This article explains how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to automatically sort a large number of files into corresponding folders based on the first Chinese character in their filenames. Whether the files are PDFs, Word documents in docx or doc format, Excel spreadsheets, CSV files, Markdown files, or compressed archives, as long as the filename starts with a Chinese character, they can be categorized by that first character, reducing the repetitive tasks of manually creating folders, dragging files, and verifying file organization.
In daily office work, we often encounter a batch of files whose names all start with names, customer names, project names, or region names. For example, the files in the screenshot include 陈杰.zip, 陈静.pdf, 李娜.pdf, 李洋洋.docx, 王芳.docx, 王昊.pdf, 杨磊.pdf, 张伟.md, 赵敏.csv, 赵婷.csv, and so on. If you organize them manually, you need to first look at the first Chinese character of each file name, then create folders for 陈, 李, 王, 杨, 张, 赵, and finally drag files into them one by one. This is barely manageable when the number of files is small, but once it increases to hundreds of PDFs, Word documents, Excel files, CSVs, and zip files, manual classification is not only slow but also prone to misplacing files.
This article addresses this problem: using the file organization feature in the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch classify many files into groups based on the first Chinese character in their file names. After processing, files sharing the same first character are automatically placed into a folder of the same name. For instance, all files starting with 陈 go into the 陈 folder, and all files starting with 李 go into the 李 folder. This entire process is suitable for batch file organization scenarios involving contracts, registration materials, employee records, client documents, student assignments, invoice attachments, project materials, and more.
Applicable Scenarios: Which Files Are Suitable for Classification by First Chinese Character
Classifying by the first Chinese character of the file name is suitable for office materials with clear naming patterns. The most common case is file names starting with a person's name, such as 陈杰.zip, 陈静.pdf, 李娜.pdf, 李洋洋.docx, 王芳.docx, 王昊.pdf, and so on. Using the first Chinese character allows for quick filing by surname, making subsequent searching, distribution, and review easier.
The second type involves files starting with client, supplier, or project names. Examples include 北京客户报价单.xlsx, 上海客户合同.pdf, and 广州项目验收.docx. If you only need a rough initial classification by the first Chinese character, the same method can automatically generate folders like 北, 上, 广 to broadly group files together before performing finer organization.
The third type is files with mixed formats. As seen in the screenshot, the files to be processed are not limited to a single format but include extensions like zip, pdf, docx, md, csv simultaneously. In other words, this organization approach categorizes by the content of the file name, not by extension. For Word documents (docx, doc), PDF files, Excel spreadsheets (xlsx, xls), CSV data files, and zip archives, they can all be uniformly included in the same batch processing workflow.
Outcome Preview: Files Mixed Before Processing, Grouped by First Character After Processing
Before Processing: Various File Formats Mixed in the Same Directory
In the file list before processing, all types of files are mixed together in the same folder. Although the file names start with Chinese names, their extensions differ, including zip, pdf, docx, md, csv, etc. At this point, manual organization requires identifying the first Chinese character of each file name, then deciding which folder it should go into.
From the example, we can see that 陈杰.zip and 陈静.pdf should go into the 陈 folder; 李娜.pdf and 李洋洋.docx should go into the 李 folder; 王芳.docx and 王昊.pdf into the 王 folder; 杨磊.pdf into the 杨 folder; 张伟.md into the 张 folder; and 赵敏.csv and 赵婷.csv into the 赵 folder. Handling them individually involves at least creating new folders, selecting files, moving files, and checking for omissions.
After Processing: Folders Named by First Character Are Automatically Generated
After processing is complete, you can see that files have been categorized based on the first Chinese character in their names, generating folders like 陈, 李, 王, 杨, 张, 赵. Each folder name corresponds to the first character of the file name. Subsequently, you only need to open the corresponding folder to view the related files sharing that same first character.
This result is highly suitable for material organization tasks requiring initial archiving by surname, first character, or first Chinese character. Compared to manual dragging, batch processing can significantly reduce repetitive operations and lower the probability of misplacement or omission.
Operating Steps: Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to Classify by the First Chinese Character
Step 1: Enter File Organization, Select 'Classify Files by File Name'
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select 'File Organization' from the left-side function navigation. In the interface, you will see several tool cards related to file archiving, the first of which is 'Classify Files by File Name'. According to the goal of this article, you need to select this function.
The purpose of this step is to enter the batch file organization workflow based on file name rules. In the screenshot, the software is positioned as a batch document processing tool. The left side also includes categories like Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, Text Tools, Image Tools, Video Tools, Audio Tools, etc., but since the task here is to archive the files themselves, you should use 'Classify Files by File Name' under File Organization.
After entering this function, the software will guide the user through a step wizard to complete record selection, processing options, save location, and starting the process. For those unfamiliar with batch file organization, this process is more intuitive than manually writing scripts and is more suitable for office scenarios.
Step 2: Add Files or Import Files to Process from a Folder
After entering the 'Classify Files by File Name' function, the first step is to select the records to be processed. The upper right part of the interface provides action buttons such as Add File, Import Files from Folder, Clear, More, etc. Depending on the actual situation, you can add specific files directly or import them in batch from a folder.
