Facing a large number of PDF scans, invoices, contracts, or archived files, if the filenames consist of serial numbers, manually categorizing them by the first digit can be very tedious. This article explains how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "Classify files by filename" in the file sorting module, and set it to "Classify by first digit", allowing the software to automatically create number-based folders and complete file archiving, reducing repetitive dragging and manual judgment.
Many companies and individuals encounter a very specific but frequent issue when organizing PDF files: the filenames are all strings of numbers, all files are placed in the same folder, and later they need to be grouped and archived by the first digit in the filename. For example, PDFs starting with 0 go into the "0" folder, those starting with 3 go into the "3" folder, and those starting with 8 go into the "8" folder. When there are only a few files, you can manually drag and drop them, but with many files, it becomes repetitive, tedious, and error-prone work.
This article will focus on the need to "batch classify many files into groups based on the first digit in the filename" and introduce how to achieve automatic archiving using the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . Its core value lies in batch processing files to reduce manual, repetitive labor, making it particularly suitable for handling bulk office documents like PDF scans, contract files, order attachments, and voucher materials. Although the screenshots show PDFs as an example, the same organizing approach can also be applied to doc, docx, xls, xlsx, and other files with numbered filenames.
Applicable Scenarios: Which Office Documents Are Suitable for Archiving by First Digit
Archiving by the first digit of a filename is usually applicable when the file naming already has some regularity. For instance, financial receipts might be named by receipt number, administrative files by employee number, purchase orders by order number, client materials by client number, and project files by project number. As long as the first digit can represent a certain grouping rule, this method can be used for quick organization.
For example, a directory might contain hundreds of PDFs with filenames like 019121173839164.pdf, 366984326281532.pdf, 428905671234890.pdf, 895612347890123.pdf. They might look like just strings of digits, but the first digit can be used for one-level classification. Ultimately, you want to get folders like 0, 3, 4, 8, etc., with each folder containing only the files with the corresponding first digit. If this task relies on manual work, it requires constantly checking filenames and frequently switching directories to drag files; using batch processing software allows you to complete it in one go.
Result Preview: All PDF Files in One Directory Before Processing
The state before processing is very typical: the folder displays a large number of PDF files, all with names consisting of digits and an extension. While the file manager can sort these files by name, it will not automatically create folders based on the numbers, nor will it automatically move files. The user still needs to manually judge which numeric category each file belongs to.
As seen in the screenshot, the file list contains files starting with 0, as well as those starting with 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and so on. If they need to be placed into different folders, manual operation involves at least three actions: checking the first digit, creating or opening the corresponding folder, and moving the file. The more files there are, the more obvious the repetitive labor becomes.
Result Preview: Automatically Grouped into 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 After Processing
After processing, the files in the original directory have been formed into different classification folders based on the first digit of the filename. In the screenshot, you can see directory listings for 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and others have appeared. Upon opening the "0" directory, the filenames inside all start with 0 as the first digit.
This result is very suitable for subsequent management. For example, if you only need to find files with numbers starting with 0, you can directly go into the "0" folder; if you need to package a certain group of files, you can also operate directly on the corresponding numeric folder. The post-classification directory structure is much clearer compared to having all files mixed together.
Steps: Batch Classifying PDFs by the First Digit of the Filename
Step 1: Open the Classify by Filename Function in File Organizer
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , first navigate to File Organizer from the left navigation bar. This module is used for tasks involving batch file categorization and organization. On the page, you can see several function cards related to file organization, the first of which is "Classify Files by Filename", with the description "Batch classify all files by filename".
The goal this time is to create classifications based on the first digit in filenames, so you need to click "Classify Files by Filename". The expected outcome of this step is to enter a wizard-style operation page, where the software will guide the user through selecting records, setting processing options, setting the save location, and starting the process.
Step 2: Import the PDF Files to be Archived
After entering the function, the top of the page displays the current task as "Classify Files by Filename". In the first step, "Select Records to Process," you need to add the files to be processed. The upper right area of the interface provides two entry points: "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder".
