Common numbers like 01, 02, 2023, 2020 at the end of folder names are often just temporary sorting or export identifiers, and they need to be uniformly removed during organization and archiving. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to demonstrate how to enter the folder name module, use the "Delete Text in Folder Names" function, add multiple folders, and select "All Numbers" in the processing options to quickly remove numbering, years, and numeric characters from folder names.
When organizing computer desktops, project materials, department shared folders, or client delivery directories, we often encounter this situation: the folder name itself is an English or Chinese business name, but followed by a string of numbers, such as Report01, Reports04, Results02, Summary06, Templates14. These numbers may come from an export system, temporary sorting, year identifiers, or manual numbering. When it's time to formally archive the materials, these numbers become redundant and can even affect searchability and directory aesthetics.
If it's only 3 folders, manually renaming them is acceptable; but for 20, 100, or even more folders, deleting the suffix numbers one by one is very inefficient. This article will introduce a method more suitable for office scenarios: using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to delete numbers from folder names in bulk. It is a batch processing tool within office software, suitable for handling large amounts of folder naming, file organization, document archiving, and other repetitive tasks.
This article focuses on clarifying three questions: what scenarios this method is suitable for, what changes occur before and after processing, and the specific step-by-step operation within the software. Even if you have not used a similar batch folder renaming tool before, you can follow the screenshots to complete the operation.
Applicable Scenarios: When You Need to Uniformly Remove Folder Numbers and Years
Numbers in folder names don't always need to be kept. The following scenarios are typically suitable for batch deleting numbers:
- Cleaning numbers after exporting data: System exports automatically generate Report01, Report02, Report03; when archiving, you only want to keep the "Report" type name.
- Removing year identifiers: Folders like Project2023, Training2021, Statements2019 may no longer need the year after being merged into an annual summary directory.
- Standardizing English folder names: Names like Agreements10, Analysis2022, Specifications13 mixed with numbers affect directory neatness.
- Batch normalizing shared drives: Inconsistent naming formats during multi-person collaboration can be made more uniform using batch rules.
- Preparing for subsequent file organization: Before classifying materials like Word, docx, doc, Excel, PDF, clean up useless numbers in folder names first to facilitate establishing a standard directory.
It's important to note that if a number has business meaning—such as the numbers in "Contract Version 2", "Product 3D Materials", or "2024 Budget" which need to be kept—it's not recommended to directly choose deleting all numbers. You should determine whether the numbers can be deleted before batch processing.
Effect Preview: Before Processing, Folder Names Have Number Suffixes
In the pre-processing screenshot below, multiple folder names contain numbers. On the left, there are Agreements10, Analysis2022, Data03, Design07, Documents08, among others; on the right, there are Report01, Reports04, Results02, Resumes09, Specifications13, Statements2019, Training2021, and more.
Some of these numbers look like serial numbers, some like years, and some are just two-digit codes. If handled manually one by one, you would not only repeat the actions of "select folder — rename — delete number — confirm" but also be careful not to delete letters by mistake. For office workers, this type of operation has no technical difficulty but is very time-consuming.
Effect Preview: After Processing, Numbers Are Batch Removed
After batch processing, the numbers in the folder names have been deleted, leaving only the text parts. For example, Agreements10 becomes Agreements, Analysis2022 becomes Analysis, Report01 becomes Report, Specifications13 becomes Specifications, Training2021 becomes Training.
From the processing effect, you can see that the software does not delete the entire folder nor change the materials inside the folder; it performs text cleaning specifically on the folder name itself. For scenarios where a large number of folder name suffix numbers need to be uniformly removed, this batch processing method is more efficient than manual renaming.
Operation Step 1: Open the Folder Name Module
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select Folder Name in the left navigation bar. The software's main interface will display several function cards related to folder name processing, including finding and replacing keywords in folder names, inserting text into folder names, adding prefixes and suffixes to folder names, and converting folder name case, etc.
This time, we need to delete numbers, so select the 5th option: Delete text from folder names.
The key to this step is choosing the correct function entry. Because we want to process "folder names", not Word document content, Excel spreadsheet content, or PDF page content, we should operate within the "Folder Name" category. Only after selecting "Delete text from folder names" can you enter the subsequent batch deletion rule setting page.
Operation Step 2: Add Folder Records to Process
After entering the function page, the top of the interface shows the current task is Delete text from folder names, and provides a step-by-step wizard. The first step is Select records to process. Click the Add Folders button in the upper right to add the folders that need their number suffixes removed to the processing list.
After adding, the software will display the folder name and path in a table. From the screenshot, you can see the list has been loaded with multiple folders containing numbers, with paths located under a desktop test directory. The record count shown below the table is 20, indicating that 20 folders will participate in the subsequent processing.
