When multiple Excel tables contain the same old names, old numbers, old statuses, or error keywords, opening xlsx files one by one to manually find and replace them is not only time-consuming but also easy to miss items. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to demonstrate how to batch find and replace keywords in Excel file content, including importing multiple tables, setting the cell text processing range, filling in the find and replace keywords, saving and executing the processing, helping users quickly complete unified modifications across multiple Excel files.
In daily office work, it is common to encounter the need to uniformly modify the content of Excel tables. For example, the same department name, product model, project status, region code, or customer name appears in multiple xlsx files and now needs to be replaced entirely with new content. If there is only one file, you can directly use Excel's built-in Find and Replace feature; but if there are dozens or even hundreds of Excel files, opening, searching, and saving each one manually becomes repetitive and error-prone work.
The problem this article aims to solve is: how to batch find and replace keywords in many Excel spreadsheet files. Using the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " as an example, the following, combined with screenshots, will demonstrate the complete workflow for uniformly replacing specified content across multiple Excel files with new content. In the example, the original tables contain the text "Mandatory" and the number "46060", which are replaced by "Voluntary" and "888888" after processing, suitable for office scenarios that require batch modification of Excel table content such as xlsx and xls files.
Applicable Scenarios: Which Excel Content is Suitable for Batch Find and Replace
Batch finding and replacing Excel keywords is most suitable for table processing tasks with "clear rules, repeated occurrences, and need for unified modification." For instance, after a company organizational structure adjustment, old department names in multiple workbooks need to be changed to new department names; old SKUs and material codes in product lists need to be replaced with new codes; status fields in project ledgers need to be changed from old statuses to new ones; and uniform errors in customer data, hospital lists, personnel rosters, inventory sheets, and quotation sheets need to be corrected all at once.
Compared to manual operation, the value of batch processing office software lies in reducing repetitive labor. Users do not need to open every Excel file repeatedly or locate keywords in each worksheet one by one. Simply add the files to be processed to the task list, then set the old keywords to find and the new keywords for replacement, and the batch modification can be completed through a wizard-based process.
As seen from the screenshot, this example mainly processes Excel cell text content. That means texts or numbers in cells, like "Mandatory" in column A and "46060" in column D, can all serve as find-and-replace targets. If your actual file is .xlsx, the same approach can be followed; if it is another Excel format like .xls, you need to add the corresponding files based on the software's support during import.
Effect Preview: Excel Table Content Before Processing
In the Excel table before processing, multiple rows under "Mandatory or Voluntary Participant" in column A contain "Mandatory"; multiple rows in column D "CBSA" also contain the number "46060". The screenshot highlights these key contents needing replacement with red boxes and arrows, making it easy to compare changes before and after processing.
Such tables usually have large data volumes with many rows and columns. Relying solely on manual search might lead to omissions due to filtering, scrolling, hidden rows/columns, or numerous worksheets. Especially when the same keywords exist in multiple files, manual replacement is not only inefficient but may also result in some files being modified while others are not, leading to inconsistent data standards.
Effect Preview: Excel Table Content After Processing
After processing is complete, the original "Mandatory" in column A has been replaced with "Voluntary"; the original "46060" in column D has been replaced with "888888". As seen in the processed screenshot, the relevant cell areas after replacement show noticeable changes, making it convenient for users to verify after opening the result files.
This result shows that batch find and replace can handle not only English words but also numeric codes, status values, and other content. For users needing to uniformly maintain table standards, this type of batch modification capability can significantly reduce repetitive operation time.
Operation Steps: Using Office Software to Batch Replace Excel File Keywords
Step 1: Enter Excel Tools and Select "Find and Replace Keywords in Excel"
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , on the left navigation you can see multiple office file processing categories, including Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, etc. Since this task involves batch finding and replacing Excel file content, first click "Excel Tools" on the left.
In the Excel Tools list, select "Find and Replace Keywords in Excel". The description on this feature card in the screenshot is "Batch find and replace keywords in Excel file content", matching the task addressed in this article.
The purpose of this step is to enter the processing workflow specifically for finding and replacing content in Excel files. Once entered, the software will guide the user through file selection, processing option settings, save location settings, and start processing sequentially via a wizard.
Step 2: Add the Excel Files to be Batch Processed
After entering the feature page, you will first arrive at the "Select Records to Process" step. On the top right of the page, you can see buttons like "Add File", "Import Files from Folder", "Clear", and "More". For a small number of files, you can click "Add File" to add them one by one; if the files are concentrated in a specific folder, you can use "Import Files from Folder", which is more suitable for batch processing.
The screenshot shows that 3 xlsx files have been imported: product_list.xlsx, team-participant-list.xlsx, and test.xlsx. The file list displays information such as file name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time, with the bottom summary showing a record count of 3.
The purpose of this step is to specify which Excel files will be processed in this batch find and replace operation. After importing, it is advisable to check that the file count and paths are correct to avoid adding files that do not need modification or missing tables that require processing.
