When a folder is filled with many PDF files named with serial numbers, order numbers, or transaction numbers, manually creating folders one by one based on the starting digit and moving files is time-consuming and prone to misplacement. This article takes HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to demonstrate how to use the file organization feature in office software to automatically sort many files into corresponding folders based on the first number in the file name. For example, files starting with 0 go into the 0 folder, and files starting with 3 go into the 3 folder, allowing for quick batch archiving.
In daily office work, many PDF files, scanned documents, contracts, receipts, and order vouchers use a string of numbers as file names, such as customer IDs, document numbers, serial numbers, or archive numbers. When the number of files is small, it's acceptable to manually check file names and move them to corresponding folders; but once the files reach dozens, hundreds, or even more, repeated folder creation, copy-pasting, and dragging will significantly slow down work efficiency.
The problem solved in this article is very clear: batch categorize many files into groups based on the first number in the file name. That is, the software will read the first number appearing in the file name and use this number as the basis for categorization, placing the files into folders with the corresponding name. For example, if a file is named 019121173839164.pdf, the first number is 0, and it will be moved into the 0 folder after processing; if a file is named 366984326281532.pdf, the first number is 3, and it will be moved into the 3 folder after processing.
Below, taking the screenshot HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example, we introduce how to complete this type of work using the batch file organization feature of office software. This tool is positioned for batch document processing and batch file management, suitable for reducing repetitive labor, especially for handling PDFs, docx and doc in Word documents, xlsx and xls in Excel spreadsheets, and other files named by numbers.
Applicable Scenarios: Which files are suitable for categorization by the first number in the file name
Categorization by the first number in the file name is suitable for materials where the file name itself has a clear numbering rule. Common scenarios include archiving financial receipts, organizing contract numbers, grouping student or customer data, batch archiving order PDFs, and preliminary categorization of scanned documents by number segments. As long as a number exists in the file name, and this number can represent some kind of business grouping, this method can be considered.
For example, a folder has a large number of PDF files, all named with long numbers like 019121173839164.pdf, 428905671234890.pdf, 895612347890123.pdf. When organizing manually, you need to first look at the first number, then open or create folders like 0, 4, 8, and move the files in. This process seems simple, but after many repetitions, problems such as missed moves, moving to the wrong folder, and inconsistent folder naming are very likely to occur.
After using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool for batch categorization, the software can complete the organization in one go according to the rules. It is not just for processing a single file, but an office efficiency tool oriented towards batch files, especially suitable for positions in administration, finance, archives, customer service, academic affairs, and operations that need to organize a large amount of data every day.
Effect Preview: Before processing, files are mixed in the same folder
Let's look at the state before processing. In the screenshot, multiple PDF files are placed together under one folder, all named with a string of numbers. Although the file names themselves have a pattern, all files are piled up together. If a user wants to group them by the first number, they must identify the leading number in the file name one by one.
From the screenshot, you can see files including 019121173839164.pdf, 019853263272865.pdf, 021543537912210.pdf, 366984326281532.pdf, 428905671234890.pdf, etc. Their first numbers are 0, 3, 4, etc. If manual organization continues, at least several numbered folders need to be created, and then corresponding files need to be dragged into them individually.
Effect Preview: After processing, categorized folders are generated by the first number
After processing is complete, the originally mixed files are placed into corresponding folders according to the first number in the file name. In the screenshot, directories like 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 have appeared. After opening the 0 folder, you can see that PDF files with a first number of 0 are gathered together.
For example, 019121173839164.pdf, 019853263272865.pdf, 021543537912210.pdf all went into the 0 folder. Organized this way, the folder hierarchy is clear, and when searching, you just need to determine the first number of the file identification number and then enter the corresponding folder. For scenarios requiring preliminary data screening by number segments, this automatic categorization method can significantly reduce manual operation time.
Step 1: Enter file organization and select the function to categorize by file name
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can see multiple office processing modules on the left, including file names, folder names, file organization, Word tools, Excel tools, PowerPoint tools, PDF tools, text tools, image tools, etc. This time, the goal is to categorize files by the number in their file names, so you need to enter the file organization module.
On the file organization page, select the option to categorize files by file name. In the screenshot, this function card is located in the upper left area, with the description text: batch categorize all files by file name. This entry point is for generating categorized directories based on file name rules, and is the core function for this batch organization of PDF files.
The purpose of this step is to tell the software that the current task is not to rename files or convert file formats, but to archive and organize files according to file name rules. After selecting the correct function, the software will enter a wizard-style operation page, and subsequent steps are completed sequentially: selecting files, setting processing options, setting the save location, and starting processing.
Step 2: Add files to be categorized or import files from a folder
After entering the page to categorize files by file name, the top of the interface shows the task flow: select records to process, set processing options, set save location, start processing. In the first step, you need to add the files to be organized to the task list.
In the screenshot, you can see two buttons on the upper right of the page: Add Files and Import Files from Folder. If you only need to organize a few specified files, you can use Add Files; if the files are already stored in a specific folder, it's more recommended to use Import Files from Folder, as this can add all files from the target directory to the list at once, reducing the time spent selecting them one by one.
