Many office scenarios require uniformly modifying text, status values, or codes across multiple Excel files, such as replacing old field names with new ones or changing a specific code to a new one. This article, using the operation interface of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , explains how to import multiple xlsx files, set the cell text processing range, use exact text search to establish multiple replacement relationships, and output the processed Excel files. This tutorial is suitable for users who need to batch maintain reports, rosters, ledgers, product tables, and statistical tables.
In Excel data maintenance work, the most frustrating part is often not modifying a single cell, but repeatedly executing the same modification across many files. For example, a folder containing dozens of Excel rosters, each with the same status field; or multiple project ledgers all using an old numbering system that now needs to be uniformly replaced with new numbers. If you open, find, replace, and save each file individually, it not only consumes time but also easily leads to missed changes due to fatigue from repetitive operations.
This article introduces a more suitable method for batch office processing: using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to perform batch find and replace on multiple Excel files. In the example, the table's "Mandatory" needs to be uniformly replaced with "Voluntary", and "46060" needs to be replaced with "888888". These requirements seem simple, but when they appear across multiple xlsx, xls, or xlsm files, using a batch tool is significantly more efficient.
Applicable Scenarios: Batch Modifying Excel Text, Numbers, and Status Values
Batch replacing Excel keywords is not limited to a specific industry. As long as you need to uniformly modify the same content across multiple sheets, you can consider this method. Common scenarios include: adjusting customer tier in client data, changing model names in product lists, updating project numbers in financial statements, adjusting position titles in HR sheets, unifying classification fields in statistical tables, and updating status values in medical or institutional rosters.
Taking the example in this article, the table contains both the English status word "Mandatory" and the numerical code "46060". This shows that batch find and replace can be used not only for text but also frequently for numbers, codes, area codes, category codes, and other data. As long as this content can be identified and matched within Excel cells, it can be batch-modified using find and replace rules.
For office teams, the significance of batch processing is not just saving time, but also reducing the error rate caused by repetitive labor. When one person manually operates dozens of files, it's hard to ensure they select the correct file, enter the correct keyword, and save to the correct location every time. By uniformly setting processing rules through software, the process becomes more standardized and easier to review.
Effect Before Processing: Old Content to be Replaced Exists in Excel
The screenshot below before processing shows a typical Excel table. The title of column A is "Mandatory or Voluntary Participation", where multiple rows contain "Mandatory"; column D "CBSA" contains multiple instances of "46060". These locations are the target content to be found and replaced in this task.
If only looking at the currently open workbook, using Excel's built-in Find & Replace might suffice. But the real problem is that similar files are often more than one. The operational steps in the screenshot show that subsequently, multiple Excel files like product_list.xlsx, team-participant-list.xlsx, and test.xlsx will be imported simultaneously. That is, the focus of this task is not single-file replacement, but multi-file batch replacement.
Before processing, it is recommended to clarify three things: what to find, what to replace it with, and the scope of the replacement. For instance, in this example, the find content is "Mandatory" and "46060", the replace content is "Voluntary" and "888888", and the processing scope is mainly cell text. Figuring out these rules first reduces the chance of errors when filling them into the software later.
Effect After Processing: Old Text and Numbers Uniformly Replaced
The effect in Excel after processing is as follows. As can be seen, the original "Mandatory" in column A has become "Voluntary", and the previously consecutive "46060" in column D has become "888888". This indicates the software completed the batch modification of the target cell content according to the set replacement relationships.
Judging from the results, the most important aspect of batch replacement is consistency. The same category of content maintains the same modification result across multiple locations, avoiding the issue common in manual processing where some rows are replaced and others are not. For data sheets that need to be delivered to clients, leaders, or system imports, this consistency is critical.
Operation Step 1: Find the Excel Batch Find and Replace Function in the Software
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "Excel Tools" in the left navigation. In the tool cards on the right, you can see "Find and Replace Keywords in Excel", with a description of batch finding and replacing keywords in Excel file content. Click this tool to enter the dedicated batch processing workflow.
It's important to note that the usage approach of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool differs from ordinary Excel editing. Regular Excel is better suited for editing workbooks one by one, whereas the batch processing tool is more suitable for treating multiple files as a task list. For repetitive office tasks, such as batch replacement, batch conversion, batch export, etc., this task-based workflow is clearer.
Operation Step 2: Import the Multiple Excel Files to be Processed
After entering the function page, the first step is "Select Records to Process". The top of the interface provides two main entry points: "Add File" and "Import Files from Folder". The screenshot shows 3 xlsx files have been imported, and the list displays the file name, path, extension, creation time, and modification date, making it easy to confirm the task scope.
If the number of files is small, you can click "Add File" to select; if the files are all in the same directory, using "Import Files from Folder" is usually more convenient. After importing, don't rush to the next step; first check if the files in the list are correct. Especially when batch replacing content, mistakenly adding other Excel files to the task could cause unnecessary modifications.
