If multiple xlsx tables all contain the same status words, numbers, or internal identifiers, manually opening and deleting them one by one is very inefficient. This article focuses on the practical scenario of batch deleting keywords in Excel, demonstrating how to import multiple Excel files through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select the find and replace function, replace keywords such as Mandatory and 46060 with blanks, thereby batch clearing the matched content while retaining other valid data in the table.
Many users encounter similar issues when organizing Excel data: a batch of xlsx files from the same system all contain keywords or numbers that are no longer needed. For example, exported lists might have fixed status words, statistical tables might contain a certain area code, or template fields might retain internal markers. A single file can be handled using Excel's Find and Replace, but manual operation is unsuitable for dozens or hundreds of files.
This article introduces a more suitable approach for office scenarios: using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to import multiple Excel files at once, and then using the "Find and Replace Keywords in Excel" function to replace the content to be deleted with nothing. This allows you to batch clear specified keywords across multiple xlsx and xls spreadsheets, while reducing the time wasted on repeatedly opening and saving files.
Applicable Scenarios: Batch Clearing Fixed Text and Numbers in Excel
Batch deleting Excel keywords is not only applicable to English words, but also to numerical codes, Chinese labels, status fields, category names, and other content. As long as these contents appear repeatedly across multiple workbooks and you wish to delete them uniformly, they can be entered into the software as search keywords.
For example, in the sample file, the content to be deleted includes "Mandatory" in column A and "46060" in column D. These two contents appear in different columns, but they share a common characteristic: they are explicit, fixed keywords. For this type of requirement, batch find and replace is more suitable than manual item-by-item deletion.
This method is particularly suitable for the following tasks: cleaning system-exported Excel reports and deleting unnecessary status words; batch removing internal numbers from multiple customer lists; clearing sensitive markers before sharing spreadsheets; uniformly processing xlsx files submitted by multiple departments; and organizing content in tables before publication. Its value lies not in complex editing, but in standardizing and batching repetitive operations.
Effect Preview: Keywords Scattered in the Excel Sheet Before Processing
Before processing, the distribution of target keywords in the table is quite obvious. In the screenshot, "Mandatory" appears in multiple consecutive rows in column A, and "46060" appears in multiple rows in column D. If only one file needed processing, manual deletion might be acceptable; but if there are many similar files, locating these contents in each file would consume a significant amount of time.
In actual office work, keywords are not necessarily concentrated in the visible area; they might be hidden in later rows and columns, or appear in different worksheets. Manual searching is prone to missing certain locations. The advantage of using a batch tool is that it processes imported files according to set rules, eliminating the need to search repeatedly in each table manually.
Effect Preview: Hit Cell Content is Cleared After Processing
The Excel effect after processing is as follows. The positions originally showing "Mandatory" are now empty, and the cells originally showing "46060" have also been cleared; hospital names, other numbers, area names, and other un-hit content remain. In other words, this operation only targeted the set keywords and did not delete the entire table.
This result is very suitable for scenarios where the table format needs to be preserved. For example, if the original workbook already has headers, filters, column widths, and a data arrangement set, and you only want to delete certain unwanted characters or fields, replacing the keywords with nothing is more reliable than re-editing the table.
Steps: Replacing Keywords in Multiple Excel Files with Nothing
Step 1: Open the Excel Tools category and enter Find and Replace
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , find "Excel Tools" on the left. The main interface will list multiple batch processing functions related to Excel. Select the first function, "Find and Replace Keywords in Excel". The description on the interface says, "Batch find and replace keywords in Excel file content", which perfectly matches the batch deletion requirement to be implemented in this article.
It is important to understand that deleting keywords can be achieved by replacing them with nothing. That is to say, we don't need to look for a separate "Delete" button; as long as we fill in the content to find in the Find and Replace fields and leave the replace-with field empty, the deletion effect can be achieved.
Step 2: Import the xlsx files to be batch processed
After entering the function page, you are currently at Step 1: "Select records to process". The top right corner of the page provides "Add Files" and "Import from Folder". If your Excel files are scattered in different directories, you can use "Add Files"; if the files are centralized in a single folder, importing from the folder is recommended for higher efficiency.
In the screenshot, 3 files have been added, all with the extension xlsx. The list displays information such as serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time. After importing, it is recommended to check the record count first to confirm all files that need processing are in the list. If files are added by mistake, they can be removed using the delete icon in the operation column. After confirming everything is correct, click "Next" at the bottom.
