Many orders, waybills, inspection sheets, or archival documents contain barcode numbers, but the file names remain generic and meaningless like Barcode(1).docx or Barcode(2).docx. This article explains how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to automatically identify the first barcode image in a Word file and batch rename the files using the recognized number, reducing repetitive tasks of opening, copying, and renaming each file.
In daily office work, many Word documents are not saved by business number. For example, files such as logistics waybills, order confirmations, warehouse labels, customer receipts, and inspection reports often contain barcodes or the numeric codes below them in the main text, but the file names in the folder might only be temporary names like Barcode(1).docx, Barcode(2).docx, Barcode(3).docx. When archiving, retrieving, or uploading to a system, if these file names are used continuously, it is difficult to quickly determine which order, waybill number, or record each Word file corresponds to.
The traditional approach is to open each Word document individually, find the number below the barcode, copy it or type it manually, and then go back to the folder to rename it. This is acceptable when there are only a few files, but once there are dozens or hundreds of docx files, this method is not only time-consuming but also prone to missed changes, incorrect changes, and copying the wrong number. This article addresses this specific scenario: automatically identifying barcodes in Word files and batch renaming these Word files with the barcode numbers.
The following uses the screenshot HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to demonstrate how to complete batch processing using office software. This tool is positioned for batch document processing, and its core value lies in standardizing and automating repetitive file operation procedures, making it suitable for office scenarios that require batch renaming of Word files, organizing file names, and archiving documents by content.
Applicable Scenarios: Which Word files are suitable for batch renaming by barcode
This method is especially suitable for scenarios where the file text already contains a barcode or barcode number, but the file name does not reflect the business number. Common situations include: Word waybills exported by logistics companies, label documents generated before warehouse printing, docx files exported in batches from order systems, after-sales documents, inspection sheets, certificates, or report-type Word documents.
As seen in the screenshot, the folder before processing contains 10 Word files, named Barcode(1).docx through Barcode(10).docx. After opening one of the files, the main text of the document contains a table where a barcode image is placed at the corresponding position for Tracking Number, and the number 734589001256734 is displayed below the barcode. In other words, what truly has identification value is the barcode number within the Word content, not the current file name.
If you later need to search for files by waybill number, upload files to a business system, or send them to customers for confirmation, using file names like Barcode(1).docx is clearly not intuitive enough. A more reasonable file name should be directly 734589001256734.docx. Using batch processing software, this conversion can be completed for multiple Word files at once.
Effect Preview: File names before processing do not match the Word barcode content
The effect before processing is shown in the image below. In the left folder, Word files are still named in the manner of Barcode(1).docx, Barcode(2).docx; in the opened Word document on the right, the number below the barcode is 734589001256734. The red arrow highlights a problem: the file name does not correspond to the barcode number in the main text.
In this state, if you want to find the Word file corresponding to a specific waybill number, you have to open and view each one. The more files there are, the higher the manual confirmation cost. Especially when batch processing order documents, the actions of opening a Word file, locating the barcode, copying the number, closing the file, and then renaming are constantly repeated, making it very inefficient.
Effect Preview: Processed Word files automatically become barcode numbers
After processing is complete, the file names in the folder have become the numeric codes corresponding to the barcodes, for example, 734589001256734.docx. The barcode number in the Word document on the right is still 734589001256734, indicating that the file name has established a correspondence with the barcode information in the document content.
From the list after processing, it can be seen that the original batch of Word files without business meaning has been transformed into multiple identifiable numbered file names, such as 904567812349025.docx, 895612347890123.docx, 783456129047812.docx, and so on. This way, when searching, sorting, verifying, and uploading in the folder, you can operate directly by the barcode number, no longer needing to open each file individually.
Operation Step 1: Enter the file name tool and select the Rename by Word Content feature
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select the File Name category in the left-side function navigation. The interface will display function cards related to file name processing, such as Find and replace keywords in file names, Insert text into file names, Add prefix and suffix to file names, etc. For the needs of this article, you need to choose to use file content to rename Word files.
The purpose of this step is to tell the software that this time it's not a simple modification of the file name text, but rather to read the Word file content and extract certain text or recognition results from the content as the new file name. The position marked in red in the screenshot is the feature for renaming Word files using file content. For docx documents containing barcodes, this entry point is very critical because it corresponds to obtaining the naming basis from the Word content.
After selecting this function, the software will enter a step-by-step processing flow. It can be seen that this flow includes steps such as selecting the records to process, setting processing options, setting the save location, and starting processing. This wizard-style operation is suitable for batch file processing and can reduce the probability of misuse.
