110.
- DEF20240202 after deleting DEF (positions 1-3) becomes 20240202.
- GHI20240303 after deleting GHI (positions 1-3) becomes 20240303.
It's important that the range setting matches the actual structure of the folder names. If you need to delete the first 4 characters, fill in the corresponding range as required by the interface; if deleting a middle segment, you should also count the start and end positions precisely. To avoid accidental deletion, it is advisable to test with a small number of folders first, and only confirm and process large quantities after verifying the result is correct.
After filling in the range, click Next Step at the bottom to continue the subsequent process.
Step 5: Set the Save Location and Start Processing
As seen from the interface workflow, the subsequent steps in the software include Set Save Location and Start Processing. This type of batch folder name processing typically continues via the wizard to complete the task. As the current screenshots primarily show the function entry, folder addition, and position range setting, the subsequent operations just need to be followed according to the interface prompts.
Before execution, it's recommended to reconfirm three points: first, that the folder list only contains directories to be processed; second, that the operation type is indeed set to "Position Range"; third, that the range value matches the character positions to delete, such as 1:3 in this example. Once confirmed, proceed to the "Start Processing" step.
After processing is complete, go back to the directory containing the folders and check the results; the names should match the preview: the original three-letter prefix has been deleted, leaving only the date identifier.
Common Issues and Notes
1. Position range is suitable for deleting text that is different but positionally consistent.
If the text to delete from each folder differs, for example, ABC, BCD, DEF are all different, but they are all located at the start of the name and have the same length, using position range is more suitable than find-and-replace. This is because it doesn't rely on specific keywords but processes uniformly based on character position.
2. Confirm folder name format consistency before processing.
In this example, all folders follow the structure "three letters + eight-digit date," so deleting 1:3 results in neat date names. If some folder names do not follow this structure—for example, they have only two prefix characters or contain leading spaces—the processing result may differ from expectations. It is recommended to browse the list before batch processing and, if necessary, filter or organize anomalous names first.
3. Do not add folders that don't need processing to the task list.
The advantage of batch processing is applying one rule in one go, but this also means the rule acts on all records in the list. Therefore, before clicking "Next Step," carefully check the names and paths. When unsure whether a folder should be processed, leave it out to avoid unintended modifications.
4. Fill in the range value according to actual needs.
In the example, 1:3 means delete characters from position 1 to 3, but the range for different tasks can vary. For instance, a folder prefix might be "ProjectA-", requiring more characters to be deleted; some folders have fixed-length serial numbers in the middle, where the range can also be set based on the actual position. The key is to first clarify the start and end positions for deletion.
5. Recommended: Backup important data first or validate with a small batch.
Folder names are often critical for data indexing and subsequent retrieval. Although batch tools significantly boost efficiency, for processing important project directories, financial data, or client delivery folders, it's advisable to back up first or test on a small copied subset. After confirming the rules are correct, execute the batch operation on the official folders.
Conclusion: Reduce Repetitive Renaming Work with a Batch Processing Tool
Batch deleting custom text ranges from folder names essentially solves the problem of performing numerous repetitive name changes. For folders like ABC20240101 where the first three letters need removal, manually dealing with 10, 100, or even more directories not only consumes time but also easily leads to missed deletions, wrong positions, inconsistent names, and other issues.
With HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can perform batch processing of folder names within the office software: first select Delete Text in Folder Names, then add the folders to process, next choose Position Range and fill in 1:3, and finally follow the wizard to complete saving and processing. The entire process is clear and verifiable, suitable for frequent office scenarios like batch folder renaming, document archiving, and project directory organization.
If you are organizing a batch of folders with fixed-length prefixes, identifiers, or invalid characters, it is recommended to first confirm the naming pattern, then use the position range function for batch deletion. This transforms work originally requiring repetitive manual modification into a single rule setting and batch execution, significantly reducing repetitive labor and improving file organization efficiency.