Many enterprises save waybills, orders, or label data as Word documents, but the filenames remain the temporary names exported by the system, while the actual identification numbers are hidden in the barcode images within the documents. This article introduces how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to recognize the first barcode image in Word or docx files as text and batch overwrite the original filenames. The tutorial covers the effects before and after processing, importing files, setting the search area, selecting the naming location, and precautions, making it suitable for office scenarios where large volumes of Word documents need to be quickly archived.
In daily office work, Word documents are often used to carry structured forms, such as logistics waybills, customer orders, product labels, packing lists, and after-sales registration forms. These documents usually contain a very important serial number, sometimes displayed as plain text and sometimes as a barcode image. The problem is that after the file is exported, its name may just be a default naming like Barcode(1).docx, Barcode(2).docx. To find a file by its number, you have to open each Word document one by one to check, which is very inefficient.
This article focuses on the requirement of "automatically identifying barcodes in Word files and batch renaming these Word files," explaining how to complete the operation using the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . In the example, the barcode number inside the Word document is 734589001256734, and after processing, the file name also becomes 734589001256734.docx. For users who need to manage a large number of docx and doc files, this method can significantly reduce repetitive work, allowing file names to directly correspond to business numbers.
Applicable Scenarios: Why Name Files by Word Barcode
Naming Word files by barcode essentially extracts "key business information inside the file" to the "file name." The advantage of this is that users can know which shipment, order, label, or document a file corresponds to without opening it. Especially in multi-person collaboration, batch uploading, system archiving, and email sending, standardized numbered file names can greatly reduce communication costs.
This method is particularly suitable for the following situations: a batch of Word waybill documents needs to be archived by Tracking Number; system-exported docx file names are meaningless and need to be changed to barcode numbers; each Word label has a unique barcode and a retrievable file name needs to be quickly generated; warehousing or logistics personnel need to keep document files consistent with the waybill numbers in an Excel ledger; administrative or archival staff need to batch-organize numbered Word materials.
If each document is manually opened and then renamed, it is not only slow but also prone to manual entry errors. Barcode numbers are usually long, and if a digit is missed or entered incorrectly, subsequent retrieval may fail. HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , as a software designed for batch processing of office files, is perfect for handling such repetitive steps in a centralized manner.
Effect Preview: The Word file name before processing is just a temporary number
In the screenshot before processing, there are 10 Word documents in the folder, named from Barcode(1).docx to Barcode(10).docx. After selecting Barcode(1).docx, the Word window on the right displays the document content: the table contains fields like OrderID, Tracking Number, Shipper Name, etc., where the area corresponding to Tracking Number is a barcode image, and the number 734589001256734 is displayed below the barcode.
This image illustrates the pain point of many batch document organization tasks: there is no connection established between the file name and the file content. What you see in the folder is Barcode(1).docx, but what truly has business significance is the barcode number in the Word body. If a user wants to find the file corresponding to the number 734589001256734, they can only open files to confirm, unable to quickly locate it through the file explorer.
Effect Preview: The file name becomes the barcode recognition result after processing
In the screenshot after processing, the same folder scenario has changed. The Word window title shows the current file name as 734589001256734.docx, and the number below the barcode inside the document is also 734589001256734. In the file list on the left, other documents have also been named with different long numbers, such as 904567812349025.docx, 895612347890123.docx, etc.
This is the final effect of automatically identifying barcodes and batch renaming. File names no longer rely on manual input but come directly from the barcode content in the Word documents. For subsequent searches, simply entering the waybill number or order number will quickly find the corresponding docx file.
Step 1: Find the corresponding function in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , first enter "File Name" in the left menu. From the interface, you can see that there are multiple batch tools related to file names under this category. The one used in this article is "Rename Word Files Using File Content," which is the 6th item in the feature list.
The purpose of selecting this feature is to let the software use the internal content of the Word document as the source for the new file name, rather than simply performing a find-and-replace on the existing file name. For this example, the existing file name Barcode(1).docx has no value to keep, so the software will later be directed to read the barcode number in the document and use it to overwrite the original file name.
It should be emphasized that the objects being processed here are Word files, with common extensions including docx and doc. The screenshot example shows docx files. If your work files are also Word documents and contain barcode images inside, you can handle them using the same approach.
