When a large number of project folders, annual archive directories, or reference directories need to be renamed uniformly, right-clicking to rename each one individually is not only time-consuming but also prone to omissions or errors. This article takes batch replacing "2024" and "001" in multiple folder names with "2025" and "002" as an example to demonstrate how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to perform keyword list replacement in folder names. By adding folders, setting find-and-replace lists, confirming processing options, and executing the process, multiple sets of keyword replacements can be completed in one go, making it suitable for batch organizing scenarios such as project materials, departmental files, and client archives.
In daily office work, many folder names contain years, version numbers, project numbers, client numbers, or stage identifiers. For example, in a project data directory, names may uniformly start with "2024_" and end with "_001"; when the next year arrives or a new version is released, these folder names need to be uniformly changed to "2025_" and "_002". If there are only one or two folders, manual renaming is not a big problem; but if there are dozens or hundreds of folders, modifying them one by one not only wastes time but also easily leads to missed changes, wrong changes, and sequence disorder.
This article solves this typical problem: batch replacing a list of multiple keywords in many folder names. We will combine screenshots to demonstrate how to use the folder name processing function in the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " to batch replace "2024" with "2025" and "001" with "002" in multiple folder names. This method is suitable for batch renaming folders, folder name keyword replacement, annual updates to project directories, data number upgrades, and similar scenarios, which can significantly reduce repetitive work.
Applicable Scenarios: When is it suitable to batch replace keywords in folder names?
Batch replacing multiple keywords in folder names is most suitable for directories with relatively uniform naming conventions that require overall updates. For example, in project management, the previous year's project data folder names contain "2024", and the new year requires a uniform change to "2025"; in R&D materials, the version number upgrades from "001" to "002"; in client archives, old client numbers need to be replaced with new ones; in departmental filing directories, if a department abbreviation, region name, or batch number changes, it can also be batch corrected through keyword replacement.
As shown in the screenshot example, the folder names before processing include "2024_Project_Plan_001", "2024_Requirements_Documents_001", "2024_Design_Specifications_001", etc. Their middle business names differ, but the starting year and ending number share a common pattern. If modified manually, each folder would need to be individually selected, renamed, positioned to the corresponding text, and entered with new content, a repetitive and error-prone process. Using a batch processing tool, you only need to establish the correspondence between a "Find Keywords List" and a "Replace With Keywords List" to complete multiple replacements at once.
It is important to note that this article discusses the batch processing of folder names, not the replacement of content within Word, docx, doc, Excel, or PDF files. It primarily acts on the names of the folders themselves, suitable for organizing directory structures, unifying naming conventions, and upgrading folder numbers. This type of batch renaming capability is very practical for scenarios like enterprise office work, project delivery, data archiving, and teaching resource organization.
Effect Preview: Changes in folder names before and after processing
First, look at the list of folders before processing. In the screenshot, multiple folder names contain two keywords that need to be replaced: "2024" in the first half and "001" at the end. These keywords represent the year and number, respectively, making them typical objects for batch replacement.
Pre-processing examples include: 2024_Project_Plan_001, 2024_Requirements_Documents_001, 2024_Design_Specifications_001, 2024_Development_Code_001, 2024_Test_Reports_001, 2024_Project_Resources_001, 2024_Meeting_Notes_001, 2024_Archived_Files_001. It can be seen that although the business names in the middle of the folders differ, "2024" and "001" are uniformly present.
After processing is completed, "2024" in the folder names has changed to "2025", and "001" has changed to "002". For example, "2024_Project_Plan_001" becomes "2025_Project_Plan_002", and "2024_Archived_Files_001" becomes "2025_Archived_Files_002".
As shown in the effect images, batch replacement does not change the middle business names of the folders; for instance, content like Project_Plan, Design_Specifications, and Development_Code is preserved, and only the hit keywords are replaced. This is precisely the advantage of keyword list replacement: it can uniformly modify common parts while retaining the differentiated names unique to each folder.
Steps: Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch replace folder names
Step 1: Enter the Folder Name tool and select the Find and Replace Keywords function
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "Folder Name" from the function categories on the left. The right side of the interface will display function cards related to folder name processing, including "Find and Replace Keywords in Folder Names", "Insert Text into Folder Names", "Add Prefix and Suffix to Folder Names", etc.
The current requirement is to replace multiple old keywords in folder names with new ones, so the first function, "Find and Replace Keywords in Folder Names", needs to be selected. The purpose of this function is to locate specified text in folder names and replace it with new text, suitable for batch updates of years, numbers, project codes, etc.
After selecting this function, the software will enter the corresponding processing flow. The current tool name can be seen at the top of the interface, indicating that it is handling the keyword replacement task in folder names. For users who need batch folder processing, this step is equivalent to clarifying the processing object and method: the object is folder names, and the method is finding and replacing keywords.
Step 2: Add the folders to be processed and check the record list
After entering the function page, you first arrive at the "Select records to be processed" step. There is an "Add Folders" button in the upper right corner of the interface, used to add the folders to be processed into the task list. After clicking, select the target directory folders, and the software will display these folders in the table.
As seen in the screenshot, 8 records have been added to the list. The table columns include "Index", "Name", "Path", "Creation Time", "Modification Time", "Actions", etc. The Name column shows the current names of the folders to be processed, such as "2024_Archived_Files_001", "2024_Design_Specifications_001", "2024_Project_Plan_001", etc.; the Path column is used to confirm the locations of these folders, avoiding the wrong selection of other directories.