After files are imported, the page list will display information such as sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and operation. You can confirm if the files have been correctly added through these columns. In the screenshot, the extension is shown as pdf, indicating the current task is processing PDF files; if your work materials are docx, doc, xlsx, xls, pptx, txt, or image files, you can also import them according to the actual file type, as long as the file name contains numbers that can be used for categorization.
The expected result of this step is: all files that need to be categorized by the first number appear in the list, and the file paths are correct. If you find that unnecessary files have been imported, you can delete the corresponding records according to the operation column in the interface, or use the Clear button and re-import.
Step 3: Set the categorization method to categorize by the first number
After adding the files, click the Next button at the bottom of the page to enter the Set Processing Options step. This is the most critical step in the entire task, because the categorization rule directly determines which folder a file will be placed in.
In the Categorization Method area, you can see multiple options, such as categorize by first character, categorize by first Chinese character, categorize by the last few characters, categorize by first English letter, categorize by first English letter or Chinese character, categorize by characters within a custom position range, categorize by custom regular expression, etc. For this example, we need to organize by the first number in the file name, so the option categorize by first number should be chosen.
After selecting categorize by first number, the software will read the first numerical character appearing in the file name during processing, and create or use a corresponding categorized folder based on that number. Taking the files in the screenshot as an example, the first number of 019121173839164.pdf is 0, so it will go into the 0 folder; the first number of 366984326281532.pdf is 3, so it will go into the 3 folder; the first number of 752489300167842.pdf is 7, so it will go into the 7 folder.
The lower part of the interface also shows a letter case conversion area, including options like default, convert to uppercase, convert to lowercase, etc. Since this task is categorized by numbers and unrelated to letter case, keeping the default is fine. After completing the settings, click Next to go to the save location settings.
Step 4: Set the save location and start batch processing
Following the page flow, after setting processing options, you enter the Set Save Location step. The purpose of the save location is to determine where the categorized folders and files will be generated. To facilitate verification of the results, it is recommended to choose an easily accessible location, such as a new folder next to the directory where the original files are located, or a dedicated working directory for output results.
When setting the save location, care should be taken to avoid confusion with the original files. If you need to keep the original directory as a backup, you can save the results to a new target folder; if the company has a fixed archiving path, you can also save to the specified archive directory. The advantage of doing this is that you can quickly check the categorization results after processing is complete, while reducing the risk of operational errors.
After confirming the save location is correct, enter the Start Processing step and execute the task. The software will perform batch organization of the files in the list according to the previously set rule for categorizing by the first number. After processing is finished, open the output directory to see folders generated by numbers like 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, with the corresponding files already placed inside them.
Common Issues and Precautions
1. The file name does not start with a number, can it still be categorized by the first number?
Categorizing by the first number focuses on the first number appearing in the file name, not necessarily requiring that the file name starts with a number. For example, if a file is named Contract A8 Customer Info.pdf, and the first number in the file name is 8, it will be categorized under 8. Before actual processing, it's recommended to spot-check a batch of file names to confirm the naming rules meet expectations.
2. What if the file name contains no numbers?
If some file names contain no numbers at all, they are not suitable for the rule of categorizing by the first number. It is recommended to filter these files before batch processing, or to supplement uniform numbering first through the file rename function. The specific processing results are subject to the prompts and rules during software execution.
3. Can it process Word, Excel, or image files?
The screenshots in this article demonstrate PDF files, but the core logic is categorization by file name, not parsing PDF content. Therefore, under the premise of consistent file name rules, Word documents like docx, doc, Excel spreadsheets like xlsx, xls, and other common data files can also be organized following a similar approach. When performing the actual operation, just import the corresponding files during the file addition stage.
4. Is a backup necessary before processing?
Batch organizing files will affect the directory structure of a large amount of data in one go. For important archives, it is recommended to first copy them to a test folder for a trial run, and after confirming the categorization results meet requirements, then process the formal directory. This can avoid categorization deviations caused by inconsistent file naming rules.
5. Why are some numbered folders not generated?
If there is no corresponding file for a certain number, that numbered folder usually will not appear in the results. For instance, in this screenshot, no files with the first number 1 or 2 were categorized into corresponding directories, so the results mainly show folders like 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
Summary: Use batch file organization to reduce time spent on repetitive moving and archiving
Categorizing by the first number in the file name seems like a simple file organization action, but when archiving large quantities of PDFs, docx, doc, xlsx, xls, or scanned documents, it can save a significant amount of repetitive operation time. Through the 'Categorize Files by File Name' function in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you just need to import files, select 'categorize by first number', set the save location, and start processing to automatically group messy files into corresponding numbered folders.
If you frequently face batches of numbered files, order files, contract PDFs, or archive materials, it's recommended to standardize this batch organization process. Next time you encounter a similar task, you won't need to manually create new folders and drag files; directly use the batch processing capability of office software to complete archiving, which can improve efficiency and reduce the probability of errors from manual organization.