This article explains how to use the batch processing feature in office software to uniformly change the system attribute creation time of multiple files to a specified date and time. The sample files include various formats such as txt, docx, md, xlsx, json, xml, and pptx, suitable for scenarios like data archiving, project delivery, file organization, and test data preparation. The article combines before-and-after effect images and software operation screenshots, providing step-by-step instructions on how to import files, select creation time, set fixed time, and complete batch processing.
In daily office work, document archiving, project delivery, or test data preparation, many users encounter a seemingly simple but manually tedious problem: a batch of files have inconsistent creation times and need to be uniformly adjusted to the same date and time. For example, a project folder might contain files like 1.txt, 2.docx, 5.xlsx, 8.pptx, json, xml, md, etc., with "Date Created" displayed in Windows File Explorer scattered across different years and times. If you check the properties and modify each file individually, it is not only inefficient but also prone to omissions and errors.
This article aims to solve the specific problem of "batch modifying the creation time in file system properties." By using the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " shown in the screenshots, you can import multiple files of different types into a task list at once and then uniformly set the creation time in system properties to a specified time. This software is positioned as a batch file processing tool for office scenarios, with its core value being the reduction of repetitive clicks and manual operation errors, helping users complete file organization tasks more efficiently.
Below, using before-and-after effect screenshots and the software's operation interface screenshots, we will provide a complete explanation of how to batch modify file creation times. This article focuses on explaining the method for setting "Creation Time," while also noting important considerations during operation to help you complete batch processing more reliably.
Applicable Scenarios: When Do You Need to Batch Modify File Creation Times?
Batch modifying file creation times is not limited to a specific file format; it focuses more on the file's attribute information at the operating system level. In other words, whether the files are Word documents (docx, or older doc), Excel spreadsheets (xlsx, xls), PowerPoint presentations (pptx), or common office/data files like txt, md, json, xml, as long as you need to uniformly manage the creation date in file system attributes, you can consider using the batch processing method.
1. Unifying File Times When Archiving Project Materials
After a project ends, teams typically place documents like requirement specifications, meeting minutes, spreadsheets, presentations, and configuration files into a single folder. If these files come from different members, different computers, or different time periods, the creation times are often chaotic. By batch modifying creation times, you can make the material times within the folder more consistent, facilitating subsequent archiving, handover, and retrieval.
2. Batch Organizing Test Files or Demo Files
In software testing, training demonstrations, and tutorial creation, it's often necessary to prepare a set of files simulating materials created at a specific point in time. Manually constructing file times one by one consumes a lot of time. Using the batch modify file system properties feature of " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ", you can quickly generate a set of test samples with consistent creation times.
3. Processing Multi-Format Files Together
As seen in the screenshots, the examples include files with different extensions like txt, docx, md, xlsx, json, xml, pptx. Traditional methods often require processing different files separately, but the advantage of a batch tool is placing these files into the same processing list, setting rules once, and executing them in batch, eliminating the need to repeat operations for different file types.
4. Reducing Repetitive Manual Attribute Modification
If you only need to modify one or two files, manual operation is acceptable; but when the number of files reaches dozens, hundreds, or even more, processing them individually becomes highly inefficient. The batch processing capability of office software is perfectly suited for such highly repetitive, rule-based tasks: the user simply sets the target time, and the software applies the same rule to all selected files.
Effect Preview: Inconsistent File Creation Times Before Processing
Before starting the operation, let's look at the state of the folder before processing. In the screenshot, Windows File Explorer displays multiple files and their "Date Created." These files include 1.txt, 2.docx, 3.md, 4.md, 5.xlsx, 6.json, 7.xml, 8.pptx, 9.txt, 10.docx. You can see that their creation dates are distributed across different time points in 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, etc.
This state is very common in actual office work: files come from different sources, are copied at different times, and generated at different times, ultimately leading to non-uniform creation dates. If a folder needs to be delivered or archived as a unified batch of materials, these messy creation times might affect viewing and management.