Step 3: Select Cell Text as the processing scope
After entering Step 2 "Set Processing Options", first select the target object under "Processing Scope". In the example, "Cell Text" is checked, which means the software will perform the find and replace on cell content within the Excel worksheets. Since "Mandatory" and "46060" are both displayed in cells, this option is the key setting for this operation.
If your target keywords only exist in the table's body data, usually selecting "Cell Text" is sufficient. The interface also shows options related to worksheet names and shape text, but the example does not check these scopes, so this article does not expand on processing methods for other objects. To avoid mis-operation, it is recommended to only check the scopes that actually need processing.
Step 4: Set cell type and find method
On the same page, you can continue to configure the cell data type. In the example, "Text" is checked. If your keywords are English words, Chinese terms, or numbers saved in text format, selecting the text type better suits the requirement. For formula cells, the interface also provides settings related to formula type and formula processing methods. If there are many formulas in the table, it's recommended to first confirm whether the target keywords originate from formula calculation results, and if necessary, test with a small number of files first.
In the "Set Keyword Options" area, the find method is set to "Find Exact Text". The advantage of an exact search is greater control: only text that perfectly matches the keyword will be processed, reducing the risk of accidentally deleting similar content. For instance, if you only want to delete the complete "46060", you would not want to affect descriptive text that contains "46060" but has additional characters.
Step 5: Enter the keywords to delete, leave the replacement list empty
In the "List of Keywords to Find", enter the content to be deleted line by line. In the example, the first line is Mandatory, and the second line is 46060. Each keyword is on a separate line, facilitating item-by-item matching by the software.
The right-side "List of Keywords to Replace With" is for specifying the replacement content. Since the goal of this article is to batch delete keywords, this is left empty. The interface also prompts, "Leaving blank means deletion". This step is very important: if text is entered on the right, the software will perform a replacement; if the right side is left blank, the found keywords will be cleared.
Step 6: Set the output location and execute batch processing
After completing the keyword settings, click "Next" and follow the process to "Set Save Location". It is recommended to choose a new output folder and avoid directly overwriting the original files. This preserves the original data, making it easier to compare and check or re-process if necessary.
Finally, proceed to "Start Processing". After execution is complete, open the processed Excel files for spot-checking. Focus on checking the areas that originally contained "Mandatory" and "46060" to confirm the target content has been cleared, while also checking if other fields are retained. If the results meet expectations, this process can be applied to more similar files.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
Will replacing with nothing affect the table format?
Typically, replacing with nothing mainly affects cell content and is not equivalent to deleting rows or columns. The row/column structure and other un-hit data in the table will be retained. In the example after processing, original headers, hospital names, area names, and other content are still visible.
What should be noted when entering keywords?
It is recommended to copy the exact content from the original table to avoid accidentally adding extra spaces. For English keywords, also pay attention to whether the case is consistent. The interface has additional options like "Ignore letter case", but whether to enable them should be determined based on actual data rules. For safety, it is advisable to test with a few files first for the initial processing.
Can multiple keywords be processed at once?
Yes. The screenshot has already demonstrated entering "Mandatory" and "46060" simultaneously. For more keywords, you can also enter them line by line. It is suggested to organize the content to be deleted into a list first, then copy it into the keyword list to avoid omissions.
Why save to a new directory?
Batch processing affects multiple files simultaneously. Saving to a new directory keeps the original files as backups. If the settings are found to not meet expectations, you can adjust the keywords or options and re-run. This is especially important for critical reports, financial data, and customer data.
Should Excel files be closed before processing?
It is recommended to close the relevant Excel files being edited before processing to avoid file occupation or inconsistent save states. It is safer to open the output files and check the results only after processing is complete.
Summary: Complete Excel Keyword Deletion with Batch Replace-with-Nothing
Batch clearing the same keywords from multiple xlsx spreadsheets is essentially a standardized batch find and replace. Through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can first import multiple Excel files, set the processing scope to cell text, choose exact find, enter the keywords to be deleted, and leave the replacement content empty, ultimately achieving batch deletion.
If your work frequently involves processing multiple Excel reports, consider organizing such fixed rules into a standard procedure. Next time you encounter a similar keyword clearing task, you just need to import the files, reuse the rules, and output the results, compressing a large amount of repetitive labor into just a few minutes.