Faced with a large number of folders named by year, serial number, or project phase, manually renaming them one by one is inefficient and error-prone. This article focuses on the office scenario of "batch find and replace in multiple folder names," explaining how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to simultaneously replace multiple sets of keywords in folder names, such as changing "2024" to "2025" and "001" to "002." The article includes applicable scenarios, before-and-after effects, detailed operation steps, and precautions, helping users quickly master the method of batch-modifying folder years, serial numbers, and version numbers.
Many office document folder naming conventions follow fixed formats, such as "Year_DocumentType_Number", "ProjectCode_PhaseName_VersionNumber", "CustomerName_Region_Batch", etc. This naming method facilitates archiving and retrieval, but it also raises a problem: when years, numbers, or version numbers need to be updated uniformly, the more folders there are, the higher the cost of manual renaming. Especially in scenarios like project handovers, annual archiving, document upgrades, and course resource iteration, where dozens of folders need to change the same set of keywords simultaneously, doing it one by one is not only slow but can also lead to missed folder changes, incorrect number entries, and inconsistent formatting.
This article will use a specific case to illustrate how to batch replace multiple keyword lists in many folder names. In the example, multiple folder names contain "2024" and "001", and the processing goal is to replace them with "2025" and "002" respectively. With the help of the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ", users can write these rules into a list all at once and then apply them to all selected folders in batch, thereby achieving batch folder renaming, batch find and replace for folder names, and uniform updates of years and numbers.
Applicable Scenarios: Batch Modifying Folder Years, Numbers, and Version Numbers
Batch find and replace for folder names is particularly suitable for directories with clear naming structures where public fields need adjustment. Common situations include: migrating annual documents from 2024 to 2025, requiring the replacement of folder name prefixes; upgrading project versions from 001 to 002, requiring the replacement of folder name suffixes; adjusting a customer's old number to a new one, requiring a batch update of customer archive directories; and unified modifications when department names, region names, or batch numbers change.
For example, a project team stores many document directories on a desktop or shared drive: Project_Plan, Requirements_Documents, Design_Specifications, Development_Code, Test_Reports, etc. These directories are prefixed with a year and suffixed with a number, forming a unified format. When the project enters a new year or batch, if all directories need their names updated, the folder name keyword replacement function can be used.
This method differs from typical file renaming; it focuses on the batch processing of folder names. It does not require users to input complete new names one by one but instead asks them to input a list of "old keywords" and "new keywords". For example, old keywords could be 2024, 001, and new keywords 2025, 002. As long as these texts exist in the folder names, they can be replaced according to the rules. For office workers, this is a batch processing method that more closely aligns with practical work needs.
Effect Preview: Batch Changes from Old Year/Number to New Year/Number
Below is the folder list before processing. The red boxes in the screenshot mark the two parts of content that need replacement: the "2024" at the beginning of the folder name and the "001" at the end. This content is distributed across multiple folder names. If processed manually, each item would need to be renamed individually.
The names before processing share a common characteristic: the middle part represents different document types, such as Project_Plan, Requirements_Documents, Design_Specifications, Development_Code, Test_Reports, Project_Resources, Meeting_Notes, Archived_Files; the year and number at the front and back are the keywords to be uniformly updated this time.
After processing, the "2024" in the folder names is uniformly changed to "2025", and "001" is uniformly changed to "002". The document type names in the middle were not altered, so the folders retain their original categorical meaning.
This processing result suits many practical office needs: it does not disrupt the original directory structure, yet it quickly updates public fields. Compared to manual renaming, the advantage of batch keyword list replacement lies in its clear rules, consistent execution, and faster speed, making it especially suitable for situations involving a large number of folders.
Operation Steps: Batch Find and Replace Keywords in Folder Names
Step 1: Open the Folder Name Category and Enter the Keyword Replacement Tool
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can see multiple office processing categories on the left, such as File Name, Folder Name, File Organization, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PDF Tools, etc. Since we need to process folder names this time, you should select "Folder Name" on the left.
In the function area on the right, select "Find and Replace Keywords in Folder Names". This function card is highlighted in the screenshot, indicating it's the tool specifically for batch finding and replacing specified text in folder names. Do not select "Insert Text into Folder Name" or "Add Prefix and Suffix to Folder Name" here, as the task this time is not simply inserting or appending content, but replacing existing keywords with new ones.
After completing this step, the software will enter the corresponding wizard-style processing page. Selecting the correct function is very important, as it determines that the following interface will present the "Keywords to Find List" and "Keywords to Replace With List", thus supporting the one-time configuration of multiple sets of replacement rules.
Step 2: Add Folders and Confirm Pending Records
After entering the function page, the first step is "Select records to process". Click the "Add Folder" button in the upper right corner of the interface to add the folders needing renaming to the list. Once added, the software will display information like folder name, path, creation time, and modification time in a table.
In the screenshot, you can see that 8 folders have been added to the current list, their names containing 2024 and 001. The "Path" column in the table helps users confirm the folder source, for instance, whether they come from a target test directory or an actual working directory; the "Index" column facilitates quantity checking; the "Actions" column on the right provides a delete icon for removing records that don't need processing.