From the pre-processing screenshot, it's clearly visible that in the "Date Created" column marked by the red box, the time for each file is different. For example, some files were created on 2016/9/6, some on 2024/5/29, and others on 2025/4/13. The goal of the subsequent operations in this article is to batch modify the creation time in the properties of these file systems to the same specified time.
Effect Preview: Creation Time Unified to Specified Date After Processing
After processing is complete, returning to Windows File Explorer to check the same batch of files, you can see that the "Date Created" for all files has been changed to a unified time: 2026/6/1 15:25. Regardless of whether the file extension is txt, docx, md, xlsx, json, xml, or pptx, the displayed creation time remains consistent.
This result indicates that the batch processing has been successfully applied to all selected files. For scenarios requiring unified file creation dates, this processing method is more intuitive, efficient, and easier to verify compared to modifying files one by one.
Operation Steps: Using Office Software to Batch Modify Creation Time in File System Properties
Below, based on the operation step screenshots, we explain how to complete the batch modification according to the actual workflow. To avoid operational errors, it is recommended to copy a test folder for a trial run before formally processing important materials. After confirming the results meet expectations, proceed with batch processing on the official files.
Step 1: Enter "File Organization" and Select the Function to Modify Time in File System Properties
After opening " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ", you can see the function category bar on the left. In the screenshot, the software's top-left corner displays the product name as " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ", and the left side of the interface includes categories like Home, Task Flow, All Tools, File Name, Folder Name, File Organization, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, etc.
Since the objective here is to process time in file system properties, you need to enter the "File Organization" category. On the main interface, select the function card "Modify Time in File System Properties." The interface prompt indicates this function is used to "Batch modify the creation time, modification time, and access time in the operating system properties of any file." This corresponds precisely to the "batch modify creation time" task addressed in this article.
The purpose of this step is to find the correct entry point for batch processing. After selecting this function, the software will enter a dedicated processing workflow page, where you can subsequently import files, set processing options, and execute the batch modification.
Step 2: Add Files Needing Processing and Confirm Creation Times in the List
After entering the "Modify Time in File System Properties" function, the top of the interface shows the workflow progress: Select records to process, Set processing options, Set save location, Start processing. The first step is to select the records needing processing, meaning adding the files whose creation times you want to modify into the list.
In the screenshot, you can see buttons like "Add Files," "Import Files From Folder," "Clear," and "More" on the upper-right side of the page. For a small number of files, you can use "Add Files"; if the files are concentrated in a single folder, using "Import Files From Folder" is more convenient. In the example, 10 files from the path D:\test have already been imported.
After files are imported, the list displays information such as serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and actions. The "Creation Time" column here is very important, as it allows users to verify the current file attributes before processing. The screenshot shows that files like 1.txt, 2.docx, 3.md, 5.xlsx, 8.pptx have been added to the task list, displaying their respective original creation times.
The expected result of this step is: all files needing batch creation time modification appear in the list, consistent with the user's expected quantity. The summary at the bottom of the screenshot shows the record count as 10, indicating that 10 files will be processed this time. If you find files added by mistake, you can use the actions column in the list to delete corresponding records; if the list is incorrect, you can also use "Clear" and re-import.
Step 3: Enter Processing Options and Enable "Creation Time" Setting
After confirming the file list is correct, click "Next" at the bottom of the page to enter the second step, "Set processing options." In this interface, you can see options related to time attributes, including "Creation Time," "Modification Time," and "Access Time." Since the goal of this article is to batch modify creation time, you need to enable the "Creation Time" option.
In the screenshot, the "Creation Time" option is enabled, while "Modification Time" and "Access Time" are disabled. This setting is crucial: it means this operation will only modify the creation time in the file system properties, without simultaneously altering the modification time and access time. For users who only want to unify the creation date without affecting other time attributes, this selection is more precise.
Step 4: Select Fixed Time and Fill in the Target Creation Date
Below the "Creation Time" option, you can see the "Type" setting, including "Fixed Time" and "Random Time." In the screenshot, "Fixed Time" is selected, and the time input box is filled with 2026-06-01 15:25:05. Since Windows File Explorer typically displays up to the minute, the post-processing effect image shows 2026/6/1 15:25.