At this step, it's recommended not to rush to click the next step but to first perform a check:
- Check the "Name" column to confirm these folders indeed all need numbers deleted.
- Check the "Path" column to confirm the folders are in the correct directory and no other directories were selected by mistake.
- If a folder should not be processed, remove the corresponding record in the operation column.
- If the overall selection of added folders is wrong, use the clear button on the page to reselect.
The efficiency of batch processing comes from executing rules in one go, but the premise is that the objects to process are correct. If the wrong objects are selected, subsequent rules, no matter how correct, will affect folders that shouldn't be touched.
Operation Step 3: Select "All Numbers" as the Deletion Type
After confirming the list to be processed is correct, click Next at the bottom to enter Set processing options. In the "Operation Type" area, select All Numbers.
After selecting "All Numbers", the software will treat numeric characters appearing in the folder name as content to be deleted. The numbers here include characters from 0 to 9, such as 01, 03, 10, 2020, 2021, 2023, etc. Regardless of whether the number appears at the end or in the middle of the name, it will be cleaned up according to this rule.
Based on the examples in this article, the processing logic can be understood as:
- Report01 deletes 01, resulting in Report.
- Reports04 deletes 04, resulting in Reports.
- Results02 deletes 02, resulting in Results.
- Statements2019 deletes 2019, resulting in Statements.
- Promotion2020 deletes 2020, resulting in Promotion.
On the same settings page, there are other options like "All Spaces", "All Chinese Characters", "All English Letters", "All Content", "Rightmost number of texts", etc. Do not randomly select other options to delete suffix numbers, especially "All Content" or "All English Letters", as this could lead to excessive cleaning of the name. For the scenario in this article, you only need to select "All Numbers".
Operation Step 4: Proceed to Next Step, Set Save Location, and Start
After setting the operation type, click Next at the bottom of the page. From the progress bar, you can see the software will then guide you through the Set Save Location and Start Processing stages. Continue completing the settings according to the interface prompts, and start execution after final confirmation.
Before starting processing, it is recommended to perform three checks:
- Check the deletion rule: Confirm the current selection is "All Numbers", not another text deletion type.
- Check the risk of duplicate names: If there are Report01 and Report02 in the same directory, they might both become "Report" after deleting numbers; this conflict should be handled in advance.
- Check important directories: If these are formal office materials, it's recommended to back up the directory first or test the effect with a small number of folders first.
After completing the processing, return to the original folder location to view it; you will see the numbers in the names have been batch removed. The entire process does not require individual renaming, making it suitable for batch organizing large volumes of material directories.
Common Questions and Precautions
1. Can this method only delete numbers at the end of a folder?
This article demonstrates deleting "All Numbers", meaning all numbers in the name will be deleted. If your requirement is to delete only the rightmost number, you need to choose carefully based on other rules in the interface. But based on the operation shown in the screenshot, the goal here is to delete all numbers, so selecting "All Numbers" is the most direct.
2. Will the Word, Excel, and PDF files inside the folder be affected?
This operation targets folder names, and it does not directly modify the content of files like docx, doc, xlsx, PDF, images, etc., inside the folder. However, after the folder name changes, the original path will change, so note if any document links have references to the old path.
3. What if the folder name is empty after deleting the numbers?
If a folder's original name consists entirely of numbers, selecting to delete all numbers may lead to an unexpected name. Check the list before processing to avoid directly adding folders with purely numeric names to the batch processing task.
4. Why is it recommended to check the path column first?
When batch processing folders, identically named or similarly named folders might be spread across different directories. The path column helps confirm the actual processing location and prevent accidentally modifying other project directories.
5. How many folders is it suitable to batch process?
From the screenshot, you can see this example loaded 20 records. In actual office work, any folders that can be processed with the same rule are suitable for batch processing. The greater the number, the more time saved is evident.
Summary: Batch Removing Folder Numbers for More Efficient Directory Organization
If the numbers, years, and numeric characters appended to folder names are no longer needed, manually deleting them one by one is not an efficient approach. Through the "Folder Name" module of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can enter the "Delete text from folder names" function, add multiple folders, and then select "All Numbers" to quickly complete batch renaming.
This method is particularly suitable for scenarios like project material archiving, office folder standardization, shared drive cleanup, and exported directory organization. It is recommended to check the folder list, paths, and duplicate name risks before formal processing, and start execution only after confirming they are correct. For users who frequently need to process a large number of files and folders, mastering the method of batch deleting numbers from folder names can significantly reduce repetitive labor and improve file management efficiency.