When a large number of files are mixed in the same directory, if the file names start with fixed letters, numbers, or project codes, they can be automatically grouped by file name prefix. This article introduces how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to complete batch organization through a case of categorizing files starting with LON, NYC, PAR, SYD, TYO into different folders. The tutorial covers the effects before and after processing, importing files, setting classification by the first few characters, filling in the character count, and notes, helping users reduce the repetitive work of manually moving files.
Many office workers encounter similar situations: a folder contains dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of files. The filenames appear to follow a pattern, but the directory structure is chaotic. For example, filenames might start with a city abbreviation, client code, project code, or department acronym, followed by a serial number and extension. Manual organization requires first determining which category each file belongs to, then dragging it to the corresponding folder. This is barely manageable with a small number of files, but problems like missed files, misplaced files, and duplicate folder creation easily arise when dealing with many files.
This article introduces a more efficient approach: using the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " to automatically group files based on the first few characters of the filename. In the example, the filename prefixes LON, NYC, PAR, SYD, and TYO represent different categories. We will use the "Classify files by filename" function to batch-organize these files into identically named folders. For users who frequently handle files like doc, docx, xls, xlsx, pdf, and txt, this batch file organization method can significantly reduce repetitive work.
Applicable Scenarios: Best When Filename Prefixes Have Fixed Rules
The premise for classifying by filename prefix is that the beginning of the filename contains fixed characters usable for identifying categories. These characters can be English letters, numbers, or a mix of Chinese and other characters. As long as you can clearly define what "the first few characters represent", you can use this method for batch archiving.
Typical scenarios include: organizing business files by city code, e.g., LON, NYC, PAR; organizing office documents by department abbreviation, e.g., HR, FIN, OPS; organizing delivery materials by project number, e.g., A01, B02, C03; organizing daily reports, logs, or bills by date prefix, e.g., 20260622; organizing contracts, quotations, or invoice files by client code.
The value of this method lies in not requiring users to open files one by one or manually judge content; classification is completed solely based on filename rules. It is therefore particularly suitable for system-exported files, batch-scanned files, uniformly named project materials, and financial transaction records.
Result Preview: All Files Mixed Together Before Processing
Before processing, the file list shows multiple txt files all located in the same directory. Although the beginning of the filenames already implies category information, such as LON, NYC, PAR, SYD, TYO, they remain intermixed from the perspective of folder structure.
Relying solely on manual organization typically requires first creating folders like LON, NYC, PAR, and then moving the corresponding files while checking filenames. This operation is not only time-consuming, but when the file list scrolls long, it's easy to accidentally drag an NYC file into the LON folder, making subsequent searches even more troublesome.
Result Preview: Independent Folders Generated by Prefix After Processing
After processing, the folder structure becomes very clear. The software groups files with the same prefix together based on the very first few characters of the filename and generates corresponding category folders. The screenshot shows five folders: LON, NYC, PAR, SYD, and TYO.
This organized result is suitable for further archiving, sharing, compression, or backup. For instance, if you need to hand over SYD-related files to a colleague, you simply access the SYD folder; to count the number of files in a certain category, you can directly check the corresponding folder.
Operation Step 1: Select the Classification Function in the File Organization Module
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , first enter "File Organization" from the left navigation. In the main area, you will see multiple function cards related to file organization, including "Classify files by filename". Click this function to enter the batch classification wizard.
The key at this step is selecting the correct tool. Since our goal is to classify files based on filename rules, not to modify file extensions, batch rename, or process document content, selecting "Classify files by filename" will guide operations around file import, classification rules, save location, and starting the process.
Operation Step 2: Import Files to be Automatically Grouped
After entering the function page, you can see buttons at the top like "Add Files", "Import Files from Folder", and "Clear". For files already concentrated in one directory, using "Import Files from Folder" is recommended, as it adds all files from the directory to the list in one go. If you only want to process some of the files, you can also use "Add Files" for selection.
After importing, the interface displays a list of files to be processed, including filename, path, extension, creation time, and modification time. This list serves as a pre-processing check. In the screenshot, filenames include LON10125384.txt, NYC1010149.txt, PAR1023147.txt, etc., the path shows D:\test\, and the record count is 20.
