When a folder contains a large number of files such as Word, PDF, and Excel, if you need to uniformly add a company name, project name, or client name to the beginning of the file names, renaming them one by one by right-clicking is very time-consuming and prone to omissions. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to explain how to use the "Insert Text into File Names" feature to batch insert specified text at the beginning of file names, suitable for the unified naming and organization of various files such as docx, doc, pdf, xlsx, and xls.
In daily office work, many files are not named according to final archiving standards from the start. For example, a folder contains financial statements, expense reports, annual reports, and budget sheets, with file names like Tax_Declaration_2024.docx, Annual_Report_2024.pdf, Monthly_Budget_January_2024.xlsx. When it's time to submit to clients, upload to a shared drive, or archive according to company rules, you realize all file names need the same company name, project name, or department identifier added to the front.
If there are only three to five files, manual renaming is tolerable; but if there are dozens or hundreds of Word documents, PDF files, or Excel sheets that need text inserted uniformly at the beginning of the filename, renaming them one by one not only wastes time but can also lead to issues like missing a space, omitting an underscore, or accidentally modifying the file extension. This article, with screenshots, introduces how to batch insert text at the beginning of many file names in the HeSoft Doc Batch Tool office software, achieving efficient, uniform, and controllable file renaming.
Applicable Scenarios: When Batch Inserting Text Before File Names is Needed
"Adding unified text at the beginning of file names" seems like a simple operation, but it is very common in office data organization. Its core value is to quickly bring a batch of files from different sources with inconsistent naming under a single naming convention, facilitating retrieval, sorting, sharing, and subsequent processing.
- Company Data Archiving: Adding the company name before contracts, reports, vouchers, and budget sheets, such as Oakwood Enterprises Company_.
- Project File Organization: Adding the project number or abbreviation before design drafts, meeting minutes, quotations, and acceptance documents.
- Client Data Differentiation: When dealing with Word, PDF, and Excel files from multiple clients, adding the client name before the filename to avoid confusion.
- Financial File Consolidation: Adding a uniform year, month, or department prefix to financial materials in different formats like docx, doc, xlsx, xls, and pdf.
- Shared File Standardization: Before sending to colleagues or external partners, unifying file names into a more easily identifiable format.
HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is positioned as a batch file processing software for office scenarios, suitable for reducing repetitive work. The feature used here is the "Insert Text into File Name" function under the "File Name" category; it does not edit file content but modifies the file names themselves in bulk.
Effect Preview: File Name Changes Before and After Processing
Before Processing: No Unified Company Name at the Start of Filenames
In the pre-processing screenshot below, the folder contains various office file formats, including Word documents (docx), PDF files (pdf), and Excel sheets (xlsx). The file names effectively express the data content, for example, Tax_Declaration_2024.docx, Reimbursement_Form_March_2024.pdf, Quarterly_Report_Q1_2024.docx, Monthly_Budget_January_2024.xlsx, but they lack a unified company or project identifier at the start.
This naming convention poses little problem for temporary personal handling, but when files enter team sharing, client delivery, or long-term archiving, relying solely on the business description in the filename may not be clear enough. If Annual_Report_2024.pdf files from different clients are placed together, identification difficulties can easily arise.
After Processing: Unified Text Inserted at the Start of All Filenames
The processed screenshot shows that Oakwood Enterprises Company_ has been added to the front of each original filename. For example, Annual_Report_2024.pdf becomes Oakwood Enterprises Company_Annual_Report_2024.pdf, and Expense_Details_February_2024.xlsx becomes Oakwood Enterprises Company_Expense_Details_February_2024.xlsx. The file extensions remain at the end, with the file type unchanged.
Judging from the effect, the goal of this batch processing is clear: insert a specified text at the starting position of the filename. The insertion position is 0, indicating the addition starts from the very beginning of the filename; the inserted text is Oakwood Enterprises Company_, where the trailing underscore serves to separate the company name from the original filename, facilitating readability and sorting.
Operation Steps: Using Office Software to Batch Insert Text at the Beginning of Filenames
Step 1: Enter the "File Name" tool category, select "Insert Text into File Name"
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , find "File Name" in the left navigation. The screenshot shows the software includes categories like Home, Task Flow, All Tools, File Name, Folder Name, File Organize, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, Text Tools, Image Tools, More Tools, etc. Since we want to modify file names, we should enter the "File Name" category.
In the right-side tool cards, select "2. Insert Text into File Name". The card description is "Batch insert text at a specific position in the file name", which perfectly matches our requirement. It is suitable for inserting specified text at the beginning, middle, or other designated positions in a filename; this tutorial aims to insert at the starting position.