Operation Step 2: Add the Word files that need to be batch renamed
After entering the function page, you first need to select the records to process. The top of the interface provides two buttons: Add File and Import Files from Folder. If you are only processing a few Word files, you can use Add File; if a folder already contains all the docx files, importing files from folder is more suitable.
The screenshot already shows multiple records imported, with the list displaying information such as serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and operations. You can see the imported files include Barcode(1).docx, Barcode(10).docx, Barcode(2).docx, etc., with the extension .docx. The purpose of the import list is to allow users to confirm before actually processing: whether the files are correctly selected, whether the quantity is complete, and whether the paths are correct.
If a particular file does not need to be processed, you can delete the record through the operation column on the right side of the list. After confirming everything is correct, click the Next button at the bottom to enter the processing options settings. It is recommended to check the file list before batch renaming to avoid renaming Word documents that do not belong to the same batch together.
Operation Step 3: Set the search area to the first barcode image
The second step is to set the processing options. The screenshot shows that the search area provides options like First line of text, First barcode image, and Text matched by custom formula. Since the goal of this article is to identify the barcode in the Word file and use it as the file name, you should select First barcode image.
Choosing the first barcode image means that the software will look for the barcode image in each Word document and use the recognized barcode content as the naming source. The sample document in the screenshot has only one main barcode with a corresponding number below it, so selecting the first barcode image meets the requirement.
In the lower part of the same interface, there is also a Position option, including Overwrite entire file name, On the left side of the file name, and On the right side of the file name. The goal here is to completely replace the original file name Barcode(1).docx with the barcode number, so choose Overwrite entire file name. After processing this way, the main body of the file name will directly become the recognized barcode number, while the extension remains the Word document's extension, such as .docx.
If your actual need is not a complete replacement, you can also choose to place the recognized content on the left or right side of the file name based on the options provided in the interface. But for unique numbers like waybill numbers, order numbers, and tracking numbers, it is generally recommended to overwrite the entire file name for easier retrieval by number later.
Operation Step 4: Set the save location and start batch processing
After completing the processing options, click Next to enter the save location setting. Although the screenshot does not show the specific options on this page, the process bar clearly shows the third step is to set the save location, and the fourth step is to start processing. Batch renaming is a file-level operation, and it is recommended to confirm the save location before starting, especially when processing for the first time, you can prioritize outputting to a new folder for verification.
The purpose of setting the save location is to have a clear management method between the processed files and the original files. For important documents, it is recommended to keep a copy of the original folder and save the processed files separately to a new directory. This way, even if a barcode in a Word file is unclear or the recognition result does not meet expectations, you can go back to the original file and process it again.
After entering the start processing step, follow the interface flow to execute. Once processing is complete, open the output folder and check whether the file names have been changed to the barcode numbers. Combining this with the effect images in the article, it can be seen that 734589001256734.docx is consistent with the barcode number in the Word document, indicating that the batch renaming has taken effect.
Common Questions and Precautions
1. The barcode must be recognizable within the Word document. If the barcode image is too small, blurry, or heavily compressed, it may affect the recognition result. It is recommended to spot-check a few Word documents before batch processing to confirm the barcodes are clearly visible.
2. This tutorial selects the first barcode image. If a Word file contains multiple barcodes, you need to confirm whether the first barcode is the one you intend to use for naming. The scenario in the screenshot involves each document primarily containing one Tracking Number barcode, so selecting the first barcode image is appropriate.
3. It is recommended to close any Word files that are currently open before processing. If some files are being occupied by Word, it may affect batch processing or saving. It is best to close the relevant documents before batch renaming, leaving only the software to perform the processing.
4. Pay attention to file name conflicts caused by duplicate numbers. If the barcode content in two Word documents is exactly the same, identical file names may appear after processing. In actual business, waybill numbers or order numbers should typically be unique, but it is still recommended to confirm the reliability of the data source before processing.
5. The file extension will retain the original Word type. The example processed .docx files, and after processing they remain as .docx; only the main body of the file name becomes the barcode number. For Word document archiving, this preserves the file format while improving the readability of the file name.
Summary: Using office software to turn repetitive renaming into batch automatic processing
Opening Word files one by one, then manually copying the barcode number to rename them, is a typical repetitive task. HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , by using the feature for renaming Word files with file content, can combine barcode recognition with batch renaming, automatically making file names consistent with the business numbers in the documents.
For Word or docx files containing barcodes, such as logistics waybills, order documents, warehouse labels, and inspection reports, this method can significantly reduce manual operation time and lower the risks of copying errors and missed changes. It is recommended that you prepare the folder to be processed beforehand, import files following the steps in this article, select the first barcode image, set to overwrite the entire file name, and then execute the batch processing. After processing is complete, the Word files in the folder can be managed and retrieved directly by the barcode number.