Step 3: Set the Processing Scope for Excel Find and Replace
After clicking "Next", you enter "Set Processing Options". In the "Set Excel Options" area, you can see options related to "Processing Scope". In the screenshot, "Cell Text" is checked, while "Worksheet Sheet Name" and "Text in Shapes on Worksheet" are not checked.
This step is very critical. Since the content to be modified in this case is inside cells, such as "Mandatory" in column A and "46060" in column D, "Cell Text" should be selected. If your requirement is to replace worksheet names or text within shape objects, choose the appropriate scope based on the actual situation. However, in this example, only processing cell text is necessary.
On the same page, you can also see settings like "Cell Formula Types to Process", "Processing Method for Cells Containing Formulas", and "Cell Data Types to Process". In the screenshot, "Cell Formula Types to Process" is set to "No Limit", "Processing Method for Cells Containing Formulas" is "Value after Formula Calculation", and "Cell Data Types to Process" has "Text" checked. The function of these settings is to limit how the software identifies and processes cell content during find and replace. For regular text fields and code fields, using the settings shown in the screenshot meets common requirements.
Step 4: Select Find Method and Fill in Keywords Before/After Replacement
Continue configuring in the "Set Keyword Options" area. In the screenshot, the "Find Method" is set to "Exact Text Match", meaning the software will perform an exact match based on the entered keywords. For tasks aiming to accurately replace specific words or codes with new content, exact match makes it easier to avoid accidental replacements.
In the left "Keyword List to Find", the example fills in two lines: the first line is "Mandatory", the second line is "46060". In the right "Replaced Keyword List", two lines are correspondingly filled in: the first line is "Voluntary", the second line is "888888". This means that during processing, "Mandatory" will be replaced by "Voluntary", and "46060" will be replaced by "888888".
It is important to note that the left and right lists should maintain a one-to-one correspondence. Line 1 on the left corresponds to Line 1 on the right, and Line 2 on the left corresponds to Line 2 on the right. If you need to replace more keywords simultaneously, you can continue filling in lines accordingly, but ensure the old content and new content on each line correspond correctly.
Step 5: Set Save Location and Start Processing
After completing the keyword settings, click "Next" at the bottom of the page to follow the wizard to "Set Save Location". Although the screenshot does not show the detailed interface for the save location, you can see from the top step indicator that the entire workflow includes four stages: "Select Records to Process", "Set Processing Options", "Set Save Location", and "Start Processing".
It is recommended that when setting the save location, save the processed files to a new folder to avoid directly overwriting the original files. The advantage of doing this is that if a certain keyword setting does not meet expectations, you can return to the original files for reprocessing without affecting the security of the original data.
After confirming the save location, proceed to the "Start Processing" step to execute the task. Once processing is complete, open the output Excel files to check, and you will see the results shown in the earlier effect preview: the target keywords have been batch replaced with new content.
Common Questions and Considerations
1. Why is it recommended to back up original Excel files first?
Batch find and replace will affect multiple files simultaneously. If keywords are filled in incorrectly, errors will also be amplified on a large scale. Therefore, it is recommended to back up the original files first, or save the results to a new directory. This improves processing efficiency while ensuring data traceability.
2. Should numeric codes be processed as text or numbers?
Many Excel codes look like numbers but may actually be in text format, such as codes with leading zeros, region codes, or product codes. The options in the screenshot checked "Text" and set data type conversion methods. In actual operation, you should judge based on the data format in the file, especially paying attention not to mistakenly treat codes as ordinary numeric values.
3. How should Exact Match and Fuzzy Match be chosen?
If you only want to replace keywords that match exactly, such as replacing "Mandatory" with "Voluntary", it is recommended to use "Exact Text Match". Using fuzzy matching might match content that is not the target. For batch processing tasks, the larger the data volume, the more cautiously you should choose the find method.
4. Will it replace worksheet names or graphic text?
As seen from the screenshot, besides "Cell Text", the processing scope also provides options like "Worksheet Sheet Name" and "Text in Shapes on Worksheet". This example only checked "Cell Text", so the focus is on replacing cell content. If your needs include worksheet names or shape text, you need to select them separately in the processing scope.
Summary: Using Batch Processing Tools to Reduce Repetitive Excel Modification Work
Batch finding and replacing Excel file keywords essentially transfers a large amount of repetitive manual work to office software for automatic completion. For users who need to maintain multiple xlsx tables and uniformly modify status fields, codes, names, or description text, HeSoft Doc Batch Tool can help you simplify the process of opening files one by one, finding, replacing, and saving individually into a single configuration followed by batch execution.
If you are currently facing the task of uniformly modifying content across multiple Excel tables, you can follow the steps in this article: first enter the find and replace function in Excel Tools, then import files, set the processing scope to cell text, fill in the keywords before and after replacement, and finally set the save location and start processing. After completion, spot-check the output files to confirm whether the keyword replacement results meet expectations. This can not only enhance efficiency but also reduce the risks of manual omissions and inconsistent modifications.