In the screenshot, each file has an action column with a delete icon, meaning if a file is found that shouldn't be processed, it can be removed before proceeding to the next step. After confirming the record count and file names are correct, click "Next" at the bottom.
Operation Step 3: Set the Processing Scope to Cell Text
The second step is "Set Processing Options". In "Set Excel Options", first select the processing scope. The screenshot shows "Cell Text" is checked, which perfectly corresponds to this task, as we want to replace the text and numbers within the worksheet cells.
Options for "Worksheet Sheet Name" and "Text on Shapes in Worksheet" are also visible on the interface. For this example, the target content is not in sheet names or shape text, so there's no need to check these scopes. The benefit of doing this is a clearer processing target, avoiding the inclusion of irrelevant locations in the replacement.
On the same page, settings related to formulas and data types are also visible. The screenshot shows the "Cell Formula Type to Process" is set to "No Restriction", "Processing Method for Cells Containing Formulas" is set to "Formula Calculated Value", and "Cell Data Type to Process" has "Text" checked. These options define how the software recognizes Excel content. For plain text replacement, the settings shown in the screenshot meet the example's requirements.
Operation Step 4: Select Exact Match Search and Fill in Multiple Replacement Pairs
Continuing downward, choose the search method in "Set Keyword Options". The screenshot shows "Exact Match Text" is selected. This method is suitable for situations where the target content is very clear, such as searching for the complete word "Mandatory" rather than a longer text string containing it.
Below, the two lists on the left and right are used to fill in the find content and replace content, respectively. The left list "List of Keywords to Find" is for old content, and the right list "List of Keywords to Replace" is for new content. The example settings are as follows: Row 1, left side is "Mandatory", right side is "Voluntary"; Row 2, left side is "46060", right side is "888888".
The key point here is that the left and right rows must correspond one-to-one. Do not casually misalign multiple groups of keywords across rows, otherwise, you might get incorrect results. For example, if the left side of the first row is Mandatory, the right side must be its corresponding new content, Voluntary; if the left side of the second row is 46060, the right side must be 888888. After completing the settings, click "Next" at the bottom of the page.
Operation Step 5: Set the Save Location and Execute Batch Replacement
As can be seen from the progress bar, after completing the processing options, the subsequent steps are "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing". The save location determines where the processed Excel files are output. For safety reasons, it is recommended to save the processing results to a new folder and not mix them with the original files, especially when using a set of rules for the first time.
After setting the save location, enter the start processing phase. The software will execute the task according to the previously imported file list and keyword replacement rules. Once processing is complete, open the output files for verification. You can first check a typical location in one file, for instance, whether Mandatory in column A has become Voluntary and 46060 in column D has become 888888 in this example; then spot-check other files to confirm the batch results are consistent.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. What is the difference between exact match and fuzzy match search? The screenshot shows search methods include "Exact Match Text" and "Use Formula for Fuzzy Match Text". This example selects exact match, suitable for tasks where the target content is clear and requires strict matching. If your keyword might appear within a longer text string, choose according to the actual situation, but always test with a sample file first.
2. Why are numeric codes also treated as text? Codes in Excel sometimes look like numbers but might actually be stored as text, especially codes with leading zeros, area codes, category codes, etc. In the screenshot, "Text" is checked under data types, suitable for processing content existing in this text form. If the replacement doesn't take effect, check the cell data type.
3. Will replacing multiple groups of keywords interfere with each other? If there is an inclusive relationship between the replacement contents, a chain effect could occur. For example, if A is first replaced with B, and B is itself another search term, the sequence must be designed carefully. In this article's example, Mandatory and 46060 are mutually exclusive, so the risk is low.
4. Can I process an entire folder directly? The screenshot includes an "Import Files from Folder" button, suitable for adding Excel files from the same folder into the task list. It is still recommended to check the file list after importing to avoid accidental processing.
5. Should I back up before processing? Backups are recommended. Batch processing is highly efficient, but it also means if a rule is written incorrectly, the impact could be wide-ranging. Keeping the original files is the safest office habit.
Summary: Delegate Repetitive Excel Find and Replace to a Batch Tool
Uniformly replacing text, numbers, or status values across multiple Excel files is a very typical repetitive office task. Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can first batch import xlsx files, then set the cell text scope, use exact text match to fill in multiple replacement pairs, and finally output the processed tables uniformly.
Compared to opening files and manually replacing one by one, this method is more suitable for scenarios with a high number of files, clear replacement rules, and where results need to remain consistent. It is recommended to first test the rules with a small sample of Excel files, confirm the replacement results meet expectations, and then execute the batch processing on the complete folder, thus improving office efficiency while ensuring accuracy.