If the PDF files are scattered in different locations, you can use "Add Files" to select them in batches; if all PDFs are in the same directory, it is recommended to choose "Import Files from Folder" to add all files from that folder to the processing list more quickly. After importing, the table will display information such as name, path, extension, creation date, and modification date, making it easy to confirm the files are complete.
At this step, it is recommended to check two aspects: first, whether all the files in the list are the ones needing classification this time; second, whether the paths point to the correct source folder. If irrelevant files were imported, you can delete the corresponding records using the action column in the list. Once confirmed, click the "Next" button at the bottom.
Step 3: Select "Classify by First Digit"
After entering "Set Processing Options," the software will display various classification methods. This time, the need is not to classify by extension, nor by Chinese characters, English letters, or a fixed character length, but to identify the first appearing digit in the filename. Therefore, you should check "Classify by First Digit" among the classification methods.
After selecting this rule, the software will use the first digit appearing in each filename as the basis for classification. For example, 019121173839164.pdf will be placed in the 0 folder, 366984326281532.pdf in the 3 folder, and 428905671234890.pdf in the 4 folder. Such a classification rule is particularly intuitive for files with numerical numbering.
Below the screenshot, you can also see the "Letter Case Conversion" area, which includes Default, Convert to Uppercase, and Convert to Lowercase. Since this example deals with digit classification and does not involve English letter cases, keeping the default setting is fine. After setting the classification method, continue by clicking "Next".
Step 4: Set Save Location and Execute Start Processing
According to the page flow, the next stage is Set Save Location. To avoid mixing with the original files, it is recommended to set the output location to a separate directory, such as "PDFs Classified by First Digit Result". This way, after processing is complete, you can clearly distinguish the original files from the classified results.
Once the save location is set, enter the Start Processing stage. After confirming everything is correct, execute the process. The software will batch create the corresponding numeric folders according to the set rules and place the files into the respective directories. Open the target directory upon completion to see the classification results.
FAQ and Precautions
If the first character of the filename is not a digit, can it still be classified by the first digit?
Judging by the function name, "Classify by First Digit" focuses on the first digit appearing in the filename, not necessarily requiring the very first character to be a digit. Therefore, if the filename has some text at the beginning but a digit appears later, it might also be classified by that first digit. However, before actual batch processing, it is recommended to test with a small number of samples or check the file naming to ensure the classification results meet expectations.
Is it necessary to unify file extensions before processing?
Not necessarily. The examples in this article are all PDFs, so the results are easier to observe. If the actual directory also contains docx/doc files from Word, xlsx/xls files from Excel, etc., these files can be imported together as long as they all need to be classified by the same rule. However, if different file types have different organization rules, batch processing in separate groups is recommended.
Why are the classification folder names digits?
Because "Classify by First Digit" was selected this time. After the software identifies the first digit in the filename, it uses that digit as the classification basis, so directories like 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 will appear in the output. This naming method is concise and easy for searching.
How to reduce risks in batch processing?
Although batch file organization is efficient, it is also recommended to back up the original directory first, or set the save location to a new folder. Especially before formally processing a large number of important contracts, receipts, or files, first validating the rules with a small number of files can avoid unexpected results from selecting the wrong classification method.
Summary: Leave Repetitive Archiving to Office Software
Organizing PDF files by the first digit of the filename is a typical batch office scenario. Manual classification requires constant checking, judging, and dragging, whereas HeSoft Doc Batch Tool can automate this process through the "Classify Files by Filename" function.
If your folders also contain a large number of PDFs, docx, xlsx, or other office files named with numbers, you can follow the steps in this article: enter File Organizer, open Classify by Filename, import files, select Classify by First Digit, set the save location, and start processing. This not only saves significant organization time but also makes the file structure more standardized, making subsequent searching, archiving, and handovers much easier.