If your goal is to unify all file creation times to the same specific point in time, you should choose "Fixed Time." This way, the software will apply the same date and time to all files in the task list. In the example, 10 files of different formats all ultimately display as 2026/6/1 15:25 precisely because a fixed time was used here.
The operational purpose of this step is to define the rules for batch modification. The expected result is: Creation Time is enabled, the type is set to Fixed Time, and the input box contains the target date and time the user wishes to set.
Step 5: Continue to Next Step, Complete Save Location and Start Processing According to Workflow
After setting the creation time, click "Next" at the bottom. From the workflow display at the top of the interface, you can see that the subsequent steps are "Set save location" and "Start processing." As the screenshots show a workflow-based operation, users should follow the software interface prompts to complete the remaining steps.
In tasks like batch modifying file system properties, users are advised to carefully confirm the processing objects and rules before starting. Especially when the number of files is large, it's best to first check if the list record count is correct and confirm that only the necessary time attributes are enabled. After confirming correctness, proceed to the start processing step.
Once processing is complete, you can return to the original folder and check the results via the "Date Created" column in Windows File Explorer. If the displayed creation time matches the set fixed time, it indicates that the batch modification has been completed successfully.
Frequently Asked Questions and Considerations
1. What is the difference between Creation Time, Modification Time, and Access Time?
Creation time usually indicates the time when the file was created in the current file system; modification time typically indicates the time when the file content was last modified; access time is generally related to when the file was accessed or opened. This article discusses batch modifying "Creation Time," not modifying dates within the document content itself, nor modifying metadata like authors or revision histories inside Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files.
2. Does batch modifying creation time change the file content?
Based on the function names and setting items shown in the screenshots, this function processes time in file system properties. Its goal is to modify the creation time displayed at the operating system level, not to edit txt content, Word docx body text, Excel xlsx cells, or PowerPoint pptx slide content. Nevertheless, it's advisable to back up important files before processing, so you can restore them if needed.
3. Why does the post-processing screenshot only show up to minutes?
In the setup interface, the time input box shows seconds, e.g., 2026-06-01 15:25:05; whereas the common display format for the "Date Created" column in Windows File Explorer might only show minutes, e.g., 2026/6/1 15:25. This is a difference in display precision and does not necessarily mean seconds were not set. For further confirmation, you can check the file properties details.
4. Can files like docx, xlsx, pptx, txt be processed together?
Yes. As seen in the example list, the task simultaneously includes extensions like txt, docx, md, xlsx, json, xml, pptx. This function targets file system properties, thus it is not limited to a specific office document format. For scenarios involving organizing mixed-type folders, this is precisely the strength of the batch processing tool.
5. Why is it recommended to back up before operating?
The efficiency of batch processing is high, but this also means one operation can affect multiple files. If the target time is entered incorrectly, or files not intended for processing are accidentally imported, it could lead to batch errors. Therefore, before processing official materials, it is recommended to copy the folder first or use a small number of sample files for testing. After confirming the workflow and results are correct, then batch process the complete folder.
Summary: Reduce Repetitive Operations with Batch Processing to Quickly Unify File Creation Dates
Batch modifying the creation time in file system properties is essentially an office organization task with clear rules but tedious manual operation. Through " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ", users can import multiple files into a list at once, select the "Modify Time in File System Properties" function, enable "Creation Time," set a fixed date and time, and then complete the process according to the workflow. Before processing, file creation dates were scattered across different years; after processing, the creation times for all files are unified to 2026/6/1 15:25, with clearly visible results.
For users who frequently organize project materials, create test files, or archive multi-format documents, using office software for batch processing can significantly reduce repetitive labor. Especially when file types include various formats like docx, xlsx, pptx, txt, json, xml, md, a batch tool helps you quickly complete unified modifications using a single set of rules.
If you also need to batch modify file creation times, it's recommended to follow the steps in this article: first prepare a test folder, import the files, set a fixed time, confirm the effect, and then process the official materials. This enhances efficiency while reducing the risk of operational errors.