Operation purpose: Select the correct batch renaming tool. Expected result: Enter the task page for "Insert Text into File Name", preparing for subsequent file import and insertion content settings.
Step 2: Add the files to be processed or import files from a folder
After entering the feature page, the interface top displays the current tool name "Insert Text into File Name". In Step 1 "Select records to process", two main import entry points are visible: "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder". If you only want to process some files, click "Add Files"; if all files in a folder need a unified prefix, use "Import Files from Folder".
The screenshot shows a batch of files has been imported, with the table listing information such as sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and actions. The name column includes files like Annual_Expense_Comparison.xlsx, Annual_Report_2024.pdf, Financial_Summary_2024.docx; the extension column shows xlsx, pdf, docx, indicating that different office file formats can be included in the same batch processing task together.
Operation purpose: Add all files needing batch text insertion to the pending list. Expected result: The software table displays the list of pending files, allowing users to check if all files are included before starting modifications. If unnecessary files were added by mistake, they can be removed via the delete icon in the right action column; if the list needs re-organization, a "Clear" button is also visible on the interface.
Step 3: Click "Next", set the insertion position and text to insert
After adding files, click the "Next" button at the bottom of the page to enter Step 2 "Set Process Options". In the screenshot, the settings are very straightforward, containing two required items: "Position" and "Text to insert".
In this example, "Position" is set to 0. This typically means inserting text starting from the very beginning of the filename, that is, adding content before the first character of the original filename. To achieve "batch inserting text at the beginning of file names", this should remain 0.
"Text to insert" is filled in with Oakwood Enterprises Company_. Note that the text ends with an underscore. This underscore is not mandatory but is very practical in office naming, as it separates the new prefix from the original filename, preventing it from becoming a hard-to-read form like Oakwood Enterprises CompanyAnnual_Report_2024.pdf.
Operation purpose: Tell the software what text to insert and at what position in the filename. Expected result: All pending files will have Oakwood Enterprises Company_ inserted at the beginning of the original filename according to the same rule, while the original filename and extension maintain their existing structure.
Step 4: Continue to set the save location and start processing
As seen from the interface workflow, this function comprises 4 steps: Select records to process, Set process options, Set save location, and Start processing. After completing the position and text settings, continue clicking "Next" to enter "Set save location", and then proceed to "Start processing". The screenshot does not show the detailed options of the save location page, so we won't expand on button names without evidence here.
Operation purpose: Confirm the output location and execute batch renaming. Expected result: The software processes or modifies filenames in bulk according to the previously set rules, ultimately achieving the unified prefix effect shown in the processed screenshot.
Common Questions and Precautions
1. Why is the insertion position set to 0
The requirement here is to insert text at the very front of the filename, so the position is set to 0. This can be understood as "insert before the first character". If another position is entered, the text might be inserted into the middle of the filename, which does not meet the goal of "adding a prefix at the beginning of the filename".
2. Do we need to add spaces or underscores in the inserted text
It is recommended to decide based on the company's naming conventions. The screenshot example uses Oakwood Enterprises Company_, with a trailing underscore, making the processed filename clearer. If your team is accustomed to using spaces, hyphens, or Chinese brackets, these should also be standardized in advance to avoid different separators appearing in the same batch of files.
3. Will it change the content of Word, PDF, Excel files
Judging from the feature name and screenshot workflow, what is processed here is the file name, not the document content. That means the body content of docx, doc, pdf, xlsx, xls files will not be altered by inserting text before the filename.
4. Verify the file list after importing
Batch processing is highly efficient, but this also means setting errors can affect multiple files simultaneously. It is recommended to check the names, paths, and extensions in the list before clicking start processing, ensuring no irrelevant files have been added to the task.
5. Avoid using characters unsuitable for filenames in the prefix text
Generally, it is not recommended to use special characters not supported by the system in filenames. For safer cross-device sharing, it is advisable to use common character combinations like company names, project names, dates, numbers, underscores, and hyphens.
Summary: Replace Repetitive Renaming with a Batch Processing Tool
Batch inserting text at the beginning of file names is a very practical and high-frequency operation in file organization. With HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , the repetitive labor that originally required renaming files one by one can be transformed into a standard workflow of "import files, set position, enter text, start processing". Whether dealing with Word documents, PDF files, or Excel spreadsheets, as long as the naming convention is consistent, you can batch unify the prefix.
If you are organizing client data, company reports, project documents, or financial files, it is recommended to first determine the unified text to add, such as company name, project number, or department abbreviation, and then follow the steps in this article to batch process in the software. This not only saves considerable time but also significantly reduces the risk of missed changes, incorrect changes, and naming inconsistencies.