Step 2: Import the Word documents to be batch renamed
After entering the feature page, the page title is "Rename Word Files Using File Content," and the progress bar at the top shows that you are currently at step 1, "Select records to process." There are two entry points in the upper right: "Add Files" and "Import Files from a Folder." If the documents to be processed are concentrated in one folder, it is recommended to click "Import Files from a Folder"; if the files are scattered or you only want to test a small sample, you can use "Add Files."
After importing, the files will appear in the list. In the screenshot, you can see information like name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time, indicating that the software has read the records to be processed. Users are advised to check three key points here: first, whether the number of files matches expectations; second, whether the path points to the correct folder; third, whether the extension is the Word format needed for processing.
There is also an action column on the right side of the table, which can be used to remove unnecessary records. The "Clear" button in the top right corner is suitable for restarting if the wrong batch was imported. After confirming the list is correct, click "Next Step" at the bottom to enter the processing rule settings.
Step 3: Set the search area to the first barcode image
Step 2 is "Set processing options." In the "Search Area," the software provides three options: "First line of text," "First barcode image," and "Text matched by custom formula." The goal of this tutorial is to read the barcode inside the Word document, so you need to select "First barcode image."
The expected result of this option is: the software will search for the first barcode image in each Word document and use the recognized barcode content as the source for the subsequent file name. Taking the example document, the barcode recognition result is 734589001256734, so the final file name will become 734589001256734.docx.
If your Word document templates are relatively uniform, and each file has only one barcode, or the barcode needed is always the first one in the document, this setting is very straightforward. If there are multiple barcodes in the document, you should first confirm whether the first barcode is indeed the number you want to use for naming, to avoid identifying the wrong code.
Step 4: Set the naming position to overwrite the entire file name
Continue to look at the "Position" area on the settings page. The selectable options in the screenshot include "Overwrite entire file name," "On the left side of the file name," and "On the right side of the file name." In this example, "Overwrite entire file name" is selected, meaning the original Barcode serial number file name will be replaced by the barcode number.
The logic of the software's processing when overwriting the entire file name can be understood as: retaining the Word document extension and replacing the main body of the file name with the recognized barcode number. For example, Barcode(1).docx will become 734589001256734.docx. This way, each document in the folder is named by number, which is more suitable for archiving and retrieval.
After completing the settings, click "Next Step." The progress bar shows that the subsequent steps are "Set save location" and "Start processing." Before entering the final processing, it is recommended to confirm the save location and file naming rules, especially for formal business files, it is best to keep a backup of the original copy first. After completion, start the process and wait for the software to execute the batch operation.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. Do I need to open the Word files before processing? Usually, you do not need to open them one by one. Users just need to import the files to be processed into the software. To avoid file occupation or locking, it is recommended to close any Word documents from the same batch that are already open.
2. Can both doc and docx files be named this way? The example in the screenshot is for docx. In actual operation, the software's ability to recognize the Word files in the import list should be the standard. For older doc files, it is recommended to test with a small number of samples first.
3. There are numbers below the barcode; does the software recognize the image or the text? This tutorial selects "First barcode image," focusing on recognition based on the barcode image, not instructing the user to manually copy the text below the barcode.
4. Why is small-batch testing recommended first? The barcode position, image quality, and quantity may differ across various Word templates. Testing first can confirm whether the barcode recognized by the software meets expectations, avoiding the need to redo work after a large batch has been named.
5. Will the file name lose its extension? From the screenshot after processing, the new file name still retains the .docx extension. Users should not manually delete the extension, as this may affect the Word file's ability to open.
Summary: Turn Word barcodes into searchable file names
With HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , the repetitive task of "opening a Word doc to check the barcode and then renaming it" can be converted into a batch automatic process. The whole workflow is very clear: enter the "File Name" category, select "Rename Word Files Using File Content," import the docx documents, select "First barcode image" in the search area, choose "Overwrite entire file name" in the position settings, and then proceed to complete the save location and start the processing.
For office personnel who frequently handle waybills, orders, labels, and archival materials, batch renaming Word files by barcode can not only save time but also improve file retrieval accuracy. It is recommended to copy the original folder before formal processing, validate the recognition effect with a small number of samples first, and then apply the rules to the complete batch, thus completing the file organization safely and efficiently.