When you need to add a prefix to multiple folder names uniformly, there's no need to manually rename them one by one. This article focuses on the need to batch insert text at the beginning of folder names, demonstrating how to select the corresponding function in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , import a folder list, set the insertion position to 0, and enter ABC- as the new content. In this way, you can quickly change a batch of numbered folders into standardized names with a uniform identifier.
The more folders you have, the more important naming conventions become. Whether it's company project materials, financial archiving directories, course learning folders, or client delivery files, once the number of directories increases, a unified name prefix helps users quickly identify the category, batch, or project a folder belongs to. However, many files are not prefixed when initially created, and when prefixes need to be added later, a large amount of repetitive renaming work arises.
For example, you currently have 10 folders, with names starting with numbers like 001, 002, 003, etc. You now want to add ABC- to the very beginning of all names, changing them into formats like ABC-001-CourseProjects, ABC-002-ExamPreparation, ABC-003-KnowledgeBase. This article will explain, with screenshots, how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch-add prefixes to multiple folder names. This tool is a batch processing software aimed at improving office efficiency, suitable for handling file names, folder names, and tasks related to office files like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF.
Applicable Scenarios: Which Folder Organization Tasks Are Suitable for Batch Adding Prefixes
The most common use for batch inserting specified text at the beginning of folder names is unified identification. For example, a company can uniformly add a client's abbreviation to that client's project directories; educational administrators can add a class code to that class's learning materials uniformly; administrative or archival staff can add a year prefix to materials from that year uniformly; individual users can also add category tags to downloaded material directories by topic.
This method is particularly suitable when the original folder names already have a certain structure but lack a unified prefix. For instance, names like 001-CourseProjects and 002-ExamPreparation in the screenshots already contain numbers and content descriptions. Renaming them directly would not only be time-consuming but could also disrupt the original numbering system. By inserting ABC- at the beginning, you can retain all the original name information while adding a new identifying marker.
Compared to manual renaming, the advantages of batch processing lie in its unified rules, fewer operations, and controllable results. Users only need to set the insertion position and text once, and the same naming rule can be applied to multiple folders in the list, avoiding inconsistencies in capitalization, missing separators, or missed folders caused by repetitive manual input.
Effect Preview: Name Changes Before and After Processing at a Glance
Before processing, the folder list displays a set of English material directories arranged by number. Their names start with 001, 002, 003, up to 010, without any additional alphabetical prefix. While such naming allows for sorting, it is not intuitive enough if differentiation by batch or category is needed.
After processing, ABC- is added to the very beginning of all folder names. The area marked by the red box shows the newly added text. As can be seen, the position of the new prefix is completely consistent, and the original numerals and subsequent descriptive text remain unchanged.
From this set of results, it is evident that batch inserting text at the beginning does not alter the main body of the original name but adds fixed content before it. This processing method is suitable for organizing materials where the original naming structure needs to be preserved, especially for folders that already have an established numbering system.
Steps: From Selecting the Function to Setting the Insertion Text
Step One: Select "Insert Text into Folder Name" under "Folder Name"
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , first find "Folder Name" in the left navigation bar. Because this article deals with folder names, not Word documents docx/doc, Excel spreadsheets xlsx/xls, or PDF files, do not enter the File Name or other document tool categories.
After entering "Folder Name," select "Insert Text into Folder Name" from the function cards. The description on this card in the screenshot indicates batch inserting text at a certain position in folder names. Since we want to insert ABC- at the beginning, this is the most suitable function.
The purpose of this step is to select the correct batch processing rule. After selection, the software will navigate to a dedicated processing page where you can subsequently add folders, set the insertion position, enter the content to insert, and complete the batch process.
Step Two: Add the Target Folders to the Processing List
After entering the function page, the interface will present Step 1: Select records to process. You can see an "Add Folder" button in the upper right corner, used to add the folders needing batch processing to the current task.
Once added, the list will display information like folder names and paths. In the screenshot example, the list contains 10 records, with names from 001-CourseProjects to 010-WritingPractice, located under the D:\test\ path. The table also shows creation time, modification time, and an operation column, allowing users to verify the objects for the current batch task.