The purpose of this step is first to gather all folders that need batch renaming into the software's processing list. The expected result is: the folder names to be processed can be seen in the table, and the number of records matches the actual number to be processed. The bottom of the screenshot shows "Record count: 8", indicating that 8 folders are currently prepared for processing. If a folder is found that should not be processed, the record can be removed via the delete icon in the "Actions" column on the right.
After confirming the list is correct, click "Next" at the bottom to enter the processing option settings.
Step 3: Set the Find Keywords list and the Replace With Keywords list
In the "Set processing options" step, you need to specify the keywords to find and what content they should be replaced with. The screenshot shows "Exact Text Find" selected, meaning the software will match based on the entered text. For clear-cut years and numbers like "2024" and "001", using exact text find is more intuitive and makes it easier to control the replacement results.
The left side of the interface is the "Keywords list to find", and the right side is the "Keywords list to replace with". In this example, the first row on the left is "2024", and the first row on the right is "2025"; the second row on the left is "001", and the second row on the right is "002". The key here is to maintain a one-to-one correspondence between rows: the first row on the left will be replaced by the first row on the right, and the second row on the left will be replaced by the second row on the right.
In other words, this batch replacement rule can be understood as two parts: first, replace 2024 in folder names with 2025; second, replace 001 in folder names with 002. The software will batch process the added folder names according to the list rules, so there is no need to set up each folder individually.
The screenshot also shows additional options like "Ignore letter case" and "Match complete words instead of parts of words". These options are suitable for English names or complex naming rules. The current example primarily replaces numbers, so the defaults can be kept. If you were dealing with English project codes, such as changing oldProject to newProject, you would need to judge based on the actual situation whether to ignore case.
After completing the settings, click "Next" at the bottom.
Step 4: Follow the process to set the save location and start processing
As seen from the interface process bar, the software's processing flow includes "Select records to be processed", "Set processing options", "Set save location", and "Start processing". After completing the keyword list settings, continue following the interface prompts to enter "Set save location", and then "Start processing". Since the screenshot clearly shows the process nodes, the user only needs to confirm step by step according to the "Next" button on the software page.
The purpose of this step is to confirm the processing rules and location before formal execution, avoiding operational errors. For tasks like batch folder name replacement, it is recommended to double-check three points before starting: first, are the folders to be processed correct? Second, do the find and replace keywords correspond correctly by row? Third, do the names after replacement conform to the expected naming convention?
After confirming correctness, execute the process. The software will batch modify folder names based on the settings. Once processing is complete, return to the file explorer to view the results: "2024" in all target folders has been replaced with "2025", and "001" has been replaced with "002".
Common Issues and Precautions
1. Why must multiple keyword replacements correspond by row?
Because the "Keywords list to find" on the left and the "Keywords list to replace with" on the right form a set of correspondences. The content in the nth row on the right will replace what is in the nth row on the left. If the order is filled in incorrectly, the replacement results may not meet expectations. For example, if the first row on the left is 2024, the first row on the right should be 2025; if 002 is mistakenly entered, the year would be changed to a number, causing confusion in the name.
2. Can the replacement keyword be empty?
The prompt in the right area of the screenshot says "Leaving blank means deletion". This indicates that if the replacement content corresponding to a find keyword is left empty, the software may delete that keyword from the folder name. The example in this article replaces with new content, so both 2025 and 002 were filled in on the right. If your goal is to delete a fixed prefix or suffix, you can set it carefully based on the interface prompts.
3. Will this affect Word, docx, doc, Excel, or PDF files inside the folders?
This article demonstrates folder name replacement; the processing objects are the folder names themselves, not the contents of Word documents, docx files, doc files, Excel sheets, or PDF files inside the folders. Whether files inside the folders are renamed or their content modified is not within the scope shown in these functional screenshots. Before operating, clarify your processing object to avoid confusing folder name processing with file content modification.
4. Is a backup necessary before batch processing?
It is recommended to back up important data directories first, especially enterprise project data, client archives, contract filings, and other directories where errors cannot easily be tolerated. Although batch processing tools can improve efficiency, errors in rule settings during batch operations can also amplify negative impacts. Therefore, when using it for the first time or when rules are complex, you can test with a small number of folders first, confirm the results are correct, and then process the entire directory.
5. What happens if there are multiple identical keywords in a folder name?
From the function name "Find and Replace Keywords in Folder Names", it can be reasonably understood that the software will find the specified keywords in folder names and replace them. For names containing multiple identical keywords, it is recommended to verify the effect with a test directory before formal processing, especially when a keyword might represent both a year and appear in a business name, to avoid incorrect replacements.
Summary: Reducing repetitive work in folder renaming with a batch processing tool
Batch replacing multiple keywords in folder names is a very common yet time-consuming task in office file organization. Through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , the work of manual, one-by-one renaming can be transformed into a standardized operation of "adding folders—filling in the find list—filling in the replace list—processing according to the flow". In the example in this article, "2024" and "001" in 8 folder names were replaced with "2025" and "002" in one go, preserving the middle business names while uniformly updating the years and numbers.
If you frequently need to organize project directories, archive materials, client folders, or version directories, it is recommended to delegate such batch renaming tasks to office software. By checking the records to be processed and the replacement rules before operation and confirming them to be correct before starting, you can significantly improve efficiency while ensuring accuracy.