Before clicking next, it is advisable to check if the file list is complete. If you wish to classify all files in the entire folder, confirm the count matches expectations; if you only want to process some files, ensure no unrelated materials were accidentally added. Batch processing is highly efficient, provided the processing targets are accurate.
Operation Step 3: Choose to Classify by the First Few Characters
After confirming the files, click "Next" at the bottom to enter "Set Processing Options". In the "Classification Method" area, the interface offers multiple ways to classify based on character rules. For this specific case, you need to select "Classify by the first few characters".
After selecting this method, enter the number of characters to extract in the "Count" field. The classification prefixes in the example files are all three letters: LON, NYC, PAR, SYD, TYO, so enter 3 here. Once set, the software will read the first 3 characters from each filename and use this information as the classification basis.
For example, the first three characters of LON10181954.txt are LON, so it will go into the LON category; the first three of NYC10235440.txt are NYC, so it goes into NYC; TYO10378182.txt gets TYO, going into the TYO category. This eliminates the need to manually identify filename prefixes one by one.
You will also see a "Letter Case Conversion" option, currently set to "Default". If your filenames are already uniformly uppercase or lowercase, keeping the default is fine. The benefit of keeping the default is that the category names match the original filename prefixes, making it easy to align with existing business rules.
Operation Step 4: Proceed to Save Location and Execute Batch Processing
After completing the classification rule settings, continue by clicking "Next". Following the workflow guide at the top of the page, the next step is to set the save location, then proceed to start processing. It is recommended to choose a new output directory for the save location, as this clearly distinguishes pre-processing files from the results, making subsequent verification easier.
If you are processing important files like contracts, financial statements, or client data, creating a backup copy before batch organizing is advisable. Especially when using a classification rule for the first time, you can first import a small number of sample files to test, confirming the generated folder names meet expectations before processing all files.
Finally, proceed to the "Start Processing" step. Confirm the file count, classification method, and save location are correct, then execute the process. Upon completion, open the output directory to see the multiple folders generated based on filename prefixes. Each folder should contain the files corresponding to its name.
FAQ: How to Avoid Errors When Classifying by Filename Prefix
1. What if a filename has fewer characters than specified? If set to classify by the first 3 characters, but some filenames are very short or abnormally named, the classification result might not meet expectations. It's recommended to browse the list after import and exclude files that clearly don't fit the rule.
2. Can the prefix contain numbers? Yes. Classifying by the first few characters isn't limited to letters. For example, 001Contract.pdf, 001Quotation.xlsx, 002Contract.pdf can be separated into 001 and 002 based on the first three characters. The key is that the character count matches the actual rule.
3. Why are the generated folder names LON, NYC, etc.? Because the example setting classifies by the very first 3 characters of the filename, the software directly uses those first three characters as the classification basis. Therefore, LON10125384.txt corresponds to LON, and NYC1010149.txt corresponds to NYC.
4. Does the file extension affect classification? As seen in the example interface, the list shows the extension field separately, but the classification in this case is based on the leading characters of the filename, not the extension. So, files like txt, docx, xlsx, pdf can be organized using a similar approach as long as their filename rules are consistent.
5. Can I classify by characters in other positions? The settings page in the screenshot shows multiple classification methods, including by the first character, by the first digit, by the first English letter, by the first few characters, etc. If your classification identifier is not at the beginning, you can choose a more suitable rule from the other options provided in the interface.
6. Is it necessary to manually create folders beforehand? Judging from the processed results, the software creates folders like LON, NYC, PAR, SYD, TYO according to the classification results. In practice, the user's focus is on setting the correct classification rule and save location, without needing to manually drag files one by one.
Summary: Making Filename Prefixes Truly Valuable for Organization
The leading characters in filenames inherently carry classification information. If you still rely on manually moving files, the naming rules are not fully utilized. Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , this rule can be transformed into an automated organization action: import files, choose to classify by the first few characters, fill in the character count, set the save location, and start processing.
For users who frequently handle large numbers of Word, Excel, PDF, TXT, or other office files, this type of batch file processing function can significantly save time, reduce the probability of operational errors, and make directory structures clearer. If your folders are also piled with files sharing the same prefix, it is recommended to follow the steps in this article to test with a small number of files first, then batch complete the categorization and organization.