After importing, the software lists the files to be processed in a table. The table fields include information such as Serial Number, Name, Path, Extension, Creation Time, Modification Time, and Actions. This information allows you to first confirm whether all files are included and if any files do not need processing. The bottom of the screenshot shows a record count of 10, indicating that 10 files have been imported for the current batch task.
At this stage, it is recommended to focus on three points: First, check if the file names start with Chinese characters, as the goal here is classification by the first Chinese character. Second, ensure all files to be processed are in the list to avoid omissions. Third, check if any temporary, irrelevant, or duplicate files were mistakenly added. If a record does not need processing, you can remove it via the action column; if the entire list is incorrect, you can clear it and re-import.
Step 3: Set the Classification Method to 'Classify by First Chinese Character'
After confirming the file list is correct, click 'Next' to proceed to setting processing options. In the classification method area, you can see various classification rules, such as Classify by first character, Classify by first Chinese character, Classify by the last few characters, Classify by first digit, Classify by first English letter or Chinese character, Classify by characters within a custom position range, Classify by first English letter, Classify by the first few characters, Classify by custom regular expression, etc.
The goal of this article is to batch classify files into groups based on the first Chinese character in their file name, so you should select 'Classify by first Chinese character' here. After selecting this rule, the software reads the first Chinese character in the file name and uses it as the basis for classification. For example, 陈杰.zip and 陈静.pdf will both be identified as 陈; 李娜.pdf and 李洋洋.docx as 李; 赵敏.csv and 赵婷.csv as 赵.
The screenshot also shows an area for letter case conversion, including options like Default, Convert to uppercase, Convert to lowercase. Since this classification is based on Chinese characters and does not involve English letter case conversion, keep the default setting. This avoids unnecessary rule changes and keeps the processing results more aligned with the original meaning of the file names.
Step 4: Continue to Set the Save Location and Start Processing
After configuring the classification method, continue by clicking 'Next'. The top of the wizard shows that the subsequent steps include setting the save location and starting the process. The save location determines where the organized folders and files will be output. It is recommended to choose a new, easily identifiable directory or a folder specifically designated for archiving, making it convenient to check the results after processing.
Before starting the process, it is advisable to confirm again that the current rule is 'Classify by first Chinese character'. If the original files are very important, you can first test the result with a small batch of files. Once you confirm the classification logic meets expectations, you can then perform the batch organization on the complete folder. This improves efficiency and reduces the risk of operational errors.
After starting the process, the software automatically creates classification folders according to the set rule and places the corresponding files into the appropriate folders. Using the sample files as an example, after processing, you will see folders named 陈, 李, 王, 杨, 张, 赵, with materials sharing the same first character grouped together.
Common Issues and Notes
1. What if the file name does not start with Chinese?
This article uses classification by the first Chinese character. As long as the file name contains an identifiable first Chinese character, the software will use that character as the classification basis. If a file name starts with digits, English letters, or symbols, followed later by Chinese characters, you need to judge whether this rule is still suitable based on the actual naming structure. If you wish to classify by digits, English letters, or the first few characters, you can select other corresponding rules in the processing options.
2. Can Word, PDF, Excel, and CSV files be processed together?
Yes. As seen in the list from the screenshot, the imported files include various extensions such as zip, pdf, docx, md, csv. This function focuses on classification by file name, not file content format. Therefore, Word documents (docx or doc), PDFs, Excel spreadsheets (xlsx or xls), CSVs, and zip archives can all be organized together by the first Chinese character of their file names, as long as they are added to the file list.
3. What are the names of the folders after classification?
The names of the folders after classification come from the first Chinese character identified in the file names. In the example, 陈杰.zip and 陈静.pdf go into the 陈 folder; 李娜.pdf and 李洋洋.docx go into the 李 folder. This naming is intuitive, eliminating the need to memorize complex rules later during searches.
4. Is a backup needed before batch processing?
If the original files are important, it is recommended to back them up first or test on a small sample batch. Although batch file organization can significantly save time, if file naming is not standardized, the classification results may also not meet expectations. Checking file names first, then executing batch processing, is a prudent office habit.
Summary: Use Batch Processing to Replace Repetitive Dragging, Making File Archiving More Efficient
Batch classifying files by the first Chinese character in their names is a very practical office organization method. It is particularly suitable for managing materials such as PDFs, Word documents, Excel files, CSVs, and archives starting with names, client names, or project names. With HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you only need to import the files, select 'Classify by first Chinese character', set the save location, and start the process. It will automatically generate corresponding folders and group similar files together.
Compared to manually creating folders and moving files one by one, batch processing significantly reduces repetitive work, increases archiving speed, and makes the file structure clearer. If you are organizing a large number of files starting with Chinese names, it is recommended to follow the steps in this article to import a batch of files for testing first, then perform batch classification on the complete folder, transforming file management from manual dragging to rule-based processing.