At this step, it is recommended not to rush to the next step but to check three things first: whether the Name column lists all folders needing the prefix; whether the Path column corresponds to the correct directory; and whether the record count at the bottom matches expectations. The biggest fear in batch processing is selecting the wrong objects, so early verification can reduce subsequent rework.
If any folder in the list does not need processing, you can remove it using the delete icon in the operation column; if you need to reselect, you can use the "Clear" button on the interface to tidy up the list. Once confirmed, click "Next".
Step Three: Set Position to 0, Indicating Insertion from the Beginning of the Folder Name
After entering Step 2: Set processing options, the page has two input areas: "Position" and "Text to Insert". In the screenshot, the position is set to 0, and the insertion text is set to ABC-.
Position 0 is the key to this batch prefix addition. It indicates inserting text at the very beginning of the folder name. Taking 001-CourseProjects as an example, the first character of the original name is 0. Inserting ABC- before it results in ABC-001-CourseProjects. Other folders will be processed using the same rule.
Fill in ABC- as the text to insert. Here, ABC is a sample identifier, and the hyphen is used to separate the prefix from the original name. In actual office work, you can fill in different content according to specifications, such as DeptA-, ProjectX-, 2026-, Archive-, etc. As long as you want it to appear at the beginning of all folder names, keep the position at 0.
Step Four: Proceed to the Next Step and Execute Batch Processing
After completing the processing options, click "Next" to continue with the subsequent process. According to the process prompts in the screenshot, the following steps include "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing". Before execution, it's advisable to reconfirm whether the inserted text is accurately entered, especially whether a hyphen, underscore, or other separator is needed at the end.
When processing is complete, navigate to the folder location to view the results. You should see the effect shown in the post-processing screenshot: ABC- is added before each folder name. If you are processing more folders, the software will execute them in batch according to the same rule, thereby reducing a large amount of manual renaming work.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes: Avoiding Deviations in Batch Renaming
1. After setting the position to 0, will the text definitely appear at the very beginning?
Judging from the example results, when the position is 0, ABC- appears before each original folder name. Therefore, if the goal is to batch-add prefixes, the position should be set to 0. If set to other numbers, it might be inserted in the middle of the name, which is not suitable for the text-at-beginning requirement of this tutorial.
2. Should a separator be included in the insertion content?
This depends on your naming convention. The example uses ABC-, and after processing, there is a hyphen between the prefix and the original number, making it clearer to read. If only ABC is entered, the result might be ABC001-CourseProjects; although still identifiable, it is less intuitive than having a separator. It is recommended to determine a unified rule beforehand.
3. Will batch-modifying folder names affect the files inside them?
This operation targets the folder names themselves, not modifying the Word, Excel, PDF, or image content inside the folders. Typically, the files within the folders remain untouched. However, please note that if folder paths change, other documents, shortcuts, or programs referencing the old paths might need synchronous adjustments.
4. What should I do if the processing result does not meet expectations?
To mitigate risks, it's recommended to first select a small number of test folders for operation to confirm whether ABC- appears in the correct position before batch processing the complete directory. For important files, it's advisable to back up or record the original names beforehand, especially for shared folders and project delivery directories.
5. Is this method suitable for Chinese-named folders?
Yes, it is. Although the screenshot example uses English names, the rule for batch inserting text does not depend on the language. Specified text can be inserted at the beginning of Chinese folder names in the same way, such as changing "资料整理" to "2026-资料整理", or "合同扫描件" to "财务部-合同扫描件".
Summary: Batch Adding Prefixes Makes Folder Naming More Standardized
Batch adding prefixes to multiple folder names is essentially inserting fixed text at the starting position of each folder name. Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , this task can be quickly accomplished via the "Insert Text into Folder Name" function. The entire process includes selecting the function, adding folders, verifying the list, setting the position to 0, entering ABC-, and then continuing with the processing according to the page flow.
Compared to manually renaming one by one, batch processing significantly saves time and ensures consistent naming formats. For users who frequently organize project folders, course materials, client archives, and archival directories, this type of office software can effectively reduce repetitive labor. It is recommended to test on a small scale before formally processing a large number of folders, confirming the rules are correct before batch execution, making folder management more efficient and standardized.