The expected outcome of this stage is: all folders to be batch-renamed are already present in the list, with no irrelevant directories mistakenly selected. Users are advised to check if the record count is correct and if the names match the intended replacement rules before clicking "Next". If some folder names do not contain the keywords to be replaced, you can also decide whether to keep them in the list based on actual needs.
Step 3: Choose Exact Text Match and Fill in Multiple Replacement List Pairs
After clicking "Next", you enter "Set Processing Options". In the find mode, the screenshot shows "Exact text match" is selected. For specific strings like years, numbers, and fixed project codes, exact matching is easier to understand: you find exactly what you input; after a match, it's replaced with the corresponding content on the right.
There are two core input areas in the interface. The left side is the "Keywords to Find List", used for entering old content; the right side is the "Keywords to Replace With List", used for entering new content. The settings for this example are: Row 1 on the left inputs 2024, Row 1 on the right inputs 2025; Row 2 on the left inputs 001, Row 2 on the right inputs 002.
Pay special attention to the "list correspondence" here. It does not randomly replace all content on the left with content on the right; instead, replacements are made row by row. Row 1 corresponds to Row 1, and Row 2 to Row 2. Therefore, if you need to batch modify more keywords, such as changing Department A to Department B, or v1 to v2, you should continue filling them in with the same row correspondence. This ensures the software accurately knows each old keyword should be replaced by which new keyword.
The screenshot also shows additional options like "Ignore case of letters" and "Match whole word instead of part of a word". For pure number replacements, the current state can be maintained; if dealing with English words, project abbreviations, or case-sensitive folder names, selections should be made cautiously based on naming rules. After completing the settings, click "Next" at the bottom to continue.
Step 4: Continue Setting the Save Location and Execute Start Processing
As seen from the process bar at the top of the page, this tool uses a step-by-step processing method: Select records to process, Set processing options, Set save location, Start processing. After completing the keyword list entry, continue following the interface flow into subsequent steps. With clear process prompts at each step, users just need to confirm according to the on-screen tips.
Before actually starting the processing, it is recommended to double-check the replacement rules. For instance, in this example, confirm that "2024 → 2025" and "001 → 002" are not reversed or have extra spaces. Batch processing of folder names usually affects multiple directories at once, so checking beforehand can prevent mass errors in names.
After executing the processing, the software will batch replace the keywords in the folder names according to the configured rules. Once completed, viewing the target directory in Windows File Explorer will show that the processed folder names have been uniformly updated to start with 2025 and end with 002.
Common Problems or Precautions: Avoiding Errors During Batch Replacement
1. Be Cautious with Overly Short Keywords
If the keyword to find is very short, for example, a single digit "1" or a single letter "A", it might appear in many locations where modification is undesired. In contrast, complete fields like "2024" and "001" are safer. When setting rules, try to choose keywords with clear meaning that won't accidentally affect other text.
2. Confirm Folder Name Patterns Before Replacing
Batch replacement is suitable for directories with uniform naming rules. If some folders use different naming conventions, they might not be suitable for processing with the same batch rules. It's advisable to browse the pending list beforehand to confirm that all these folders contain the same old year, old number, or old identifier before executing the batch operation.
As for Modifying Document Content
The example in this article processes folder names, not the modification of content within Word documents, nor the replacement of text in docx, doc, xlsx, or PDF files. If your requirement is to modify document content, you need to use the corresponding Word tools, Excel tools, or PDF tools; if you are simply updating directory names, you should use the folder name function.
4. An Empty Replacement Content on the Right Might Mean Deletion
The prompt next to the "Keywords to Replace With List" in the screenshot says "Leaving blank means deletion". This indicates that if a row on the right side is left blank, the corresponding old keyword might be removed. This function is useful for deleting fixed prefixes or suffixes, but if your goal is to replace with new years or new numbers, you must fill in the corresponding new content.
5. Consider Doing a Small-Scale Test First
For important directories, it's recommended to first copy a small number of folders for testing. Once confirmed that the post-replacement naming meets expectations, apply the rules to the complete directory. The advantage of batch processing tools is high efficiency, but it also means that once a rule is set incorrectly, the scope of impact will be larger. Small-scale testing can effectively reduce risk.
Summary: Delegate Repetitive Folder Renaming Tasks to Batch Processing Software
Batch find and replace for multiple folder names is a typical scenario for improving office efficiency. Through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , users no longer need to right-click and rename one by one; by simply adding folders, setting the find keyword list and replace-with keyword list, they can complete the unified modification of multiple groups of content like years, numbers, and version numbers all at once.
The example in this article replaced "2024" and "001" in multiple folder names with "2025" and "002" respectively. The processing result is clear, the rules are consistent, and it is suitable for project document updates, annual archiving, version upgrades, and departmental file organization. If you frequently face the need for uniform renaming of a large number of folders, it's recommended to use this batch processing method: check the rules first, then execute the processing, turning repetitive labor into a controllable, fast, and standardized office workflow.